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.

        Born of the streets of the inner city, hip hop dance, along with hip hop music, is the core of hip hop culture. Opinions diverge wildly on whether popping, krumping and locking should also be included under the umbrella term of hip hop dance, not to mention how to label the types of hip hop taught in aerobics studios around the world. While the battles wage over whether you are old school or new school, choreographed or freestyle, hip hop remains a vital and diverse dance form.

1. History

   •         Way back in the 1970s, kids brought their beat boxes to the street corner and engaged in public dance-offs that had them spinning on their heads, slamming their backs against the pavement and popping their joints in and out, a series of improbable moves that they called breaking. The happening street dance scene provided fertile ground for hip hop dance, especially in African-American and Latino neighborhoods. By the 1980s, hip hop music gained in popularity and dance steps characterized with bouncing and jumping sprang up.

   Effects

   •         As hip hop music evolved, so did dancing. Styles turned harder and more aggressive. Rather than bouncing and jumping, dancers used increased movement in the hips and pelvis to emphasize the back beat. New school hip hop was characterized by more starting and stopping, lacking the flow of old school break dancing. The modern permutations of krumping and clown walking take hip hop dance to another level, in which dance competitions are used as a substitute for gang warfare.

   Identification

   •         The pioneers of hip hop dance provide the form's identifying factors. In the early 1970s, hip hop dance was about the breaking styles of Salsa, El Dorado Mike, Trixie, The Amazing Bobo, Clark Kent, James Bond and Sista Boo. When the scene skipped from New York City to Northern California, popping, which entails flexing your muscles to the rhythm of the music while dancing, became big. Boogaloo Sam is considered the first popper.

   Misconceptions

   •          One of the main misconceptions in hip hop dance has to do with purists who despise the type of back-up dancing promoted in hip hop videos. They say that these MTV dancers are not hip hop dancers because their moves are all choreographed and typically clipped and cleaned-up from the street versions. The look is too polished, too studio to recreate the dances done in the underground hip hop clubs.

   Expert Insight

   •         Experts deeply embedded in the hip hop scene recommend certain films that discuss and demonstrate hip hop dancing. One of the top picks is "Style Wars," made by Tony Silver and Henry Chalfaunt. The documentary footage is rough and raw. Another movie about hip hop's early days is Charlie Ahearn's "Wild Style." A more recent release is Israel and QD III's, "The Freshest Kids," which focuses on breaking. Finally, the two movies that brought hip hop dance to the mainstream should be mentioned: "Beat Street" and "Breakin" are films from earlier years that showcase dances and dancers.

        Despite the terror that hip shaking may evoke in some, it's really not that difficult. With a little bit of coaching, you'll be out on that dance floor in no time.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Assume the position. Stand with your feet shoulder's width apart. Bend your knees slightly. You shouldn't feel rigid, but you also shouldn't be squatting.

   • 2

     Start moving. Alternate bending your right knee then your left knee. As your knees bend allow all of your weight to transfer to that side of your body. While shifting your weight, you should feel your hip stick out on the same side where your knee is bending. Once you get used to the side to side motion, allow your hips to stick out more and more.

   • 3

     Turn motion into dance. As you start to emphasize your hips, de-emphasize the bending of your knees. Try to transition smoothly from hip to hip. This exercise is called an "isolation" in dance because you are trying primarily to move only one part of your body, thus "isolating" it. When you shake it, you are isolating your hips. You are trying to let them move independently from the rest of your body. You will still have to shift your weight from knee to knee slightly, so keep them bent, but avoiding looking like you have to use the bathroom really badly.

   • 4

     Pick up speed. There are many levels of hip shaking. There is the slow groove, which is ideal for R&B and Motown, but as you feel more comfortable with your hips you can accelerate the hip velocity to near superhuman levels. To achieve a faster motion, starting by shifting your weight more and more quickly. Then tighten the muscles in your buttocks so they are tense and can swing more easily with your hips. Also, be sure to use those abs. At the end of a vigorous hip shake, they should be as sore as any other part of your body.

   • 5

     Get in the mood. Now that you have the basic mechanics, it's time to add a little attitude. Put on a song with a good beat. Start out allowing each hip shift to land on a full beat. Slowly speed up so that your hips begin to shake on the up and down beat and everything in between. Get into it. Maybe even throw in some pelvic thrusts and a shimmy or two. Practice this on your own until you feel comfortable and then go out and show off what you can do! No longer will you fear the dance floor, and you just might get a date out of it.

        Hip Hop dancing is more than just booty shaking and flipping hair. Without paying attention to the history of hip hop instead of the copycats, your crew just might come off looking like amateurs. Read more to find out details on how to compete in hip hop dance.

1. How to Compete in Hip Hop Dance

   • 1
     JabbaWockeez, the winners of "America's Best Dance Crew"

     Bring something unique to the dance floor. Popping and two-stepping are okay at a club, but in a dance routine, those common moves get old quickly. The most powerful crews in dance shows like "America's Best Dance Crew" were the crews who brought something that viewers don't regularly see in mainstream rap videos. Status Quo used gymnastic stunts and funk to wow the crowd. The JabbaWockeez used humor, breaking, fluid movement, synchronized steps, and charisma to win the competition.

   • 2
     Doing the Cabbage Patch

     Avoid doing old dance moves unless they fit the music. Doing the Cabbage Patch, the Troop, or the Wop might get you a few chuckles, but if you're seriously competing in a dance competition, keep up with the latest moves. If you can break, that's always a good thing because, for a hardcore hip hop audience, they will appreciate you for honoring one of the four elements in hip hop culture.

   • 3
     University of Hip Hop (Chicago)

     If there is an African dance school or hip hop performance area in your neighborhood, visit and/or join it. Even superstar Michael Jackson learned and adopted the Moonwalk from hanging out with breakers who were doing the electric boogaloo, sliding, and locking. You will learn so much just from observation, specifically the gritty attitude, strength, and power in hip hop moves. If you're smiling while you're doing hip hop moves, chances are you're doing them wrong.

   • 4
     Popping, a common hip hop dance

     Become fluid with your dance moves. It is more than obvious when someone can really dance and when they are dancing by counting steps. Technically, R&B dancers like Omarion, Marques Houston, and Justin Timberlake can do hip hop moves. However, their moves are mechanical, and if you look at their faces, it looks like they're counting steps. Then look at Usher, Chris Brown, Ciara, Sean Paul, Nelly, or Missy Elliot. Learning a move is the easy part. Making it look natural takes practice.

        Once you have learned the fundamentals of break dancing, it is time to move onto an intermediate level move. The corkscrew is fun go-down move that is very useful in choreography. It is a predecessor of more difficult moves.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Begin with both feet grounded and weight evenly distributed between the two.

   • 2

     Jump and land with your right foot in the very center with your weight centered on top of it. Let your left foot fall into the air raised a little above the floor during the breaking dance.

   • 3

     Bring your left foot back and bend your knee a bit to bring the left foot right into the back of the right knee. Flex your left foot and wrap foot around so that your toes are in front of your right knee.

   • 4

     Bend your right knee and collapse forward, as if your left foot has tripped your right leg. Instead of falling straight forward, fall lightly to the right to land on the left toes.

   • 5

     Land with your weight on your right knee, which then lands on the toes of you left foot. Do not land directly on your knee which can cause injury. Also catch yourself with your hands on the floor in front of your chest in the break dancing.

   • 6

     Push up from the floor on the ball of your left foot and turn around, untwisting the legs as you go. Stand up straight and the corkscrew is complete. Also use your arms to push up.

        Break dancing is a funky style of dancing; some even refer to it as street dancing. Two main areas of the break dancing are the "top rock" dancing movements while standing, and the "down rock" dancing movements on the ground. You need a transition movement to connect your "top rock" to your "down rock" dance moves. That's where the "zig-zag" go-down movement comes in.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Stand with your feet side by side about six inches apart. Prepare to make a "Z" pattern with your knees. It will be a right, left, right movement.

   • 2

     Swing your knees, while you keep them together, to the right as you lower your body slightly. This is the first part of the "Z."

   • 3

     Swivel your knees to the left, going down a bit further and still keeping your knees together. This is the second part of the "Z."

   • 4

     Sway the knees back to the right again as you go down in a squat position. This is the third and final part of the "Z." The left arm can touch the floor just behind the left hip to support your body to prepare to do your first dance movement on the floor or in the "down rock" position.

   • 5

     Practice doing the zig-zag go-down movement slowly at first. As you get accustomed to the zig-zag movement, pick up your pace or your speed.

   • 6

     Apply the zig-zag go-down movement to the music. Feel the beat of the music and let your body move to the rhythm. As you move your knees in the zig-zag go-down movement, let your arms swing and sway to the music in sync with the movements your knees are doing.

        Street dancing is an excellent outdoor activity to perform with a group of friends or with onlookers and passersby who wish to join in. The great thing about street dancing is that you needn’t be a skillful dancer; just about any form of dancing or vibrant music is all that’s required to have a good time. Depending on the type of music played, or form of dance, street dancing can include a variety of moves.

1. • 1

     Organize a few CDs containing lively, modern or popular dance music. Select the ones that have mass appeal.

   • 2

     Ensure that the music player is in good working condition to perform while outdoors.

   • 3

     Choose an appropriate day and time and invite your close friends to street dance with you.

   • 4

     Choose a convenient part of any street in your city or town, making sure that you do not inconvenience the movement of passersby or hinder traffic.

   • 5

     Gather your friends together and form a line. Switch on your music player.

   • 6

     Make quick, energetic movements, ensuring that they synchronize with the beat and pace of the music.

   • 7

     Move your feet as much as possible while trying out some basic foot movements and kicks. You may also move, wave, bend or swing your arms simultaneously while keeping to the beat and pace of the music.

   • 8

     Stretch both arms above your head and move them swiftly to the left, then to the right, simultaneously turning your body during street dancing.

   • 9

     Try a simple forward kick and a reverse backward kick without touching the ground.

   • 10

     Clap your hands above your head, in front or behind you. Stomp or tap your feet or even jump in the air. Street dancing is all about freestyle dance moves and is primarily an inspirational and self-creative dance form to enjoy in a group.

        You may have seen it and wondered how they do it--spinning on head-tops and performing mind-boggling dance moves that look dangerous. Break dancing is a form of street dancing that has turned into a cultural phenomenon. Its popularity has allowed it to spread quickly from the streets and into the media. It has been widely practiced by dancers of different races.

1. History

   •         Break dancing, also known as breaking, first emerged from the Bronx in the early 1970s and is closely related to the hip hop culture. It started with African American street gangs who regarded it as a form of dance but did not recognize it as a cultural movement. Back then, break dancers (B-boys) danced in groups of two and were challenged to create more impressive moves than their opponents. When the gang culture began to decline in 1975, break dancing began spreading among other cultures.

   Power Moves

   •         A power move is a showy and impressive dance move used in break dancing to highlight a performance. It requires amazing upper-body strength and agility. The dancer must twist his torso and swing his legs in a circular motion while depending on increased momentum to gain a perfect execution. Power moves emerged from the art of Kung fu, capoeira and gymnastics.

   The Windmill

   •         The windmill is a complex power move which can take between two and six months to learn. The dancer must twist her legs into a V-shape through the air while spinning her torso (upper back and chest) in a circular motion on the floor. The twirling of the legs is similar to twirling a math compass and the momentum gained during this exercise is what gives the dancer most of her power. It is one of the most popular power moves in break dancing and was implemented by Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady Crew in the Bronx.

   Head Spins

   •         Originated by B-boy, Kid Freeze, a head spin is one of the easiest power moves to learn. However, if not done properly, it can result in serious injuries. Wearing a stocking cap or handkerchief on the head, the dancer spins on his head. Some dancers perform "tapping" where they use their hands to accelerated the spin.

   Basic Moves

   •         Along with power moves, break dancing is comprised of basic moves that are simpler to perform. The Top Rock is an easy to learn move that break dancers use to introduce their sets. The six-step move involves walking in a circle while keeping one hand on the ground. It is used as a stepping stone for the remainder of the dance. With the Moonwalk, the dancer glides backwards but appears to be going forward. Practicing basic moves is the best route when starting to learn break dancing.

   Evolution

   •         The initial break dance period was later replaced with electric boogie moves (twitching of the muscles to match the beat's tempo). Some common electric boogie moves are the Robot (Mannequin), the Wave, the King Tut and the Float. By 1982, electric boogie moves were replaced by free style break dancing where dancers created and executed their own styles.

       With the rise in popularity of break dancing, many people want to learn how to do it. This short tutorial gives you insight into the basic dances moves that make up break dancing. Once you are able to master the basic technique, you will be able to add variations, extending your abilities to a point where friends will say, "Man, you are a break-dancing machine!"

1. The Essence of Break Dancing

   •        Break dancing or "b boying" began in New York City in the mid to late 1970s. It grew as a popular dance form as did the rise of hip-hop music. There are four basic physical elements of break dancing. Most commonly, they are referred to as toprock, downrock, power moves, and finishing moves (a freeze/pose or suicide).

             Toprock involves any form of steps that begin at a starting position. These are typically transitional moves that help you build momentum before you start the downrock moves. Downrock moves are the "footwork" moves that lead to complicated physical contortions; the foundational downrock move is the "6-step." Power moves require the dancer to create momentum with the body, supported by the upper body, so he can achieve such moves as windwills, swipes and flairs. Finally, the dancer will end a series and variation of the above moves with a pose or suicide. These moves often look like a contorted handstand or pike, while suicides look like painful falls or drops executed in ways that do not injure the dancer.

   The Six-Step

   •         Before you begin the steps, you must place your body with your hands behind you and both feet on the front, mimicking a crab. Below is a step by step explanation.

     1. Lift your left hand, and move your right foot where that hand used to be.
     2. Shift your weight to the right hand and foot, move your left leg up into the back your right knee.
     3. Swing your right leg around in front of your right hand, and the right hand comes down so that your legs are in a crab position. Switch hands so your left hand is now back on the ground and your right hand flies up.
     4. Swing your left leg around in a wide circle and wrap it around the right leg.
     5. Move your right leg back to the original position.
     6. Finally, pull the left leg back while you move your right hand to the ground to complete the push-up position. You are now back in the original position from Step 1.

   Style

   •         Once you have mastered the above dance moves, you should consider what you wear while you break dance. An important factor of break dancing is your "style" or "flavor." Many "b boys" wear baggy jeans and large hooded sweatshirts. It is also common to wear full body tracksuits and Adidas or Puma running shoes. The other key aspect of this style is matching colors that are often bright and ostentatious.

•         Break dancing is an energetic, street-style dance that developed in the Bronx in the 1970's as a form of non-violent street fighting between gangs. Today it is a way of expressing a dancer's cultural roots and has attracted many young and energetic b-boys and b-girls to its ranks.

  Break dancing takes a lot of practice and time, but with plenty of both you can become an advanced break dancer.

Break Dancer Instructors and Protection

•        The best way to begin learning how to break dance is to get a qualified instructor in your area. It is possible to learn the basics and advanced techniques on your own, but an instructor will help teach you how to do them safely. Some instructors will make you wear gloves and helmets depending on the difficulty of the move. Street break dancers will usually perform on slabs of cardboard, just in case they need the cushion and to provide an even, smooth surface.

          Finding an instructor in your area can prove difficult, especially if you don't live in a metropolitan area. You can use Internet search engines like dancespots.com or dance-teachers.org, but if you can't find an instructor in your area, there is a bevy of dance teachers who run classes online. For instance, learn-2-breakdance.com and click2dance.com offer videos, articles and forums that help you learn how to break dance and allow you to connect with a large number of dancing peers.

Break Dancing Basics

•         According to the Spartanic Rockers, one of the world's oldest break dancing crews, breaking is about coordination, technique, momentum and strength working together, and in many forms. Uprock is a dancing fight, in which the dancers break closely next to each other without touching. Toprock is the basic footwork of the dancer and is unique to each dancer. Downrock is when a dancer falls backwards onto his hand and rotates his feet around the axis of his hands as he keeps his body horizontally and close to the ground. Freezes are the stopping of all movement during any sequence of dance moves. The harder the move when the freeze is executed, the harder the freeze.

Research

•         The Internet is a hub of videos and blogs on break dancing technique and break dancing clubs. In the videos you may see many complex moves but it is very important to work your way up to them. Watch the moves you want to learn over and over again and go through the motions and what muscles you will be using in your head repeatedly until you decide to attempt them on your own or under the supervision of an instructor. YouTube has pages of videos on break dancing that will appear if you just search "breakdancing". You can also look for more specific moves like toprock and downrock; these videos will provide excellent examples for the novice break dancer. Do not attempt the more difficult moves until you can master the beginner moves. Finally, research the music you want to break to. Getting a repertoire of moves and music will be the lifeblood of your passion as a break dancer. Find songs you like with a strong, distinct beat to dance to.

Tips and Cautions

•         Warming up and stretching is essential to preventing injury. Not stretching can result in pulled muscles, sprains or broken bones. Keeping your muscles loose and relaxed is the most important part of any form of dance. Practice on a padded floor that also affords you the slickness to pull off the spin moves break dancing uses. There are videos available for sale online at learn-2-breakdance.com that offer stretching routines that have been crafted specifically to the activity of break dancing.