Mid–late 1990s

A number of videos documenting the style during this era exist as the style increased in popularity.^[2] 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". Notably arm-movements are much more prevalent than in later renditions of the dance.

[edit] 2000–2008

In 2004 a documentary entitled Melbourne Shuffler began filming in Melbourne clubs, raves,^[3] festivals and outdoor events, before being released on DVD in 2005. By 2005, the Melbourne Shuffle had helped to change the sound of hardstyle and hard trance music, with DJs and producers aiming at a constant 140-160bpm speed. By 2006, early hardstyle was largely replaced by nustyle and epic trance -influenced hard trance music at popular shuffling clubs and raves. Nustyle and the newer form of hard trance focused on swung euphoric orchestral-like trance melodies that would suddenly drop (such as by a house exciter) into a constant kick drum that was of preferable speed for shuffling to by the rockers. In 2006 with the rising popularity of YouTube, dancers internationally now contribute to the Shuffle online, posting their own variations and learning from others.^[4] The German band Scooter featured the shuffle performed by veterans Missaghi "Pae" Peyman & Sarah Miatt in the video for the single J'adore Hardcore, which was partly filmed in Melbourne. As more people have practiced 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.