Twerking isn't new, but the way the term has been thrown around lately would make one think that it was some newly invented phenomena. After tonight's (Aug. 25) MTV Video Music Awards, that included a performance by Miley Cyrus in which she did some twerking, we decided to get to the bottom (pun intended) of this dance move's origin.

This instructional video will teach you how to twerk... and if you're just in it for the humor, it has you covered there too.

If you're still a little lost, or if you laughed so hard through that video that you missed the whole thing, Urban Dictionary gives plenty of hilarious definitions to help you catch up. On May 3, 2013 twerk was the urban word of the day on Urbandictionary.com. That definition is listed as:

The rhythmic gyrating of the lower fleshy extremities in a lascivious manner with the intent to elicit sexual arousal or laughter in ones intended audience

The six entries that follow for the word twerk on the Urban Dictionary website are far more depictive of what twerking is all about. We'll let you discover those for yourself, though, as some are borderline inappropriate. (Not shocking considering this dance move, though, right?) Definitions number five and are pretty great, so do take a look if you poses a funny bone!

On a more "serious note," Wikipedia defines twerking as this:

Twerking was introduced into hip-hop culture by way of the New Orleansbounce music scene. In 1993, DJ Jubilee recorded the dance tune "Do The Jubilee All" in which he chanted, "Twerk baby, twerk baby, twerk, twerk, twerk." The video for the song increased the popularity of twerking. In 1995 New Orleans-based rapper Cheeky Blakk recorded the song "Twerk Something!" a call-and-response dance song dedicated to twerking. In 1997 DJ Jubilee recorded "Get Ready, Ready" in which he encouraged listeners to "Twerk it!".

A great amount of credit for the expansion of twerking outside of New Orleans can be given to strip clubs in Houston and Atlanta. Twerking was receiving recognition in national releases at least as early as the year 2000, when the Atlanta-based Ying Yang Twins released their debut single "Whistle While You Twurk," which received national airplay peaking at #17 on the Hip Hop Chart and was further referenced in their 2002 follow-up release, "Say I Yi Yi," which prominently features the lyrics "She got her hands up on her knees and her elbows on her thighs, she like to twerk and that's for certain I can tell that she fly." In 2011 The Twerk Team was mentioned in the song "Round of Applause" by Atlanta-based rapper Waka Flocka Flame featuring Drake, including the line, "Bounce that ass, shake that ass like the Twerk Team".[3]Bandz A Make Her Dance rapper Juicy J has a lyric, "Start twerking when she hear her song",[4] while French Montana questions the ability of a girl to twerk by asking, "What you twerkin' with" in his song "Pop That" featuring Drake, Lil Wayne, and Rick Ross.[5] The song, along with "Express Yourself" by Nicky Da B & Diplo, "Made twerking the most popular dance move since the Dougie".[6]

In 2013, 33 students from Scripps Ranch High School were suspended for using school equipment to make a twerking video on school grounds that was later uploaded to YouTube.[7][8]

 

This makes perfect sense, since Miley Cyrus recently tested out her rap skills on French Montana's track "Ain’t Worried About Nothin'”

And all of this, brings us back to Miley Cyrus' performance at the VMAs.

Still need some more twerking? Twerking is so hot right now, it even has its own subcategory on reddit filled with videos. We'll warn you though, many of them are NSFW!

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