How to Use All Body Movements in Popping

Popping is a great dance style to learn when you want to look like you are freestyling but are actually working a series of combos. Popping basics consist of only a few key moves that you can alternate based on your own personal tastes and on the music you are dancing to. The wonderful thing about popping is you can use your whole body and work with any song in a short learning period.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Begin your routine on a one-two count. Start with your hands and Fresno them from side to side. The Fresno is when you stand with your feet shoulder width apart and flow with your hands and arms, one side at a time.

2. Add a foot crossover to your Fresnos. This is where you move out of your stance to cross one leg in front of the other. Finish the move by reversing what you just did and going back to your first spot.

3. Follow up, in the opposite direction, with a full crossover. Here you drag one leg in front of the other like before, only this time you bring the other leg forward on the next beat so you are back to your shoulder width stance. Remember to Fresno throughout.

4. Pop your chest at the end of this move. This means to drop your shoulders down and back and flex your sternum, that muscle between your lungs, up and forward. Lift your hips for added effect.

5. Finish this routine with some pivots. Keep your feet in their stance but grind the balls of your feet in a circle, using your hips as leverage. This will rotate your body so you are facing the opposite direction. You can add some exciting accents like shifting your hips in the opposite direction if you choose.

6. Use those steps, mixing and matching, to develop your own popping routine.