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The Melbourne shuffle is a style of street and rave dance that originated in the late 1980s in the Melbourne underground scene. The basic movements in the dance are a fast heel-and-toe action with a style suitable for various types of electronic music. Some variants incorporate arm movements.

Late 1980s–early 1990s

In the late 80s, the Melbourne Shuffle began to emerge as a distinct dance, incorporating more hand movement than previous styles. Hip Hop, Breakbeat Hardcore, Drum and Bass and Big Beat music were gradually replaced with Trance and House music.

Mid–late 1990s

A number of videos documenting the style during this era exist as the style increased in popularity. There are many variations of this dance but the main heel-to-toe movement remained the key motion, giving it the name "the Melbourne shuffle".

2000–2008

In 2004 a documentary entitled Melbourne Shuffler began filming in Melbourne clubs, festivals and outdoor events, before being released on DVD in 2005. In 2006 with the rising popularity of YouTube, dancers internationally now contribute to the Shuffle online, posting their own variations and learning from others. The German band Scooter featured the shuffle performed by veterans Pae & Sarah in the video for the single J'adore Hardcore.The Melbourne shuffle has changed as it has evolved over time, as more people have practised the dance, the dance itself has changed from the majority of hand movements over feet movements, to present day, where it is mostly based on keeping in time with bass beats.



Mid 2009–Present

In early to mid 2009 the infectious popularity of the Melbourne shuffle on YouTube began to calm but not die, bringing apon a new age of shufflers. The dance began to revert back to what some people call "Oldschool". This reversion of shuffling consisted mostly of wide variations of the "T-Step", minimal running man, and is accented by glides and spins. Although this may be referred to as "Oldschool" this new age of style is still very different from the way rockers in the '90s danced.