Ballet Shoes

        Hip hop dancing is an important aspect of the hip hop subculture in America. Though it involves complex dance steps and rhythmic intensity, most hip hop dancers do not have formal training. This style of dancing is strong and evocative, and it is gaining respect in the world of dance.

1. Origins

   •         Hip hop dancing evolved from the dance styles breaking, popping and locking, which were invented in the 1970s. Break dancing is extremely athletic, and it involves flips and spinning. It requires upper body strength and balance. This style was developed by African American and Puerto Rican youth in Manhattan, and it became an important expression of culture. Popping and locking are similar funk dance styles that both involve jerky, staccato movements with strong rhythms. After each position, the dancer freezes in place for a second--the difference between popping and locking is that lockers hold positions for a longer period of time. The styles of breaking, popping and locking were combined with a 1990's style of dance called krumping, which is a freestyle dance that involves fierce arm and torso pumping. This combination, along with cultural and musical influence, created hip hop dancing.

   Competitions

   •         An important aspect of hip hop dancing has always been competitions. Hip hop dancing is highly athletic, and it is as much a sport as it is a dance style. Hip hop dancing was born in clubs and on the streets of cities. Dancers would often have private competitions to show off their skills and abilities to each other. This helped the hip hop style develop, since there was originally no formal structure for this type of dancing. Creative and talented young people brought their own personal styles to unofficial competitions and inspired other dancers with their original movements. Official hip hop competitions have also become popular, and several are held annually. For example, the World Hip Hop Championships is held once a year and is open to both groups and individuals of all ages and from all countries. Juste Debout is a street dance held yearly in France, and Battle of the Year is a similar competition in Germany. These competitions still inspire evolutions in the hip hop style, and creativity and athleticism are key.

   Figures

   •         There are many famous choreographers and dancers in the hip hop world. Artists who sing hip hop music also promote hip hop dance at the same time, since the two go hand in hand. Many hip hop concerts will feature hip hop dancing, either from backup dancers or from the singer. There are several important hip hop choreographers who are helping to shape the world of hip hop. One such choreographer is Laurie Ann Gibson, who has taught hip hop choreography to stars such as Brandy, Usher and Alicia Keys. The movie "Honey," starring Jessica Alba, is based on the life of Laurie Ann Gibson. Shane Sparks is another influential hip hop choreographer. He has choreographed for several movies and TV shows; his choreography is among the most visible in the hip hop world.

   Music

   •         Hip hop dance music is important to hip hop dancing, and most of the dancing is performed to this style of music. Funk, soul and reggae are some of the stylistic inspirations for hip hop music. Hip hop music almost always has a strong drum beat and bass line. It is rhythmic and has powerful beats. Rapping is considered as part of the hip hop genre, but some hip hop is sung with more traditional vocal styles. Lyrics deal with an array of topics, but common themes in hip hop songs are urban lifestyles, attraction and relationships and dancing. Lyrics are usually raw and bluntly descriptive; urban slang is combined with poetic devices and play on words. Many hip hop singers and rappers freestyle their lyrics. Hip hop dance was intended to be performed with hip hop music, the strong rhythms and energy heard in hip hop music are seen in hip hop dance.

   Trends

   •         One of the most interesting and exciting things about hip hop dancing is the fact that it is constantly changing. It is a fairly new style of dance, and since it was created by people who had no formal dance training, it has maintained its urban and street flair. As it has gained popularity, however, new trends have developed. One of these trends is lyrical hip hop, which is a more fluid version of hip hop dance. While hip hop dance originally included a lot of free styling, battling and fast tempo movements, lyrical hip hop is more about performance. Lyrical hip hop includes detailed choreography instead of improvised movement. This choreography sometimes tells a story or develop characters. Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo are a well known lyrical hip hop choreography team; they have been credited with the development of lyrical hip hop as a style. Some people think that lyrical hip hop is not true to hip hop principles and that the energy and culture of traditional hip hop is lost in lyrical hip hop. It does, however, use traditional hip hop movements and techniques, and it makes hip hop dancing more accessible to a wider range of people.