How to Hip Hop Dance

Hip hop is only about 40 years old. Break dance is one earlier form of hip hop dance that's still popular today. It's helpful for dancers who are interested in learning hip hop dance to study other forms of dance as well including break dance and jazz dance.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Studying Hip Hop Dance

1. Find qualified hip hop instructors. When hip hop dance gained popularity, many dance studios wanted to benefit from this popularity to meet their customers' needs. As a result, hip hop classes were added to the available offerings at many dance studios even though the instructors didn't have previous experience with this dance form.

2. Look for traveling workshops offered by world-renowned hip hop dancers. It's not always necessary to travel to large cities to find qualified hip hop instructors. Take advantage of local, 1-day workshops when available.

Easy Slip and Slide

3. Begin standing upright with your legs shoulder width apart. Hold each arm straight down in front of either leg. Make fists with your hands. Your thumbs should be facing your thighs.

4. Slide your right leg along the floor to your right side and bend your left knee and upper left leg into a half squat. Pull your arms up by bending at the elbows. Stop when your arms reach shoulder height. The knuckles of each hand will be facing each other. Your arms should reach shoulder height at the same time your right leg stops sliding.

5. Bring your right leg back to starting position, sliding it along the floor and move your arms down to their starting position as in Step 1.

6. Bend your right leg up until your right foot reaches the height of your left knee and lower it back to the ground. Raise your arms as you did in Step 2 when you raise your right leg, and lower your arms as you bring your leg back down to the ground.

7. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 on the left side. You've now completed a slip and slide on both the right and left sides.

8. Repeat the slip and slide on the right side then the left side several times in a row.

Tips & Warnings

• When you slide your right leg out in Step 2, turn your upper body slightly so that it's facing the left front corner. Turn your upper body to the right front corner when you slide your left leg out.