
Rust isn’t just about scavenging, building, and fighting. Sometimes, it’s about having a little fun with your friends. One of the most entertaining and unexpected ways to express yourself in Rust is through dancing.
Whether you’re celebrating a raid victory or just vibing around a campfire, knowing how to dance can add a whole new layer of fun to your survival experience.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to dance in Rust, what tools or items are required, and how to use dance moves to enhance your in-game roleplay or social moments.
Can You Actually Dance in Rust?

The short answer is: Yes, but not in the way traditional games might allow. Rust doesn’t have a built-in dance button like Fortnite, but it does support dance animations through emotes or external mods (depending on the server you’re playing on).
There are three main ways to dance in Rust:
- Using the “/dance” command on modded servers
- Using the gesture (emote) system
- Via DLC or custom animations (limited availability)
1. Dance Commands on Modded Servers

The most common way players dance in Rust is through community modded servers that include plugins like “DancePlugin” or similar. These allow players to type commands such as:
Each command may trigger a different dance animation, depending on what the server admin has configured. Some servers also allow dancing with background music or enable proximity-based dance syncing between players.
You can type /commands
or /help
on your server to see if dance commands are supported.
2. Using the Gesture System

Rust added an official gesture wheel in recent updates. While it doesn’t have dedicated “dance” moves, some of the gestures can mimic dance-like movements when used creatively. To access it:
- Hold the B key (default) or your custom bind for gestures.
- Select gestures like wave, thumbs up, or shrug.
- Combine them with crouching, spinning, or jumping for improvised “dances.”
Though basic, many players use this system in roleplay scenarios or group gatherings to simulate fun party moments.
3. Emotes from DLC or Events

Occasionally, special emotes or animations are available through:
For example, if you have the Instruments Pack DLC, you can play music, which often becomes the trigger for impromptu dance parties—even if the dancing is just a group of players jumping and crouching in rhythm.
While official dance emotes are limited, Facepunch may expand them in the future as the gesture system evolves.
Creative Dancing: Make Your Own Moves

If your server doesn’t have emotes or plugins, don’t worry! Rust players are known for their creativity. You can simulate dancing by:
Pair your routine with a radio, instrument, or voice chat music and you’ll be the star of the campfire in no time.
Best Places to Dance

Here are some fun in-game locations to start a dance-off:
Dancing in Rust is often used as a celebration or a form of trolling (just ask anyone who’s danced on someone’s sleeping body after a kill).
Final Thoughts
While Rust wasn’t built for dancing, its community has found clever and hilarious ways to incorporate it into the game. Whether you use official gestures, community server commands, or just improvise your own moves, dancing is a great way to bring lighthearted fun to the harsh, post-apocalyptic world of Rust.
FAQs
Can you dance in Rust by default?
No true dances exist by default, but players simulate dancing using gestures, jumps, and custom server commands.
What command lets you dance in Rust?
On modded servers, use commands like /dance
to trigger animations, depending on installed plugins.
Does the gesture wheel have dance moves?
Not officially, but some gestures mimic dancing when paired with movement or jumping.
Is dancing available in vanilla (official) Rust?
No. Only basic gestures are included in vanilla Rust. Dancing requires a modded server.
What are the best mods for dancing in Rust?
Plugins like DancePlugin or BetterEmotes enable full dancing emotes on community servers.
Can I dance with instruments in Rust?
Yes! Use the Instruments Pack DLC to play music, and pair it with gestures or movement to simulate dancing.
Are there Twitch Drops or events with dance emotes?
Occasionally. Twitch Drops and seasonal events sometimes include gestures, outfits, or accessories that enhance roleplay and dancing.