Description of Hip Hop Dancing

Series Summary

Hip hop dancing covers a large range of styles and specific moves and techniques, but the cornerstone of the style is undoubtedly break dancing. Over time, that so-called old school way of dancing and participating in hip hop culture has evolved into many different off-shoots. Funk dancing, popping and locking, jigging, freaking, krump, and hyphy are examples of types of hip hop dance, and each style contains certain moves that distinguish it from other forms. Throughout the world, there are competitions and there is no doubt as to the influence hip hop and that style of dancing have had on the cultures it touches. Here in the United States, many people opt to take hip hop dancing lessons, and although some critics believe that teaching orchestrated steps in that fashion is adverse to the true roots of the culture and the history of the dance, many people enjoy taking the lessons and learning how to break with the best of them. Does all of this sound like Greek to you? Turn on your favorite music video station and watch for ten minutes, you'll know exactly what you're up against.

Or, take a few moments and watch this instructional video series designed to help teach basics of hip hop dance for beginners and those you are already dancing fiends but perhaps unfamiliar with the variety of styles and moves associated with rap and hip hop dancing. Learn moves like the Fresno, the Lunge and the Butterfly along with several cool combos to prepare for your big date – pop “Save the Last Dance” into the DVD player and practice along, before you know it you'll be poppin' and lockin' all over the dance floor.

Video Transcript

"What is Hip Hop? Well a lot of people want to know and a lot of people will never find out but to me hip hop is more than just music, it is a way of life, it's a culture. You have to live it to really understand what hip hop really is. A lot of people who don't know hip hop take it to be violent but really it is a positive thing. So many people use it to get away from their daily problems. Hip hop started back in 1969. A guy by the name of Don Cambelog put together a group called The Lockers and hip hop goes back as far as Soul Train. We have pioneers Poppin' Pete, Mr. Wiggles, Electric Boogaloo. There are so many things that add up to what is now and it started way back in 1969 so if you look at hip hop there and you look at hip hop now it has grown and hip hop is my love my heart because I am hip hop."