When we watch TV, we tend to gravitate toward a favorite character, often due to a quirk or mannerism.
You understand what we mean if you’ve watched The Big Bang Theory or the recently canceled Young Sheldon. And it’s not just the intro song.
Characters who rock the dance floor seemed like the perfect compilation of our favorite TV shows. Some are still ongoing, while others are nostalgic memories.
We’ve included characters who set a trend with their own dance moves (who hasn’t done the Carlton?) and rounded up those who just love to boogie down for a good time.
Related: The Age of Nostalgia: Why Young Audiences Are Seeking Out Old TV
But we haven’t included everyone. So, after you’ve checked out these selections by your friends at TVF, tell us your favorite dancing character in the comments.
When you’re watching a show about a woman who hears people’s thoughts in song form, you expect some dancing to occur.
The cast of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist did not disappoint. Of particular note for his belty lyrics and swag dance moves was Max, played by Pitch Perfect alum Skylar Astin. You may also recognize him as the lead of So Help Me Todd.
Zoey saw Max as the fun, opposite-gender best friend. But he saw her as his number-one love interest. A fact that he often expressed in musical form every time the two were in close proximity.
With the singing, Max also busted some serious dance moves during his declarations of love, unbeknown to him.
Luckily, Zoey overcame her hang-ups and gave the good guy a chance instead of keeping him in the friend zone.
But the show didn’t last long enough for fans to know if their relationship withstood the passing of time.
They did release a movie, “Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas Trailer Teases a Musical Conclusion.”
Janelle and Tal – Step Up High Water
While the ’90s were all about family values and sports shows, Y2K brought the dance trend. It started with the teen classic movie Save the Last Dance, starring Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas.
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By 2006, the uber-talented Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan launched a franchise when they starred in the teen cult film Step Up. What followed was a six-movie saga that inspired a series spinoff.
Step Up High Water was a three-season teen dance dramedy that followed twins Janelle and Tal as their family moved to Atlanta.
There, they enroll in High Water High, a performing arts school known for its intense competitiveness.
As is the Step Up anthology tradition, Tal (Petrice Jones) and Janelle (Lauryn Alisa McClain) are obsessed with dancing.
While others on our list just love to dance for fun, the twins live for it, often making sacrifices in their personal lives for their art.
Peter Burke – White Collar
Lately, I’ve been on a binge-watching marathon of completed series I haven’t seen, and most recently on the list was White Collar.
It was just in time, too, given that they just announced that White Collar will soon be returning for a reboot.
I dreaded how it ended after developing such a fondness for Moz and Neal. I’d hate to have been sitting with that annoyance for years if I’d watched it when it first came on.
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Watching it was also a bit nostalgic for a Xennial who grew up with Tiffani Thiessen and Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Zack and Kelly for three decades. Especially since we can get our “Zack” fix on Found as Mister. Who knew he could be so sinister?!
Thiessen played the enchanting Elizabeth Burk, affectionately known to Moz as Mrs. Suit. Throughout six seasons, Beth was the supportive wife of FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim McKay).
Peter was tight-laced and buttoned up, always going by the book, despite the many escapades of his charge and eventual friend, Neal Caffrey, played by Matt Bomer.
While he was all work when he was on duty, he was a suave romantic outside the office who loved spoiling his wife. And who would have guessed he has some serious moves on the dance floor?
It’ll be great to see if he still has his fancy moves when the reboot airs, sadly without everyone’s favorite conman best friend, Theodore “Mozart” Winters.
Willie Garson passed away in 2021, but his legacy is said to live on.
Lucifer – Lucifer
When you think of Lucifer, you may picture the stereotypical red guy with horns, a pointy tail, and a trident.
But when I hear it, I think of the sinfully sexy Lucifer Morningstar, portrayed by Tom Ellis for six seasons. The voice, that accent, them eyes, those cheekbones, and OMG, that body.
We would expect the king of Hell to be charming and debonair, but we didn’t expect him to be a good guy.
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Seriously, the whole show is about him helping an LAPD police division solve crimes while being in love with his police partner, Chloe.
He was caught in multiple love triangles, like his relationship with his therapist, who became his sister-in-law.
And his relationship with Chloe, who has a child with Daniel, who is often partnered up with Lucifer.
Sticking with being a version of the devil we’d never expect to see on our screens, we got more than one occasion of Lucifer doing a gig.
His talents extended past dancing to being a hell of a piano player and a stand-out bluesy singer.
His trademark phrase, “What is it that you truly desire?” spoken in that hypnotic lyrical voice, was enough to make the most crooked criminal crack.
And it made the most prude females — and often males — swoon at his feet. No one could resist his swag.
Klaus – The Umbrella Academy
Every family has that one person who acts out against the norm. You may call them the black sheep, the outcast, or the screwup. I call it me.
But for The Umbrella Academy, “that” guy was Klaus Hargreeves (Robert Sheehan).
Of the seven infants adopted by conspiracy buff billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves, Klaus was the most unpredictable of the “heroes.”
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Tormented by his uncontrollable ability to speak to the dead, Klaus often turned to mindless partying as an escape.
Pile on his daddy issues from being the adopted son of Sir Reginald Hargreeves. Reg viewed the seven adopted infants as future saviors of the world due to their powers.
So much so that he named them Numbers One through Seven. Klaus was Number Four.
With all that on your plate, plus being able to time-travel (uncontrolled) and basically not die, there’s no surprise that Klaus often lost himself in music and dance.
Dancing goes hand in hand with intoxication, which Number Four often was throughout the three seasons the show ran.
BTW, if you’re a fan like this chick, be ready in August, as we’re getting The Umbrella Academy Season 4 after two long years! Woot woot.
After battling the Guardians who were here to destroy Earth, it will be great to see Klaus’s fantastic wardrobe, snarky attitude, and anguished soul.
Urkel – Family Matters
Urkel is a signature part of growing up in the ’90s, a right of passage, and an iconic legend that paved a path for the equality of nerds after Revenge of the Nerds passed on the baton from the ’80s.
Known for his high-waisted pants, suspenders, glasses on a string, and squeaky voice, Jaleel White united the world with one trademark phrase, “Did I do that?”
It became the icebreaker we needed after an awkward or humiliating encounter. But even more, Urkel gave us the courage to be our true selves despite the opinions of those around us.
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So what’s that got to do with a list of characters who rock the dance floor? If you were around in that time period, you probably did the signature Urkel dance at least once.
It wasn’t a hip, cool dance to do like the Running Man, Vogue, or the Crisscross. But it was all the more fun because it didn’t require losing your breath to hit the steps.
Really, there were no steps at all. Just a goofy shuffle of the hips and a wild waving of the arms. It was fun and foolish and easy enough for the whole family to do for a TGIF night.
Barney – How I Met Your Mother
Barney Stinson is a core member of the five friends of How I Met Your Mother. ’90s teen heartthrob Neil Patrick Harris plays him.
He’ll forever be known to this xennial as child doc Doogie Howser (no, not the Disney Hawaiian remake, although that one is pretty cute).
RIP to the legen — wait for it — dary (IYKYK) father of Doogie, actor James Sikking, who passed July 14, 2024.
Throughout the show’s six seasons, we often admired Barney’s sharp fashion sense, over-the-top exaggerated talking style, and impressive ability to pick up chicks. But, his womanizing ways often led him to become a major prick.
But despite his pigheaded conceit and annoying nuances, Barney was known to cut a rug a time or several over the show’s run.
It’s no surprise if you know the actor behind the character. This multi-Tony and Emmy award-winning star doesn’t just work on screen. He’s also done live Broadway shows and off-Broadway musical numbers,
JD – Scrubs
Although Scrubs has been off the air for some time now, fans still have a nostalgic affection for the cast.
Scrubs revolves around the life (and often mental status) of Dr. John Dorian. JD (played by Zach Braff) is quirky and often annoying, but he’s got this dopey goodness that we can’t help but love.
JD has an abnormal obsession with his on-screen best friend and fellow doctor, Christopher Turk (Donald Faison).
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It provides hilarious and awkward comedic relief in a normally tense, dramatic medical universe and situations.
It’s common for JD’s mental montages to encompass musical moments and random dance moves. But he would also get down with his white-boy awkwardness in real life.
Carlton – Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
If you were around in the ’90s, you either knew about or danced the Carlton at least once. It wasn’t the coolest dance, like The Tootsie Roll or The Butterfly, but it was pure, fun, and oh so nerdy.
Carlton was the whitest black guy on the block of Beverly Hills, a fact that his cousin the Fresh Prince, Will, loved to point out.
But when you’re raised rich, privileged, and attending a mostly white school, it’s to be expected that you’re a bit on the dry, preppy side.
While Will and his younger cousin, Ashley, were often seen boogieing it up to popular hip-hop songs from the time, Carlton preferred to throw down to a different melody.
The music legend Tom Jones is known to an entire generation, albeit an older one. But The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air made the song cool when Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) busted a move to the tune of “It’s Not Unusual.”
Alfonso made magic happen when his “that white” black character gave the most white dance possible, sparking a trend we still enjoy three decades later.
You give a little snap of the fingers and a swing of the arms. A sway of the hips and a shift of the feet.
Add a big grin and a goofy head bob, and you’ve got The Carlton. Get up and give it a go! It’s tons of fun.
Ribeiro isn’t just a dancing fool on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He’s also not only starred on but totally kicked ass and won Season 19 of Dancing with the Stars in 2014.
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He and partner Witney Carson stole the show with a voracious Cha Cha Cha.
Carlton must have gotten his rad dance moves from his mom, cause Aunt Vi had some funk of her own!
Mel – Virgin River
Mel Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) traded a life in the big city for the slower pace of Virgin River, California.
She became a nurse practitioner at the practice of Vernon Mullins, although it took a few seasons before he really saw her as an equal partner.
The move was a desperate effort to escape the pain of losing her fiance, Mark, and her miscarriage.
Whenever Mel needed to relax or let go of stress, she would put on music and dance her feelings away.
And if she was lucky enough to have her hunky new partner Jack around, she tried to make it a family affair. But don’t expect to see her getting funky without wanton when she has eyes on her.
Her dance therapy is a solo affair, done in the privacy of her quaint cabin in the woods rather than on the town dance floor.
Jess Day – The New Girl
New Girl captured the quirky platonic relationship between opposite genders: Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel) and her male roommates Winston, Schmidt, Nick, and Coach (on random).
After catching her boyfriend cheating, Jessica moves into an empty room with Nick, Winston (who just returned from Latvia as a pro basketball player), and white-collar narcissist Winston Schmidt (Max Greenfield from The Neighborhood).
Day is an eccentric elementary school teacher obsessed with crafting and color. She often has less emotional maturity than other people in her twenties, which leads to problems with romantic relationships.
Related: Unforgettable Narcissists of the Small Screen
Jess’s zest for life and fun often leads to embarrassing yet endearing dance moments. While we wouldn’t give her an award for her skills, we would give her a participation trophy because she makes it look so fun.
No matter the occasion, Jess isn’t scared to spontaneously throw out a goofy dance move, often inspiring those around her to join in.
Cristina Yang – Grey’s Anatomy
Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) will forever be the smartass, conceited, brilliant-minded doctor and best gal pal of Meredith Grey.
Yang captured our hearts at the beginning of Grey’s Anatomy, along with the OG crew of first years struggling to find their place at the hospital.
While she was serious and overly confident to the point of cruelty at work, when she was off-duty, we could expect Yang and Mer to rock around the house to work off all the stresses of being a doctor.
Fans loved the impromptu dance parties — living room style — that gave us a different view of Cristina’s personality. One of the great parts of the early seasons was seeing her deep connection to her best friend as they boogie down and become carefree.
Michael Scott – The Office
The mockumentary method of off-humor comedies like The Office fulfills a vacancy fans have available for TV niches.
Among the multiple procedurals, family dramas, and reality shows on TV, The Office gave us a unique touch. The show focused on a group of office workers throughout their daily lives.
We saw them getting along, fighting, having romantic entanglements, and lots of inappropriate behavior. None of their actions would actually last in the real world, which might be why we love it so much as fiction.
Perhaps the most inappropriate worker is the boss, Michael Scott, played by the talented Steve Carell. Scott often uses his love of dancing to lighten the mood, celebrate a milestone, or impress his staff.
His awkward dance moves are full of commitment and enthusiasm, even if there’s zero skill or coordination.
Perhaps the most memorable Scott dancing event was his hilariously cringeworthy Scarn dance, part of his self-made movie, “Threat Level Midnight.”
Throughout his time on The Office, Scott struggled to connect with his colleagues. He was overly concerned about being liked and often made misguided efforts to do it.
Elaine Benes – Seinfeld
Julia Louis-Dreyfus portrays the awful dancer Elaine Benes in the family comedy Seinfeld. If white boys can’t jump, white women can’t dance. At least this white woman couldn’t.
But it was hilarious to watch her unique and horrible dancing routine of erratic arm gestures and uncontrolled kicks.
Her failed, flailing dance moves are legendary in TV history, providing endless and timeless amusement to Seinfeld fans across the generations.
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The complete clusterfluck of her dance moves, fully displayed in “The Little Kicks,” is iconic. It encourages viewers to let loose and have fun.
Despite the criticisms of hearing that her dancing is a “full-bodied dry heave set to music,” Elaine unapologetically gets down with her bad self whenever the mood strikes.
Tina Belcher – Bob’s Burgers
Tina Belcher is the eldest daughter of the Belcher family, beloved for her awkwardness and proneness to daydreaming.
Above all else, Tina (voiced by Dan Mintz) loves to dance like no one is watching, even when they are.
She never lets an opportunity pass without breaking out into her signature dance, the “butt shaker” when she’s lost in her thoughts or thinking of a crush.
Her quirky, heartfelt dance moves reflect her character’s unique personality as she struggles with the awkward adolescent transition.
She becomes a standout character on Bob’s Burgers for her unwavering confidence and dance obsession.
Poussey Washington – Orange is the New Black
Samira Wiley will forever be associated with the LBGTQ prison comedy Orange is the New Black for her role as Poussey Washington.
Poussey is known in the women’s prison for her vibrant spirit and for her deep love of dancing.
Throughout the show, we see numerous flashbacks and scenes in prison where Washington dances around joyfully.
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She’s a shining light of happiness in a grim, depressing place with little color or personality. Everyone in the place is negative and miserable.
Every dance scene shows Poussey’s inner joy and strength in the face of her character’s trials, and she becomes an endearing, memorable member of the show.
The Gang from Parks and Recreation
Several people from the P&R show had a thing for dancing, making a comedic show that much more entertaining.
First, April Ludgate was known for her brazen sarcasm and deadpan humor. But despite her hard edges, April (Aubrey Plaza) often exhibits cutting loose with enthusiastic dancing.
Her best dance scene happened with Andy Dwyer to the tune of “Time After Time.” Fans loved seeing the pure joy from her core when her guard came down on those rare occasions.
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It gave us the perfect balance of contrast to display her personality’s complexity and the warmth buried within.
Another dancing character from P&R is Tom Haverford. Aziz Ansari is the man behind the ambitious, self-proclaimed “baller” of the show with the best fashion.
He never skips an opportunity to rock the dance floor, especially at a club where he can get attention for his flashy, over-the-top dance scenes.
His enthusiasm for dance and his over-exaggerated self-confidence means he’s not scared to show up and show out with hilarious moves.
The most notable episode for Tom’s larger-than-life dance routines is best summed up with the episode “Snake Juice.”
And finally, Rob Lowe‘s character, Chris Traeger, rounds out the dancers on the Parks and Rec crew.
As a health-conscious city manager, Chris has a love of life that often encompasses his passion for dancing. We often see his energetic, upbeat dance moves at personal celebrations and city events.
Chris has relentless optimism, exuding constant positive vibes and fun, uplifting dance scenes that infect those around him with happy energy and a love of life.
The Best TV Characters Who Rock The Dance Floor
It’s common for viewers to see a fun scene where their favorite characters get funky on the dance floor. Even if that dance floor is in their bedroom. Dancing is a form of self-expression and a great way to get rid of stress.
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So, some of the best dancing scenes come from characters who don’t have professional training or dance for a living.
We’ve given you our top picks for the best TV characters who rock the dance floor. Now it’s your turn to tell us who you like the best. What about their dancing makes you love it?
Feed us your thoughts in the comments. And shuffle this piece over to a dancing fanatic who loves to read!