Twenty twenty-one has been a really tough year for a lot of us. And the need for positive, energy-inducing activities or escapes has never been more important. As the world steadily opened up, we needed to laugh, find joy, and have experiences that would make up for the year and a half of our lives that we've lost. TikTok, the video-sharing music app, helped connect the world to each other through laughter, music, and dance both during the pandemic, and now during whichever version of the pandemic we're currently going through. Users have the freedom to interact with cultures that they would normally never think of, as the app is often used to teach other people how to speak different languages, educate some on the ins and outs of online trading and cryptocurrency, as well as how to do dance moves that are specific to certain corners of the world.

The #Afrodance category on TikTok features over a billion videos representing the fast-paced, high-energy dance moves from the continent, and one thing they all have in common is the giant smiles plastered over each dancers face. African dances are rooted in joy, self-expression, and community, and the #DanceTok community has been sure to keep that same energy on the app. Talented dancers in the #Afrodance world are using their platforms not only to celebrate themselves and show off their fancy footwork, but also to help international observers recreate the moves in ways that won't embarrass them (and us). The dances are fun, bold, and prove that Afro dance could really and truly be the medicine the world needs to finally stop fighting each other.

We chose 12 videos showcasing incredible dancers from around the world partaking in the #Afrodance trend, and helping spread the talent, robustness and high spirits found in the world of African dances. From Panama to England, Afrodance is taking the dance world by storm and we're happy to sit back and watch.

Here are 12 DanceToks from this year that should be enough to convince you to spend your next summer dancing on the continent: