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Reagan Brown
Professor Campbell
English 1101
9 September 2014
Shitty First Draft
One google search on the evolution of dance will bring up over seven million different
results. Narrow that google search to the history of hip-hop and you will be introduced to an
entirely new genre of dance. It wasnt until the late 60s and early 1970s that the cultural element
of hip-hop originated in the streets of New York. This new fad consisting of a combination of
music and movement started amongst the African American community and expanded
throughout and beyond the states of the U.S. This type of dance typically was performed by
those who had no past experience with professional training, but encompassed natural rhythm. If
you were to search again for a video clip of the Jabbawockeez dance crew you will find this
exact genre of hip-hop illustrated in a three-four minute video clip. The hip-hop culture is
different from many different types of dance; it includes not only its own style, but its own
language as well. To this day the genre of hip-hop dance can be accessed and viewed in many
different forms of videos across the internet.
In order to get a feel for the genre of hip-hop, I used YouTube to view the different dance
routines of a crew call the Jabbawockeez. This popular hip-hop group followed a pattern in each
one of their dances: fast-paced, complex, difficult, and high-energy movements; an accurate
representation of the conventions of hip-hop dance as a whole. Other major conventions of hiphop dance are that it can either be choreographed or improvised. Either way, it includes wide

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varieties of movement most commonly seen in the form as popping, locking, and/or breaking.
(describe)
Before the age of hip-hop was constructed, dance typically could be defined as an
expression of emotion most commonly
performed by two people. The
constraints of hip-hop go against this
common form of dance. One
constraint, example, would be that
during the Jabbawockeez
performance, they link the light
spectrum's different colors to the seven
dancers; typically during a hip-hop
dance a lighting scheme is not
incorporated. In addition, another
convention of hip-hop is that
oftentimes these artists perform in matching baggy costumes, unlike many other forms of dance.
Beside from a lighting scheme, the Jabbawockeez capture their audience attention
through the use of repetition and visual imagery. The motive behind this theme is to provoke an
inspirational and ecstatic response from their audience. Through the use of YouTube videos this
genre sets out to, above all else, provide entertainment to both male and females most commonly
in their teens to late 20s as well as existing dancers as well. According to the Nation Arts Centre,
many people watch hip-hop dances because they are not only amused by this style of dance, but
enjoy the story that is oftentimes expressed throughout the performance.

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Capturing all the conventions of hip-hop dance in a clip, YouTube videos best represent
its purpose because they are easily accessible and provide a source of entertainment to its
audience. Similar to the Jabbawockeez, another hip-hop dance crew that provides entertainment
and inspiration to its viewers is Insseption. Though this group brings their own interpretation of
hip-hop dance to the table different music choice, a contrast in lighting, female dancers they
still harness the same characteristics of hip-hop dance and represent this genre in the same way
that the Jabbawockeez succeed to do.
Transform a YouTube video clip of hip-hop dance into an informational brochure and not
only will the purpose of this piece be altered, but the genre of it will be as well. Though not
unheard of, most writers do not create brochures to entertain their readers, but to inform them
instead. An informational pamphlet on the Jabbawockeez dance crew would serve the purpose of
educating its audience on the history and style of this group. In turn, the genre would transform
from YouTube clips of entertaining hip-hop dances to an educational brochure about this style of
dance instead.
With a change in genre many times comes a change in audience. Typically teenagers are
captivated by visual images and arent drawn to brochures in the same way that they are drawn
to videos. Instead of being geared mainly toward the younger generation, brochures can also
target an older audience who may interested in reading about the fad of hip-hop dance performed
by the Jabbawockeez.
Aside from informational, a common convention that makes brochures different from
hip-hop dance videos is that a brochure is in print while YouTube videos are online. Brochures
also may include graphic images and oftentimes try to persuade its audience to watch the dance.
Although a YouTube video of a hip-hop dance crew has a different audience and serves a

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different purpose than that of a hip-hop dance brochure, both of these genres use their own
conventions to convey the valuable content and a compelling message of hip-hop dance to its
audience.

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PEER REVIEW COMMENTS:

More of an analysis on who the jabbawockeez are at the beginning of the paper

More cohesive content on how the entire genre of hiphop dance videos becomes a
brochure

A description on modern day hiphop videos with a possible second source to compare the
jabbawockeez to

More clear defining on the conventions of the genre

More descriptions on the dance crew, the dance, etc