For this End-of-Year Review, narrowing down the choreographies was a challenge due to the amount of great content this year. Celina and Sabrina focused on curating a diverse selection for each of their list. Each chosen dance routine highlights a unique element—be it technique, emotional delivery, or storytelling.
Celina: Per usual, it was hard to finalize my list, but I am glad we have some of the same musical acts. Chungha is high on both of our lists, and I am sure anyone can see why. From the beginning of that dance performance, she starts strong by hanging off a dancer’s back. The dance has slow and smooth movements but also speeds up with the rhythm of the dance. All in all, with so many background dancers, I was impressed with how she managed to stand out. What did you like about that particular choreography?
Sabrina: Chungha does really stand out. Obviously, there are jaw-dropping moves like the opening backdrop. Throughout the dance, her body control is incredible, particularly her head and chest isolations and hip movements during floor moves. I knew that she was trained in waacking, but it was impressive to see how skillfully she swings her arms or poses. Even while strutting, she executes her movements with both precision and a ton of charisma.
With soloists, I seem to be drawn to choreography that utilizes dancers in varied ways — sometimes they match Chungha’s movements, and at other times they are in formations that create striking imagery. That variety makes the performance compelling to watch.
You’re right that there are so many great dances to choose from this year. Illit’s “Magnetic” didn’t quite make my list, but it did catch my attention as well. What was it about that choreography that made it your top pick?
Celina: Illit’s dance was something I saw before I even knew what I was watching since it was so popular on social media. Sometimes viral dance routines, are just simple and essentially easy to copy, but this one was more than meets the eye. Once you look at the choreography beyond the TikTok videos, it has variations with full body movements. To me, the hand movements caught my attention, since it was unique that the dance was focused on that for the chorus. However, it was not so overly simplified that anyone can do it on the first watch which shows their talent. I also enjoyed that the choreography captured the sweetness and joviality of the song.
When I thought of choreographies from this year, this one was the first one that popped into my mind. That was not the case for the others on the list, I did go through past videos to fill out the rest of my list.
One I had not seen before was Badvillain’s “Badvillian.” Somehow, this one fell under my radar, but from the very beginning of my watch, it caught my attention. When the members sit in a straight line and create a cascading effect with their arms it is just beautiful. I also like that they know to slow down to give the singer a moment to shine and create a focus on that one person. During the chorus, much like Illit, there is a focus on their hand movements to go with the music. However, they have a dance break to focus on a full-body choreography that makes use of quick foot movements. So all in all, it was a great start to catch your attention, and a nice variation to show off their dance abilities which is why it landed on my list.
This one also made your list. What did you like about them?
Sabrina: Badvillain is a group I’ve been following from their start because of dance. Main dancer Emma was on Street Woman Fighter, and I admire their choreographers, Kany and Kasper. The group released some hard-hitting hip-hop dance videos pre-debut, but “Badvillain” surprised me with how dynamic it is. The choreography often switches levels and formations, with smooth transitions that show their musicality. In the first part of the chorus, for example, they drop down, come back up, and then bend forward at the waist, all with clean lines and graceful hand movements. They alternate between sharp, quick movements and more flowing ones as well.
The choreography also does well to establish the group. As you said, each member has a moment when she is featured. The arm movements and hand gestures to “bad villain” fit in with their concept and could become a signature move. This was a strong debut and I am excited to see where they will go from here.
We do not have other artists in common, but I noticed that two of our picks, Enhypen’s “Fatal Trouble” and ONF’s “Bye My Monster” are by the same choreographers. I chose “Fatal Trouble” because it is beautiful and emotive. The choreo starts off with lovely floor formations and some surprising elements, like Sunoo sliding out behind the members and then getting dragged by his foot to the other side. At times, the moves literally interpret the song’s lyrics, like in the second verse, when their arms cascade down to illustrate the waning of the moon. More often, though, the dance moves heighten the drama of the song. As the music grows more angst-ridden, the choreography includes more intricate arm movements and powerful pops and body waves. I also particularly liked the moments in the chorus when Heeseung is singing and the members travel around him while falling to their knees. Even if one does not know the lyrics of ”Fatal Trouble”, one can feel the emotion through its dance.
I see a similar sense of drama in “Bye My Monster.” What did you like about it?
Celina: You know what is funny is that I did see similarities in the dance style of Enhypen and ONF but it did not occur to me to look up the choreographer for these songs.
With ONF’s “Bye My Monster” I like that it is a piano melody with a more intricate dance routine than I would have expected. Minkyun starts off the song, and the members react to his movements creating a beautiful cascading effect.
The music is synced with the choreography for each member’s moment. For instance, when Wyatt raps, you see more pop-in-lock moves to fit with the rhythm. This song has so many highs and lows, and I was impressed with how the choreography managed to show that without looking chaotic. Just like Enhypen’s “Fatal Trouble” is an emotional song with an equally emotional dance routine.
Now to segway from these moodier dances to a happier dance routine. I am eager to hear about your view on your number two choice with Riize’s “Impossible.”
Sabrina: “Impossible”, along with “I’m Ready,” immediately came to mind when considering the best dances of the year. “Impossible” is relentlessly energetic, requiring incredible athleticism with the spins and high kicks in the chorus, and the complex footwork throughout. The members look light on their feet, gliding during their transitions. Shotaro in particular moves with agility and precision, especially in the dance break when he explosively jumps and shuffles. All members, however, hold their own with both the tempo and groove of House dance, even though most of them do not have a background in it. My top choice Chungha got to show how masterful she is in her wheelhouse, but it is also admirable to execute a new style well, as Riize did here.
NewJeans’ “How Sweet” also seems like a difficult dance, though one might be fooled because the members move so effortlessly. What drew you to this choreography?
Celina: You hit the nail on the head with “How Sweet.” I love how natural the movements come to them as if it were an easy dance routine. To create that effect, they mix in some simple movements that while not complicated, fit with the cool-girl persona of the song. For example, in the beginning when they just lean back and forward with their hands in their pocket. These easy parts are mixed in with more intricate routines and faster footwork.
My favorite part, though is during the bridge of the song. The camera pans around which changes the center dancer due to the angle, and the girls have to shift their position by just slightly turning. It is done so seamlessly that on the first watch, it took me a minute to understand how they did it. I thought it was a creative way to combine the camera work with the choreography.
I only had one soloist on my list, but you had two. Sometimes, they slip under the radar for me because I focus on the groups. But like with Chungha, I think it takes a lot for a soloist to be able to stand out and that is even more impressive. I want to hear about your fourth pick which is Jimin’s “Who?”
Sabrina: Jimin is always an appealing dancer to watch. One could freeze any frame and his body lines would look beautiful—especially the back bends that he and his partner do in the second pre-chorus. His exceptional body control can even show in small details, such as curling his fingers or popping at the ends of moves.
“Who”, however, ultimately made my list because of how Jimin’s interactions with his dancers drive the storytelling. The song depicts Jimin searching for love, illustrated in the choreo when he walks by a woman and they briefly mirror each other. I loved the clever, musical theater-style formations, like when the groups of male and female dancers circle around another and then mingle, rotating partners. Each choice in the dance video feels intentional, down to the last moment, with the camera spinning around Jimin to show him alone, still looking for “the one.”
Strong storytelling also featured in my honorable mentions, like the creative horror of Xikers’ “Witch,” and some dances that I covered in MV reviews this year (Ten’s “Nightwalker,” Itzy’s “Imaginary Friend”, and Seventeen’s “Maestro”). I aimed for diversity in my picks, but I was drawn to choreography that enhanced the song or showed me something distinct about the artist.
Celina, any final thoughts about this year’s dances?
Celina: I also wanted diversity in my picks, so I chose dances with different strategies toward their choreography. I like choreographies that express the emotions of the lyrics but differ from one another. Technique was also an attribute– like Chungha who completed some dance moves that required great athleticism. Two honorable mentions on my end would be Dreamcatcher’s “Justice” and Itzy’s “Imaginary Friend.” Both had great technique and choreography, but ultimately, did not make my final list.
We look forward to what 2025 has in store. Were there any other dances that stood out for you this past year? Let us know in the comments!
(Youtube [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Images via More Vision and Ador.)
