How to Attenuate in Freestyle Hip-Hop Dance

Hip-hop is a rhythm-heavy music, and your freestyle dancing can mirror this aspect with attenuation. By expertly attenuating with the music, you are using your body to mirror the highs and lows of the beats. Snare and bass drums come across as knee buckles and wrist pops with attenuating. When you are done, you will feel closer to the music.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Pick a song that pushes the beat to the top of the mix. This means that the bass and drums are very clear, and in some cases they share space with the melody. Choose a song you feel you can freestyle to well.

2. Begin a normal routine to the song you have chosen. Don't begin attenuating right away. Wait to feel the rhythm, even dance through the entire song just to know where the twists and turns lead.

3. Perform your routine to the music and add accents with the beat. If the snare drum or the snappy drum on songs catches your ear, use your upper body to mimic its hits. Pop your shoulder out on beat or extend your arm to begin a new move on the snare beat. Your upper body best accentuates the snare.

4. Move your lower body while attenuating the bass drum, which is the low, deep drum sound. Bend your knees or add a stomp to your routine on some of the bass hits.

5. Add accents and color to your freestyle moves with attenuation. Don't attenuate on every beat. If you try to attenuate on every beat, there would be no room for hip-hop dancing.

Tips & Warnings

• The key to attenuation is feeling. When you feel a beat or just a drum hit connect with you, move your body to it. This is the most important element in freestyle.