How to Dance Hip Hop

From LoveToKnow Dance

Learning how to dance hip hop can be a challenging athletic endeavor. Hip hop dance refers to a wide ranging style of street dances that people do to hip hop music. It covers many different types of dance from breakdance that first came on the scene in the 1970s to upright dance styles like house.

Origins of Hip Hop Dance

Hip hop dance was born in the streets and is a highly improvisational form, which incorporates moves from lindy hop, Brazilian capoeira, jazz, tap, West Coast funk and even James Brown.

Breakdance started in New York City in the 1970s, giving birth to what is now referred to as the Bronx style B boy. Popping and locking also developed in California soon after, bringing West Coast funk into the mix. These early hip hop dance forms are known as old school, while everything that developed since then is called new school.

How to Dance Hip Hop

There are two ways to learn how to dance hip hop. First, there is the improvisational approach, in which one learns some basic moves, puts them together on his or her own or with friends, and then heads off to the club. The second approach is more traditional, someone puts together a routine dancers learn, consisting of a sequence of moves and groups of steps (called combination).

The Moves

Since learning to dance hip hop often means learning how to improvise, there is no one set of steps that everyone has to learn as in other forms of dance such as tap, ballet or ballroom. Listed below are some common moves, however, keep in mind that moves evolve, are always being invented, and may go out of fashion.

Breaking involves floor movements that require gymnastic ability. In order to learn how to dance this type of hip hop, upper body strength training may be required.

**Break Dance Moves**
Name	Directions
Headspins, handspins, backspins	Position the weight bearing part of the body on the floor and use hands and body to spin. These moves are usually preceded by some form of jump, which provides momentum for the turn.
Windmill	Spin on the upper body, keeping legs moving one around the other like a windmill.
Suicide	Handspring or flip and land on either the back or bottom, turning slightly to the side to protect the spine.

Upright Moves incorporate steps like hopping and jumping and various footwork patterns in addition to body and arm movements.

**Upright Moves**
Name	Description
Popping and locking	Alternately, contract and relax the muscles, usually in the arms, legs and torso, in quick pop-like motions.
Soulja Boy	Hop from side to side and then dip down on one knee, simultaneously, dropping the corresponding hip and shoulder.
Moonwalk	With the left heel lifted and only toes on the ground, slide the right foot back. Smoothly shift the weight and repeat with the left foot and right toes lifted.
Footworkin'	Perform dribbling movements in which feet move very fast in and out.
Spongebob Dance	Hop on one leg twice while kicking the other out and then behind the first. Shift back and forth on each side.

Hip Hop Dance Competitions

Dance battles, as seen in the recent MTV film You Got Served are also a part of hip hop dance. Crews consisting of a group of people face off, one at a time, in a competition on the street. These competitions attract passersby who 'vote' for their favorite. They can also take place in nightclubs. International competitions are judged and attract championship crews from all over the world. Some competitions are:

Where to Learn Hip Hop Dancing

If you want to learn combinations for performance, go to a dance studio that teaches hip hop. If you want to pick up the more improvisational street dances, head to your nearest hip hop club or party and watch what people are doing. The links below can get you started:

Hip hop dance can be fun and athletic but should always be done safely.

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