Hip-hop dance refers to
street dance styles primarily performed to
hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of
hip-hop culture. It includes a wide range of styles primarily
breaking,
locking, and
popping which were created in the 1970s and made popular by
dance crews in the United States. The television show
Soul Train and the 1980s films
Breakin',
Beat Street, and
Wild Styleshowcased these crews and dance styles in their early stages; therefore, giving hip-hop mainstream exposure. The dance industry responded with a commercial, studio-based version of hip-hop—sometimes called "new style"—and a hip-hop influenced style of jazz dance called "jazz-funk". Classically trained dancers developed these studio styles in order to create choreography from the hip-hop dances that were performed on the street. Because of this development, hip-hop dance is practiced in both dance studios and outdoor spaces.
The commercialization of hip-hop dance continued into the 1990s and 2000s with the production of several television shows and movies such as
The Grind,
Planet B-Boy,
Rize,
StreetDance 3D,
America's Best Dance Crew,
Saigon Electric, the
Step Up film series, and
The LXD, a web series. Though the dance is established in entertainment, including mild representation in theater, it maintains a strong presence in urban neighborhoods which has led to the creation of street dance derivatives
Memphis jookin,
turfing,
jerkin', and
krumping.
1980s films, television shows, and the Internet have contributed to introducing hip-hop dance outside of the United States. Since being exposed, educational opportunities and dance competitions have helped maintain its presence worldwide. Europe hosts several international hip-hop competitions such as the UK B-Boy Championships, Juste Debout, and EuroBattle. Australia hosts a team-based competition called World Supremacy Battlegrounds and Japan hosts a two-on-two competition called World Dance Colosseum.
What distinguishes hip-hop from other forms of dance is that it is often "freestyle" (improvisational) in nature and hip-hop dance crews often engage in freestyle dance competitions—colloquially referred to as "battles". Crews, freestyling, and battles are identifiers of this style. Hip-hop dance can be a form of entertainment or a hobby. It can also be a way to stay active in competitive dance and a way to make a living by dancing professionally.
Best in Hip hop dance:
Watch this..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDmTXM7vJ_g
Top 10 Music in Hip-hop Dance:
1.“Juice”
Lil Donald
2.“Milly Rock”
2 Milly
3.“Lean Back”
Terror Squad
4.“Stanky Legg”
GS Boyz
5.“Cat Daddy”
The Rej3ctz
6.“Chicken Noodle Soup”
Webstar & Young B Feat. AG
7.“It’s Goin’ Down”
Yung Joc
8.“Hot N—-“
Bobby Shmurda
9.“Crank That (Soulja Boy)”
Soulja Boy
10.“You’re A Jerk”
New Boyz
Best Dancers in Hip-hop:
Old School Dancers
Michael Jackson is highly regarded as the King of Pop, however, a lot of his dance moves find their origin in hip-hop dance. He married hip-hop dance styles with funk, soul and electric boogaloo to create a unique blend of pop, and hip-hop worthy dance. His style is revered worldwide for its uniqueness and fashion.
For you younger readers this name may not even ring a bell. Run-DMC was a product of the 80’s and they were the ultimate hip-hop group equipped with timeless hip-hop moves.
Aaliayah was a famous hip-hop and pop singer in the 90’s. She was ranked by BET (Black Entertainment Television) as one of the top 25 dancers of all time. Her style was unique, fluid and utilized many hip-hop styles. Unfortunately, she was killed in 2001 in a plane crash. During her career she shared the stage with prolific hip-hop artists like Timberland and Sean Combs.
Despite her recent burst in popularity because of her position as a judge on American Idol, Paula Abdul has always had a cult following for her musical talents and choreography skills. As a hip-hop dancer and choreographer, Abdul organized dance routines for top-name performers like Janet Jackson and The Jackson’s and even choreographed the piano dance scene performed by Tom Hanks in the movie
Big. She’s won several “Best of Dance” awards. In the
course piano lessons for hip-hop, learn how to incorporate this timeless instrument into the breakbeats of hip-hop.
Doctor Ice was born Fred Reeves. He was a part of UTFO (Untouchable Force Organization) a hip-hop group in the 1980’s. He began his career as a dancer for the rap group Whotini, of whom his brother was the frontrunner. His style is heavily concentrated in breakdancing. He performed on the Phil Donahue Show and has had numerous appearances worldwide for his hip-hop style dancing.
Can’t forget about MC Hammer. One of the most famous hip-hop artists and dancers of all time. His heyday was the 80’s and 90’s where he showcased his dancing skills across many platforms; creating a following of the Hammer Dance, The Running Man and The Butterfly. He is also the founder of the culture Hyphywhich is short for hyperactive. Hyphy was coined to describe the music and culture associate with urban hip-hop.
While James Brown may not strike most hip-hop enthusiasts as a traditional “hip-hop dancer” he invented the Mashed Potato dance move which became a craze in the 1960’s. This move has been incorporated into many hip-hop dance routines and is considered a standard move although many may not call is by its food-oriented name.
Modern/New Style
Ciara is an American singer and dancer who released her debut in 2004. She is known for her hip-hop and pop infused style of music and dance. She won the Best Dance Performance at the 2010 Soul Train Music Awards and has worked with big names like Akon, Flo Rida and Ja Rule.
- NappyTabs (Tabitha and Napoleon D’umo)
This couple is unstoppable. They met in school and began choreographing hip-hop performances for the dance company Culture Shock. They are currently residential choreographers for So You Think You Can Dance, they organized dance performances for Michal Jackson: The Immortal World Tour by Cirque du Soleil. They’ve also worked with countless top names like Ricky Martin, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion and Madonna.
The Les Twins are identical brothers of French descent. They are recognized internationally for their new style hip-hop talents. They have won several hip-hop awards including the World of Dance in 2010. They’ve been highlighted on BET, Good Morning America, the Ellen DeGeneres Show and have worked with people like Beyoncé, Kanye West and Timberland.
Best known for his work on So You Think You Can Dance and America’s Best Dance Crew, Sparks is a world-renowned hip-hop dancer and choreographer. He has worked with names such as Aaliyah, Monica and Lindsay Lohan – to name a few.
Everyone knows Beyoncé. Well, almost everyone. She is one of the most powerful female vocalists and dancers of modern times. She started off as a member of Destiny’s Child and after the dissolution of the group went on to a solo career. Her hit single “Single Ladies” started a world-wide dance craze where Beyoncé’s famous moves became staples in many hip-hop routines.
Ever heard of Crank That? If you have then you know what Soulja Boy is capable of. If not, you should. Crank That was Soulja Boy’s debut song and the song video introduced the Crank That dance which has become a keystone of his career. He won the 2007 BET Best Hip Hop Dancer award.
If hip-hop isn’t totally your groove, learn other forms of dance through the
article Learn Dance Online. Want to learn how to street dance or perform hip-hop? Check out the
course street dance moves to master moves like the moonwalk and other slides and glides.
