How to Do the Time Warp Dance

The Time Warp dance became famous for its essential role in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in the mid 1970s and has been a classic dance ever since. Sitting out for this one is just not an option. It doesn't take much skill to dance like an alien transvestite, all it takes is a willingness to lose your dignity for a few pelvic thrusting minutes.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Listen to the song and follow the steps. If you have a hard time hearing the lyrics, read them online and practice the instructions. You can also catch glimpses of Rocky Horror fans trying their Time Warps on YouTube.

2. Jump to your left and land with both feet next to each other. Remain there for about four beats or so, no matter how anxious you are to get to the thrusting part.

3. Bounce on the balls of your feet to help keep time--small bobs, not House of Pain jumping. Take a step to the right and bring your feet back together.

4. Give it your best attitude and put those hands on your soon-to-swivel hips. Next, clench your knees into each other, bending a bit at the waist and if you need to, moving your feet out a bit for balance.

5. Wait no more: thrust that Elvis pelvis back and forth as vigorously as your chiropractor will let you. Do this a few times, until you are giddy with delight.

6. Moving counter-clockwise, roll those hips around a couple of times and stretch your arms up way over your head to give the room some jazz hands with sparkle fingers. This will really add a punch to the "insane" part of the song. Feel free to shake your head about as well, you crazy kid.

Tips & Warnings

• To really ham it up for Step 4, go ahead and bring your knees together and apart a few times before you finally clamp them together, as if you're having a really hard time keeping your legs together, which really speaks to a central theme of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
• Don't Time Warp on anyone else's toes or pelvic thrusts; that could be awkward and more embarrassing than doing the dance in the first place.