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As a kid, John Spina begged his mom to buy him “Just Dance” after playing it at his neighbor’s house. Upon discovering his love for dancing, he danced throughout high school – now, he’s viral for that same skill on TikTok.

“Music and dancing allow me to exert my energy or how I’m feeling inside in a physical way,” Spina said.

Syracuse University freshman Spina, or @johnspinaa on TikTok, went viral on the app in September 2021 after posting a dancing video to “More Than A Woman” by the Bee Gees. Since downloading TikTok during the start of the pandemic, he has amassed over 20 million TikTok likes. Along with changing how he’s adjusted to college, he’s used techniques from his business classes to help grow his account.

Spina’s dance style is unlike the brief, choreographed dances typically seen on TikTok, which can range from simple hand movements to quick, repetitive dances. Having taken dance classes before arriving at SU, he works to incorporate a lively energy, and his entire body, into the dances, he said.

“The same genuine passion for the content he creates and the energy he puts out into the world is precisely how he is in his everyday life,” Spina’s friend and SU freshman Sophie Engels said.

In recent videos, his backgrounds have become views SU students are accustomed to — whether he’s dancing down a hallway, lip-syncing to Beyonce in a computer lab or replicating “Just Dance” choreography in his dorm.

Spina also works outside the dance trends the app is known for as he enjoys making his own dances. At the same time, he did say he is inspired by other creators on the platform.

“I think he is always trying to be authentic in his videos, which is something that is super important and rare these days,” said freshman Max Dickman, another of Spina’s friends.

Spina was admitted to SU in March 2023. After touring the campus, he quickly realized it was the place for him. Now an undeclared business major, he is looking to major in entrepreneurship, inspired by the idea of being his own boss and creating new concepts, Spina said. He uses these skills in managing his TikTok page.

While it’s a lighthearted account, he does take the work very seriously. He regularly studies his video data analytics and reviews what videos perform the best. He’s dedicated to developing the best content for his page, he said.

Spina’s transition into college was different from the average freshman. His fans on TikTok followed him as he tried to first make friends. While he said the account has made making friends easier, it has come with some downsides.

“There does come the cost of people having preconceived notions of you because they might assume you act a certain way because of your social media presence,” Spina said.

Spina’s following comes with a constant spotlight. He is regularly recognized around campus and in class. He was even stopped and asked to dance at the Whitman School of Management’s club fair. The recognition is unlike anything Spina has experienced before.

While the majority of comments Spina receives on his videos are positive, Spina also deals with hate comments – many of them homophobic. When seeing them, Spina looks to his biggest supporters, his family and friends, and doesn’t get “too wrapped up in other people’s opinions.” His friends at school don’t treat him differently because of his following, he said.

“In high school, my identity as an openly gay guy who also did TikTok made me have to work to be accepted by my community,” Spina said. “But here at Syracuse, it’s been a lot more open-minded.”

When he arrived in Syracuse in August 2023, Spina originally planned to delete TikTok. After being noticed for his content and online presence, he quickly realized he had to embrace his newfound fame.

“At the end of the day, I’m really thankful and grateful that people enjoy what I love to make and create,” Spina said.

Published on January 30, 2024 at 12:26 am