It was the arm twitch heard 'round the world. Or, more accurately, the stiff-limbed, bug-eyed shuffle that basically reset how we think about viral choreography. When Jenna Ortega, playing the titular Wednesday Addams in the Netflix smash hit Wednesday, hit the dance floor to the gritty, swampy sounds of The Cramps, something shifted. It wasn't just a scene. It became the Goo Goo Muck dance, a cultural artifact that managed to bridge the gap between 1950s rockabilly weirdness, 1980s punk subculture, and 2020s TikTok obsession.
Honestly, the whole thing was a bit of an accident.
Ortega has been vocal about the fact that she choreographed the routine herself. She didn't hire a professional. She didn't look for what was "trending." Instead, she stayed up for days, fueled by caffeine and a deep dive into archival footage of 1980s goth clubs. She pulled from Lisa Loring (the original Wednesday), Siouxsie Sioux, and even archival footage of kids dancing in clubs like The Batcave. It’s raw. It’s weird. It’s purposefully unpolished. That’s exactly why it worked.
The Cramps and the Sound of the Goo Goo Muck
Before it was a TikTok sound, "Goo Goo Muck" was a 1981 track by The Cramps. But even then, it wasn't "theirs." The song was originally recorded in 1962 by Ronnie Cook and the Gaylads. The Cramps, being the kings of "psychobilly," took that obscure, garage-rock nugget and injected it with a dose of late-night monster movie energy and sleazy guitar riffs.
The song is about a teenage monster. It’s campy, dark, and perfectly fits the Addams Family aesthetic. When you hear that opening guitar line, you can almost smell the hairspray and the graveyard dirt. For the show, this was a deliberate pivot away from the expected. Most viewers probably anticipated a modern pop hit or a classic orchestral piece. By choosing The Cramps, the production team—and Ortega herself—anchored the character in a specific, rebellious subculture. It signaled that Wednesday wasn't just "spooky"; she had taste.
How the choreography actually happened
The magic of the Goo Goo Muck dance lies in its lack of symmetry. Most viral dances are built on "the Renegade" or similar hip-hop-influenced movements that require rhythm and bounce. This is different.
Ortega’s movements are sharp. They are angular.
She uses her hands like claws. She stares directly into the camera—or rather, at Tyler—without blinking for the entire duration. This "dead stare" was something she developed for the character throughout the series, but it reaches its peak during the dance. She looked at footage of Denis Lavant in Beau Travail and Lene Lovich to find that specific brand of "manic energy" that feels both controlled and completely unhinged.
The production was actually under a lot of pressure during the filming of this scene. Ortega later revealed she had COVID-19 while filming the dance, which adds a layer of "how did she do that?" to the whole performance. She was achey and being medicated between takes, yet she delivered a performance that would define the show's legacy. It’s a testament to her commitment to the bit.
Why TikTok Tried to Replace the Song
Here is where things get weird. If you spent any time on social media shortly after the show’s release, you probably saw the dance everywhere. But you might not have heard The Cramps.
Instead, a sped-up version of Lady Gaga’s "Bloody Mary" took over.
Why? Because the internet is a strange place. Someone paired the dance with Gaga’s track, and the algorithm absolutely devoured it. It became a point of contention among "purists." Fans of the show and fans of 80s punk were annoyed that the actual Goo Goo Muck dance was being divorced from the Goo Goo Muck song.
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Lady Gaga herself eventually leaned into it. She posted her own version of the dance, effectively blessing the crossover. But if you want the "real" experience, you have to go back to the original scene. The tempo of "Goo Goo Muck" dictates the erratic nature of the movements. The "Bloody Mary" version is a different vibe entirely—more polished, more "pop." The original is where the grit lives.
Deconstructing the Moves: Why You Can’t Stop Watching
The dance works because it breaks the "uncanny valley" of social media perfection. We are so used to seeing influencers do perfectly timed, high-production dances. The Goo Goo Muck dance is the opposite. It’s "ugly" dancing. It’s the kind of thing you do in your room when nobody is watching.
- The Head Tilt: The way she snaps her neck to the side. It’s bird-like.
- The Shuffle: It’s less of a step and more of a rhythmic twitch.
- The Eyes: The refusal to blink. It’s intimidating. It’s a power move.
People connected with it because it felt authentic to the "outcast" theme of Nevermore Academy. If you’re a weirdo, you don’t dance like a backup dancer for a pop star. You dance like a creature emerging from a swamp. That resonated with millions of people who felt like they didn't fit the standard "aesthetic" of 2024 or 2025.
The Impact on Gothic Fashion and Culture
We saw a massive spike in "Goth-core" after this. Suddenly, everyone wanted a black ruffled dress (similar to the Alaïa piece Ortega wore). Sales of Mary Janes and oversized collars skyrocketed. But more importantly, it introduced a whole new generation to psychobilly and post-punk.
The Cramps saw a massive surge in streaming numbers.
This is the "Stranger Things" effect—taking an 80s relic and making it the coolest thing on the planet again. It proves that good art doesn't have an expiration date. It just needs the right vessel. In this case, that vessel was a teenager with a pigtail obsession and a total lack of social anxiety.
Common Misconceptions About the Routine
People often think there was a choreographer behind the scenes pulling the strings. There wasn't. Netflix executives were actually a little nervous about how weird the dance was. They weren't sure it would "land."
There was also a rumor that the dance was entirely improvised. That’s not quite true. While it looks spontaneous, Ortega had a very clear map of the movements she wanted to hit. She practiced the "Lisa Loring shuffle" specifically. She knew she wanted to do the arm-cross. It was planned, but executed with a level of freedom that made it feel like Wednesday was simply possessed by the music in that moment.
Another myth? That the song was chosen by the cast. While Ortega picked the movements, the music selection was a collaborative effort between the showrunners (Miles Millar and Al Gough) and the music supervisors. They wanted something that felt "Addams" without being the theme song. They nailed it.
How to Do the Goo Goo Muck Dance Properly
If you're still trying to master this for a video or just for fun, stop trying to be "good" at it. That’s the first mistake.
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- Stiffen your limbs. Think of yourself as a marionette with slightly tangled strings.
- Focus on the hands. Keep them bent at the wrists. They should look like claws or "Thing" (the hand character) himself.
- The Dead Stare. This is the hardest part. You have to look through the camera. Not at it. Through it.
- No Smiling. Wednesday doesn't enjoy things in the traditional sense. Her "joy" is internal and dark.
The dance is a rejection of the male gaze. It’s a rejection of being "pretty" or "coordinated." It’s an assertion of identity. When you do the Goo Goo Muck dance, you’re basically saying, "I don't care if you think I'm weird. In fact, I hope you do."
What’s Next for the "Wednesday" Aesthetic?
As we move toward future seasons of the show, the bar is high. There is already talk about how they can top the dance scene. But honestly? They probably shouldn't try. Some things are lightning in a bottle. You can't manufacture a "Goo Goo Muck moment" twice.
What we can expect is a deeper exploration of the musical underground. If Season 1 gave us The Cramps, maybe Season 2 gives us Joy Division or The Birthday Party. The door has been opened for "weird" music to take center stage in mainstream television again.
Actionable Takeaways for Content Creators and Fans
If you want to tap into this energy, don't just copy the moves. Understand the why behind them.
- Look for inspiration in the "wrong" places. Ortega didn't look at TikTok; she looked at 40-year-old grainy club footage. If you want to create something original, look where others aren't looking.
- Embrace the "unpolished." We are in an era of "perfect" content. Sometimes, being a little awkward or messy is the most relatable thing you can do.
- Research the roots. If you love a trend, find out where it came from. Knowing about Lux Interior and Poison Ivy (of The Cramps) makes the dance much more meaningful than just knowing a 15-second loop.
The Goo Goo Muck dance isn't just a meme. It’s a reminder that being the "weirdo" in the room is often the most powerful position you can hold. Whether you’re a fan of the show or just someone who appreciates a good bit of eccentric choreography, the legacy of this dance is here to stay. It redefined the "viral dance" from something you do to fit in, to something you do to stand out.
Go find some old vinyl, put on some black ruffles, and don't forget to keep your eyes wide open. Just maybe don't do it if you're actually sick like Jenna was—health first, even for the macabre.