The Voice UK: What is the dab?
What were those mysterious hand movements the coaches performed?
Week two of The Voice UK and while Jennifer Hudson, Tom Jones, will.i.am and Gavin Rossdale are becoming a familiar line-up on the show, there was a brand new addition to tonight’s coaching panel: the dab.
As one audience member called for coach Gavin to “dab”, the Bush frontman obliged by performing a Usain Bolt-style gesture, which was quickly replicated by the rest of coaches.
However, if you're like Tom Jones and a tad rusty when it comes to the big-on-the-internet dance move, you've probably got a few questions about the dab...
How do you dab?
Simple: point one arm towards the sky while bowing your head into your other arm.
Here are J-Hud and Will giving it a graceful go…
Followed by Tom Jones, performing a mere 6/10 dab – great arm action, but no critical head bow.
How did the dab start?
Dabbing was originally slang for a form of marijuana use, but much like will.i.am catchphrase “dope”, “dab” has gone on to have a second meaning.
Although nobody is sure exactly where it comes from, many claim the dab dance started in Atlanta, Georgia. A handful of rappers from the group Migos packed their music videos with the dab – most notably in their song ‘B**** Dab’.
You can see the video below, which unsurprisingly contains some strong language.
And thus the dab was invented, but it only really got popular after American Football superstar Cam Newton performed the dance on pitch at every opportunity .
Thanks to the Carolina Panthers quarterback, the dance quickly started an online trend – one that many celebs got on board with.
So, what celebrities have done the dab?
Plenty of Premier League pros have incorporated the dance into their goal celebrations and many A-list celebs have also dabbled with the dab.
First up, here’s Prince Harry making himself very popular with a school by pulling out the dab...
…And then there’s Tom Hanks and his son Chet trying it out…
Here’s tennis star Victoria Azarenka dabbing...
Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton even gave it a go on US chatshow Ellen…
And finally, here's The Voice’s will.i.dab making his mark on the meme's hall of fame.
The Voice UK is on Saturdays, 8pm ITV
