A History of Hip Hop Dance

Hip-hop dance is a unique and exciting style of street dance that is most
commonly performed to hip-hop music. Hip-hop dance is a vibrant form of
dance that combines a variety of freestyle movements to create a cultural
piece of art. Through its three main styles of popping, locking, and breaking,
hip-hop dance has evolved into one of the most popular and influential styles
of dance.
Greeley dance studio, A Dance Place, enjoys teaching hip-hop
dance because of its more laid back style that allows dancers to let loose and
worry less about technique and more about expressing themselves through
their movement and their music. With more upbeat music, hip-hop dance
creates a different level of fun and creativity.
Where It All Began
 
Hip-hop dance began during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, originally
inspired by the movements of African dancing, and flourished as a new style
of dance performed on the street for the people. Hip-hop incorporates aspects
of modern dance, tap, and swing, integrating music and complex movements
to form artistry.
The early history and roots of hip-hop dance are most often associated with its
beginning on the East Coast, specifically New York City. But the West Coast
also formed its own style of the East Coast hip-hop dance around the same
time.
East Coast hip-hop began with the unique rhythmic combinations created by
Kool DJ Herc, a Jamaican DJ who moved to Brooklyn at the age of 12 and
quickly became one of the most popular DJ’s of New York City. DJ Herc
ingeniously thought to extend dance sections of songs to create better
opportunities to showcase the breaking movements of dancers.
West Coast hip-hop took the dance style from the East Coast and made it its
own, transforming some of the frozen moves and making them more robotic.
The West Coast was also where two of modern hip-hop’s most iconic styles,
popping and locking, were born.

Evolution of Hip Hop

East Coast and West Coast hip-hop dance styles were originally meant to be
two distinct forms of dance. However, as hip-hop grew in popularity, the two
styles began to merge together into a unique street dance culture. Over time,
hip-hop expanded from the street scene, and its choreography became a
sought-after style in dance studios, clubs, and other venues.
During the 80’s and 90’s, hip-hop dance competitions became increasingly
popular with the emergence of “battles,” one-on-one freestyle competition on
the dance floors of clubs surrounded by a circle of fans. Improvised battles
soon led to advertised battles and a higher level of competition.
Modern Hip-Hop Dance
 
While hip-hop originated as informal street dance meant for the people
present, it has further evolved onto the stage and screen and into an audience
favorite. Hip-hop now is a highly sought-after and dominant style of dance. It
is among the most common styles of dance for music videos, concerts, and
dance competitions. It can be found in dance studios of all kinds, teaching its
unique and energetic compilation of movements to young and old.
Hip-hop dance has transformed the world of dance and has taken the dance
culture by storm. Many of its distinctive moves are often integrated into the
choreography of more traditional styles of dance and it has even worked its
way into major theatrical and cinematic productions.
Hip-hop dance provides a vibrant means for exercise, art, and movement,
creating a platform for individual expression and undeniable talent.

Background to street dance

Street dance, also more formally described as vernacular dance, originated in

New York in the 1970s. Evolving on the streets of Manhattan and the Bronx, it
was developed as an improvised, social dance form, reacting against
traditional, high-art dance styles. Popular with African-Americans and Puerto-
Ricans, street dance was used as an expression of resistance and cultural
identity outside of the mainstream.
The energetic nature of street dance makes it popular with young people on
a variety of levels, both as an art form, a competitive activity or for physical
exercise. Some UK secondary schools are therefore beginning to
introduce street dance as a form of physical education.

BASICS OF HIP HOP DANCING

Popping & Locking

This is a basic staple of hip-hop and is very improvisational, so you have a lot of
freedom with it. “Popping” was created by Sam Solomon in Fresno, California, and
consists of quickly contracting and relaxing your muscles. This causes a jerk in your
body. “Locking” was created by Don Campbell, in Los Angeles, California. It consists of
performing a series of locking movements and holding them for a few seconds.

Breaking

Breaking, also known as breakdancing, b-boying, or b-girling could be the most

common element of hip-hop. Breaking is very unstructured and improvisational and is
performed at all different levels: toprock (standing), downrock (close to the floor), power
moves (acrobatics), and freeze moves (poses).

Boogaloo

This is a movement using mostly the hips and legs. It is a very loose movement that
gives the illusion that the dancer has no bones from the waist down.

Soulja Boy

This dance was named after DeAndre Cortez Way because he helped popularize it. I’m
going to let you look this one up online and watch it yourself because it is very involved.
When you are doing this dance, you should have a laid back attitude and should really
have fun with it!

The SpongeBob

This dance actually is NOT named after SpongeBob SquarePants. It was made popular
in the 1990’s in the clubs of Baltimore, Maryland. Again, you can look this one up online!

Some last minute hip-hop tips for you are this: Remember that Hip Hop Dancing is all
about the attitude and selling your performance. You need to commit to each move and
be confident! You will do yourself a favor if you start of with the basics and master the
fundamentals of this style of dance before moving on to more advanced moves.
Practicing a lot is the key to getting the steps into your muscle memory and becoming a
great performer.

https://youtu.be/1WIA6Yvj8Yg

https://youtu.be/ujREEgxEP7g

https://youtu.be/cMsaQPRsfdQ