Wednesday has already seeped its way into pop culture thanks to lead actress Jenna Ortega’s memorable dance sequence, and a recent figure skating routine has proved critics of Wednesday Addams’ moves completely wrong. An original series for Netflix in 2022, Wednesday quickly became one of the platform’s most popular shows and shattered viewing records previously held by Stranger Things. Wednesday follows the titular Addams family daughter as she is sent away to a boarding school, Nevermore Academy, full of outcasts, where she uses her new-found psychic powers to investigate a local murder spree.
Although it was released late in the year, Wednesday is easily one of the best Netflix shows of 2022, and much of that is down to Jenna Ortega’s performance. Ortega perfectly captures Wednesday’s morbid humor and straight-faced wit while quietly letting her character’s personality grow throughout the series. Proof of how far the reclusive Wednesday had come during her time at Nevermore came in episode 4, “Woe What A Night,” where for a moment, she let loose at the school dance, albeit in Goth fashion, while her classmates looked on in awe. Wednesday’s dance routine immediately went viral but has come in for its fair share of criticism.
Wednesday Dance Scene’s Amazing Figure Skating Homage Proves Its Impact
Despite being mocked in some quarters for being too weird, Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday dance has been recreated by thousands on social media, with the likes of Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga joining in on the trend. Another name to add to that list is Kamila Valieva, a European figure skating champion who based the routine she performed at the Russian Figure Skating Championships on Wednesday’s dance sequence. The spectacular skating performance included an appearance from Thing, Wednesday’s classic shuffle, and the rest of the character’s now iconic moves.
Valieva incorporating Wednesday’s dance into her spellbinding performance shows not only how popular the minute-long scene has become but also that the choreography was good. Breakout star Jenna Ortega herself choreographed Wednesday’s dance. Although she has publicly stated that she thinks the scene makes it obvious she is not a dancer, the sequence nails the ghoulish charm of Wednesday. Initially, plans were to have a flash mob, but the decision to stick with a solo dance paid off as Wednesday’s personality shone through in the most unexpected way.
The Wednesday Dance Scene Criticisms Never Made Sense
Wednesday’s dance has been criticized by a small but vocal portion of viewers who claim to have suffered second-hand embarrassment because Wednesday’s unconventional dance moves are awkward and uncomfortable. But that is entirely the point. Not only does the dance breathe the kooky spirit of The Addams Family into the series, but it is also a huge moment of growth for Wednesday, who before then preferred to stay in the shadows and do her own thing. By unapologetically dancing in a way that stays true to her character, Wednesday proves that she doesn’t care what anyone thinks and doesn’t mind being the outcast in a school full of outcasts.
The routine isn’t even the first time Wednesday has danced on-screen before. In the 1960s The Addams Family series, a younger Wednesday taught Lurch how to shuffle and didn’t stop when Morticia walked in on them both, proving that she dances to express her individuality rather than for other people’s approval. Jenna Ortega’s take on the eldest Addams child and how she moves is in keeping with the character’s unique identity. The almost universal adoration for Wednesday’s dance from casual fans to competitive figure skaters has silenced its critics.
