8 times dancing got people in trouble in Saudi Arabia

You could get lucky and away with being mischievous, but once the flashlight and lens focus on you, consider yourself exposed. What worsens the situation is when judgements come pouring in the second you trend on social media.

In recent years, people were prosecuted, fined, and jailed in Saudi Arabia after videos of them dancing in public went viral online.

From the teen who did the Macarena in the middle of a street to the woman who took part in the Kiki challenge, here are a few of the people who got caught by authorities for dancing in the kingdom:

In 2018, a Saudi man and woman were arrested for dancing in a street located in the city of Abha. The arrests came after a video capturing the incident went viral on social media, sparking controversy across the kingdom.

At the time, their impromptu dance led the prince of Asir governorate, Faisal bin Khaled, to order an immediate investigation into the matter.

In 2017, Jeddah police arrested a teenager who transformed a local crosswalk in Tahlia street into a dance floor just to do the Macarena.

A media spokesperson for the police said the teen was taken to custody for "obstructing traffic" and "violating public principles." Though it was reported the young boy would face a trial, he was later released with a warning.

The Kiki challenge - which consists of people jumping out of moving cars and dancing to Canadian rapper Drake's song In My Feelings - swept across the Arab world last year. 

It also got one unfortunate woman arrested in Saudi Arabia's Al Khobar region. 

The arrest came just hours after a video capturing the woman doing the challenge went viral on Saudi Twitter, leading many to criticize her for dancing in public and wearing an "explicit" outfit (a top and shorts).

In a viral incident that made headlines across the Arab world in 2017, a Saudi singer was arrested after dabbing at a live concert. 

At the time, Saudi Arabia's National Committee for Combating Drugs warned people against the simple dance, in which a person drops their head into the bent crook of a slanted arm, while raising the opposite arm in a parallel direction out straight. 

Officials in the country believe dabbing represents the act of sniffing drugs.

In 2017, Saudi Arabia's Entertainment Authority issued a 100,000-riyal ($26,665) fine against the organizers of a concert held in Riyadh's Ritz Carlton. 

Though the event was licensed by the authority, its officials later said organizers added the "inappropriate" dance segment - with a 12-year-old girl as a dancer - without consulting with them. 

Earlier this year, authorities in Unaizah arrested two men for dancing in the busy streets while waiting on a red traffic light. 

The men were caught after a video of them with several friends joining the little party had people talking on the internet.

In 2018, authorities put a halt to a dance performance held at Jizan city's Al Dayer Bani Malik shopping festival. This came after attendees complained it violated Saudi Arabia's culture and traditions. 

In a statement he made at the time, Al Dayer city's governor Nayef bin Nasser bin Labda explained the show was "stopped by the festival's committee minutes after it started."

Organizers were also warned to never feature similar performances in their shows in the future. 

In 2016, police in Riyadh arrested a woman who was filmed dancing on top of a car. 

Three men who captured the incident on video and took part in the dance were also taken into custody. All four defendants were referred to the kingdom's public prosecution office.