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By Lucy Notarantonio
Senior Reporter
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"Is this Shakira?" seems to be the only question on everyone’s mind in the comments section of a viral video featuring a cocker spaniel and her owner.
Neither of them looks anything like the Colombian singer-songwriter, but the dog—Jessie—certainly channels the pop star’s energy. Best known for her iconic belly dancing moves, Shakira has an unmistakable style, and commenters think Jessie has it too.
Racking up more than 43.8 million views on TikTok (@dancing.spaniel.jess), the December 2 clip shows Jessie from behind, wearing a hip scarf trimmed with jangling coins—the kind often used in belly dancing.
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The dog is perched on a bed, facing her male owner as he waves his arms in the air. Jessie rises onto her hind legs, tail wagging ferociously, her hips shimmying in a way that makes it look like she is shaking her behind.
"If anyone says dogs can’t dance just send them this video," reads the caption on the post, which has collected over 7.2 million likes.
"SHAKIRA IS THAT YOU????" wrote one user in a comment that earned almost 300,000 likes.
Another praised Jessie’s owner, "Amazing use of free time and free will," while a third posted: "This is why I’m paying for internet."
Others were curious about Jessie’s moves. "How did [you] discover your dog can do that," one commenter asked. Another person replied: "It’s literally just the dog wagging its tail, which every dog can do, so yes, every dog can do it. Even the ones with no tails cause it’s the hips that move."
And while that is true—Jessie’s magic is definitely a joyful tail-and-hip combo. Canines really can dance on purpose, and competitive dog dancing is far from new.
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As Dance Magazine, an American publication, explains, dogs and handlers perform choreographed routines of tricks and behaviors to music—basically, they dance together.
At a typical event, you might watch a pup weave through a handler’s legs, roll, spin upright on hind legs, or leap into their person’s arms, tail wagging nonstop. Some performances are playful mini-stories; others feel more like pure movement set to sound. Costumes and props are a big part of the fun, too, with teams dressing up to match the music and theme.
Even though it looks like pure joy, freestyle demands real technical ability. It is a difficult sport. Handlers pick the music, design and teach the routine, and—unlike in many dog sports—step fully into the spotlight alongside their canine.
Jessie may not be Shakira, but for millions of viewers, she is close enough. The video is proof that sometimes all it takes to steal the show is a wagging tail, a jingling scarf, and the confidence to dance like nobody’s watching.
Newsweek reached out to @dancing.spaniel.jess for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.
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