How to Do the Kriss Kross House Dance Move

Introduction

The Kriss Kross, also known as the Crisscross, is a house dance move where the dancer crosses their legs in an X shape while shifting their weight from side to side. It creates a visually striking illusion of the body twisting and turning.

Video Demonstration

Dance History of The Kriss Kross

While the origins are unclear, the Kriss Kross gained widespread popularity in the underground house music scene of Chicago and New York in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Legendary house dancers like Buddha Stretch helped codify and popularize the move through performances and tutorials.

Step By Step Instruction

1. Start with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent.

2. Cross your right leg over your left, shifting your weight to the left side.

3. Quickly uncross your legs, shifting your weight to the right side and crossing your left leg over your right.

4. Continue alternating the cross and uncross motion, creating a smooth, rhythmic pattern.

Tips For Learning The Kriss Kross

• Keep your knees bent and engage your core for balance and control.

• Use arm movements to accentuate the twisting motion and add style.

• Start slowly, focusing on the weight transfer between each cross.

• Practice transitioning the Kriss Kross into other house dance moves

Conclusion

The Kriss Kross is an iconic and visually captivating house dance move that showcases footwork skills and rhythm. By mastering this foundational move, dancers can build a strong base for improvisation and self-expression in the house dance style.

More Hip Hop Dance Moves

If you liked the Kriss Kross, these moves share the same leg-crossing mechanics or side-to-side weight-shifting pattern:

• How to Learn the Crossroads House Dance Move — Crossroads uses the same cross-in-front and cross-behind footwork, just organized into a pivot sequence, so the two moves are closely related in muscle memory.
• How to Do the Jack In The Box House Dance Move — both are foundational in-place house dance moves from the same Chicago/NY lineage, and mastering the Jack In The Box gives you the rhythmic grounding that makes Kriss Kross feel natural.
• House Dance | Train — the Train develops the same lateral weight transfer you use in Kriss Kross but spreads it across the floor, making it a useful bridge between stationary and traveling footwork.
• How to Do the Tip Tap Toe House Dance Move — Tip Tap Toe shares the same tight, controlled footwork vocabulary and stationary rhythm focus as Kriss Kross, making them complementary moves to practice in the same session.