The Twist is unique and easy to do as it is basically a twisting motion back and forth with the hips. Just pretend to drop a cigarette stub on the ground, place the ball of your foot over this imaginary cigarette and twist it to and fro as if putting it out. At the same time, place an imaginary bath towel behind your back and pull it from side to side as though drying yourself and presto!! You're doing the Twist!

It was because the Twist was so simple that it became a worldwide craze, even across generation gaps. It caused people to dance alone with no partner contact and a whole generation effectively either forgot or never learned how to jive. Although dancers no longer touched when dancing the Twist, it was still usual to dance with a partner while dancing it socially and the basic twisting of the hips technique came straight from the Lindy Hop.

Though it was originally Hank Ballard's song, Chubby Checker and "The Twist" will always be intertwined and remembered as one of the top dance songs of the early 1960's. He is one of only two artists who had a song go to the Number 1 spot on the charts, and return at a later date. His signature song "The Twist" started a world-wide dance craze and still, the beloved dance of the 60's remains a staple and is still heard and danced to in the 21st century.