How to Make the Santa Dance AI Video From One Pet Photo
The Santa Dance trend copies the Husky Dog Dance Short (about 8.4 million views on YouTube), moved to a living room with a lit Christmas tree and a red Santa suit. Here is how to make your own version with your dog or cat: the one-click way, and the do-it-yourself way with the exact prompt we use.
What you need
- One clear, well-lit photo of one pet, whole body visible, no people in the picture.
- A few minutes while the video renders.
- TikTok, Instagram Reels or CapCut, to add the trending sound.
The one-click way (free)
- Open the Santa Dog Dance AI template.
- Upload your pet photo and press Make my free video. No sign-up, no prompt to write.
- Watch your 5-second preview a few minutes later. Download it for $2.99, or get a 10-second 720p HD video from $4.99.
The do-it-yourself way
You need a video model that takes a photo and a reference video together. We use Seedance 2.0. The photo decides who is in the video; the reference video only decides how it moves.
- Cut a 5 to 10 second clip from the original viral video. This is the motion reference. Make it vertical (9:16) and not too small: around 640 × 640 pixels in total or more, or the model rejects it.
- Give the model your pet photo as Image 1 and the clip as Video 1.
- Paste the prompt below and ask for a 10-second vertical video.
The main character is the pet from Image 1. Video 1 is ONLY a motion reference; the husky in Video 1 must not appear.
10-second vertical video, static camera, the pet's full body always in frame. Keep the pet's species, breed, face, eye color, fur color and markings exactly as in Image 1. The pet wears a red Santa suit with white fluffy trim and a Santa hat. Copy the dance from Video 1 beat by beat: the pet stands on its hind legs, throws both front paws up, swings its hips, squats low, kicks a leg out, spreads its arms wide and ends with a sassy pose and a cheeky grin. Setting: a cozy living room with a lit Christmas tree, wrapped presents and warm string lights, evening. Exactly one animal, and it is the pet from Image 1. No people, no human hands, no text, no captions, no logo, no watermark.Two lines do most of the work. The first says Video 1 is only a motion reference, so the animal from the original does not end up in your video. The last keeps it to one animal, with no people, text or watermark.
Cost tip: with Seedance the reference clip is billed too, at your output resolution. Shrinking it saves nothing; cutting it shorter does.
Tips from making our Santa Dance example
- You don't need a Christmas reference video. Use the Husky Dog Dance as the motion reference and change the outfit and room in the prompt.
- Describe the Santa suit and hat clearly (red suit, white trim). The model keeps your pet's face and fur under the costume.
- Make Christmas videos early: in December everyone posts them at the same time.
Add the sound
Our videos come without audio. Before you post, add the Husky Dog Dance sound, or any Christmas song from the TikTok or Instagram sound library. The in-app sound is easier than editing music in, and the app takes care of the music license.