Fascinated by the hip-hop culture? Join hip-hop dance classes today
The hip-hop dance style is a one-of-a-kind street dance style performed to hip-hop music. Hip-hop dance originated in the Bronx NY by DJ Kool Herc at a back-to-school party he threw on August 11, 1973. It was then that he used two turntables to extend the instrumental portions of the songs he played, while people danced and MCs gave shout-outs over the music. Prior to the term ‘hip-hop,’ the genre of music was reportedly called disco rap.
The prime difference between other forms of dance styles and hip-hop dance is that the latter is often “freestyle” in nature. It can be a form of entertainment or a hobby, apart from being a way to stay active in competitive dance and a way to make a living by dancing professionally. If you have always been fascinated by hip-hop dance, it is important for you to know that it comprises a wide range of styles including breaking, locking, and popping, which were created in the 1970s and made popular by dance crews in the United States. Let’s uncover each element of hip-hop one by one.
Popping - Created by Sam Solomon in Fresno, California and performed by the Electric Boogaloos dance crew, popping comprises quickly contracting and relaxing the muscles, causing a jerk in the body. The jerks are referred to as pops or hits. Performed with other dance moves and poses, popping involves the use of terms such as Puppeting, Waving, The Creep, Tutting, Robotting, Ticking, Dynorama, Strobing, and Vibrating.
Locking - This hip-hop dance element was created by Don Campbell in Los Angeles and introduced by his crew The Lockers. It includes performing a series of locking movements, comprising a quick movement, "locking" into another position, then holding the last position for a few seconds. In locking, the hips and legs usually remain in a relaxed position while movements of the arms and hands are more distinct and exact. Locking terms include Lock, Points, Throwback, Wrist Roll, Iron Horse, and others.
Breaking - Also referred to as b-boying or b-girling, breaking is one of the most popular elements of hip-hop dance. Highly unstructured and improvisational, breaking or break dancing comprises movements like toprock, downrock, power moves, and freeze moves. Rock Steady Crew, Zulu Kings, Sal Soul, Crazy Commandos, and Dynamic Rockers are a few famous breaking crews.
Boogaloo - It is a very loose movement, mostly performed using the hips & legs and gives the illusion that the dancer has no bones. Closely related to popping, with dancers involved in rolling the hips, knees, legs, and head, boogaloo involves terms such as Twist-o-flex, Walk-out, Fakey, Neck-o-Flex, and others.
That’s not all! There is a lot more you can uncover about hip-hop dance at one of your hip hop classes. If interested in embracing the hip-hop culture and learning the highly energetic dance form, don’t waste any more time. Be a part of our jazz and hip hop dance classes, so that you can make the most of the opportunity to develop your own sense of style. By opting for hip-hop and contemporary dance classes, you will not only learn body coordination and self-expression but also enhance your cardiovascular health.
To uncover more, check www.allstarstudiosnyc.com/hip-hop-dance-classes
