5 Times Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Dance Moves Gave Her Haters New Reasons to Hate Her
Taylor Swift's Dance Moves Are Not Her Best Gift
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour has been a spectacular showcase of her musical prowess, but her dance moves have once again drawn criticism. Despite her success as a singer-songwriter, Swift's dancing has often been a point of contention. Swift's dance moves have always been a heated debate, and now, during her high-profile Eras Tour, her fans celebrate her uninhibited performances, but her eagle-eyed critics seize every opportunity to point out her unimpressive dance skills, facial expressions, and bland choreography, per Nicki Swift. The tour has amplified these discussions, with several moments becoming viral fodder for her critics. Here are five instances where Swift's dance moves provided ammunition for her haters.
1. Taylor Swift's Edinburgh Shimmy
During a performance in Edinburgh, Swift's dance moves caught the eyes of many internet sleuths. A video posted on TikTok showed Swift dancing to her hit song You Belong With Me. Clad in a gold flapper-style dress, she attempted a hip shake and arm wave routine that many found very awkward. Her exaggerated facial expressions, including a wide smile and tongue sticking out, added to the perceived cringe factor. While some fans saw this as Swift having fun, others found it unbearable. Social media users were quick to criticize, with comments like "the second-hand embarrassment... how can you stan this" and "I don't understand why they don't hire someone to teach her how to move properly." This performance became one of Swift's most talked-about moments for all the wrong reasons.
2. A Dance Breakdown in Australia
Swift's performance of We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together in Australia provided more material for her critics. During the show, her seemingly impromptu dance moves, including stomping and pointing, appeared uncoordinated. A critic shared the clip on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, "can't believe people pay money to see this," which quickly went viral. The post garnered over 60 million views, 15 thousand retweets, and 44 thousand likes. Comments ranged from mocking her backup dancers to calling her fans gullible. In contrast, however, her fans seem to have admired her performance quite a lot.
3. Comparisons to Michael Jackson
A fan-recorded video of Swift performing ...Ready For It? during the Eras Tour sparked another wave of backlash. In the clip, Swift's attempts at choreography, including arm waves and hip movements, were criticized for being awkward. A Swiftie captioned the performance, "Put her in a cage against Michael Jackson and she'll come out as winner bc she really knows how to DANCE." This comparison invited ridicule, with one Reddit user likening her moves to a toddler with a full diaper and others expressing disbelief at the comparison to Jackson. Critics felt the comparison was disrespectful to the legendary performer, and that Swift's dance moves really need work.
4. Bad Blood Choreography Criticism
Swift's performance of Bad Blood during the Eras Tour also came under fire. A TikTok video praised her dance moves, showing Swift in an orange two-piece swaying her hips. However, critics were quick to dismiss the choreography as unimpressive, with many asking what choreography is even there. Comments on the TikTok post included "Uhhhhh what choreography" and sentiments that Swift wasn't delivering a noteworthy performance. Even when Swift's fans defended her, her critics remained unconvinced, continuing to highlight what they saw as her lackluster dancing skills.
5. Mixed Reactions to Cruel Summer Dance Moves
Despite the criticism, Swift's confidence on stage remains unshaken. A TikTok post showed her dancing to Cruel Summer, improvising a body roll that delighted her fans. A Swiftie even praised her progress, jokingly suggesting that the person who taught her to dance could solve world issues. "If you've been seeing videos of Taylor Alison Swift dancing this tour and you know how she used to dance, you know that the person who taught her how to dance needs to reveal themselves because they could fix climate change, they could cure world hunger, they could bring upon world peace." But critics were not impressed. A user commented, "The overreach of the century," while another asked, "This is fixed?"
