"Jerkin'" is a Los Angeles based dance movement that spread across Southern California in late 2000. Since 2009, the dance has gained many fans along the west coast and is gaining popularity on the east coast. The dance consists of "the jerk," moving your thighs in and out, and other moves such as the "reject," "dip," and "pin-drop."

Jerkin' music is usually high tempo for rap music, though it is not its own type of music. It is still under the classification of rap or hip-hop. The groups New Boys and Audio Push have brought jerkin' to the mainstream. New Boys recorded the song "You're A Jerk," and Audio Push recorded the song "Teach Me How To Jerk," which have become extremely popular.

Many MHS students are starting to catch on to this dance craze.

Seth Case, a junior, is one of the more advanced jerkers at MHS. 

"I started jerkin about a month ago," said Seth Case. He feels that it is a good way to express himself.

Many students at MHS enjoy jerkin' from time to time.

"People think its monsta' thuggage," said Case.

"It's a cool dance," said junior Keath Woodie. "I do it because it's a fun dance, and it keeps me out of trouble." Woodie thinks that people like it, there are a lot of people doing it. The jerk circle is becoming a popular thing to do, and its popularity is spreading. Many of Woodie's friends in Portland jerk as well.

The dance has brought about many dance crews that focus primarily on jerking. The most popular of these are The Ranger$ and the U.C.L.A. Jerk Kings. Both groups have found success in this new dance craze. The crews have many videos on YouTube, have won competitions and are recording their own jerkin' songs.

People who consider themselves "jerks" are sporting skinny jeans (varying from the normal to the abnormal washes and many different colors) and sun glasses with no lenses. The fashion is part skater and part hip-hop. They wear very loud and colorful t-shirts that can sometimes be neon. They consider the wearing of skinny jeans a rejection of the baggy pants style.

 "If you like derogatory dance music and geekish dance moves, then jerkin is for you," said Case.  

Jerkin' is not only a dance style, but a way of life. Many students at MHS have taken this to heart.