Hip-hop dance is a distinctive and entertaining form of street dancing that is usually performed in hip-hop music. Because of its three fundamental methods of popping, locking, and breaking, hip-hop dancing has become one of the most popular and influential dance genres. Hip-hop dancing is a vibrant kind of dance that combines a variety of freestyle movements to create a cultural work of art.
A Dance Studio appreciates teaching hip-hop dance because of its more relaxed style, which encourages dancers to let go and focus less on technique and more on expressing themselves through movement and music. Hip-hop dance brings a new level of excitement and inventiveness to the table with its lively music. Check out hip hop news for updates.
Where It All Began
Hip-hop dance emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s, influenced by African dance patterns, and blossomed as a new kind of dance performed for the people on the street. Hip-hop combines elements of modern dance, tap, and swing with sophisticated motions and music to create artistry.
Hip-hop dance’s early history and roots are sometimes linked to its origins on the East Coast, specifically in New York City. However, about the same time, the West Coast developed its own version of East Coast hip-hop dance.
Kool DJ Herc, a Jamaican DJ who relocated to Brooklyn at the age of 12 and quickly became one of New York City’s most prominent DJs, founded East Coast hip-hop with his unique rhythmic combinations. DJ Herc had the brilliant idea of extending dance sections of songs in order to better display dancers’ breaking actions.
West Coast hip-hop adapted the East Coast dance technique and made it their own, changing some of the frozen moves to make them more robotic. Popping and locking, two of modern hip-most hop’s recognizable genres were born on the West Coast.
Hip Hop’s Evolution
Hip-hop dance styles on the east and west coasts were originally intended to be two separate dance styles. As hip-hop became more popular, the two genres began to blend into a unique street dance culture. Hip-hop choreography became a sought-after style in dance studios, clubs, and other places as it grew from the street scene.
With the emergence of “battles,” one-on-one freestyle competition on the dance floors of clubs surrounded by a circle of followers in the 1980s and 1990s, hip-hop dance competitions grew in popularity. Battles that began as impromptu soon became marketed battles with a higher degree of competition.
Hip-Hop Dance in the 21st Century
It is one of the most often used dance styles in music videos, concerts, and competitions. It can be found at a number of dance studios, where it teaches its distinctive and frenzied array of movements to both young and old. Hip-hop originated as a casual street dance for those who were present, but it has since made its way onto the stage and into the movies, where it has become a fan favorite.