Hip Hop dance originated in the late 1960s and early 1970s, in New York City. Inspired by African dance, it emerged as a vibrant street dance style performed in the public. The original form of Hip Hop dance was Breaking, which laid the foundation for the genre. Over time, Hip Hop evolved into various styles, including popping, locking, and krumping.
In its early days, Hip Hop was developed organically by street dancers in urban neighborhoods without any formal process. During the 80s and 90s, Hip Hop competitions, known as “battles”, became incredibly popular. These one-on-one freestyle showdowns took place in circles of enthusiastic dance lovers. Later, Hip Hop expanded beyond the streets into dance studios, clubs, and performance venues. Today, Hip Hop is practiced in multiple settings, from street battles and stage performances by dance crews to solo and group showcases in studios.
History
Originated in 1967 in South Bronx, NYC by DJ Kool Herc.
DJ Kool Herc organized parties with Hip Hop music. As part of the parties, he would allow the dancers to show off their skills to the musical breaks. This led to the development of Hip Hop dance
The term Hip Hop was coined by DJ Afrika Bambaataa.
“Hip” means “acquisition of knowledge, improvement”, while “Hop” means “jump”. “Two words express the idea of the whole hip hop trend: moving forward, developing, and understanding modern life”.
Gang activities turned into dance battles.
With decline of gang activity, the growing popularity of practices in Hip Hop dance replaced real battles. By the mid-1970s, there were hundreds dance breaker teams in the Bronx and Harlem neighborhoods. Later, the battles were filmed and became widespread among teenagers.
Hip Hop appeared more on the mainstream.
Apart from breaking, Hip Hop dance now consists of several styles including: popping, krumping, locking. It now also has split into old school - free style, improvise - and new school - choreography. There are now many Hip Hop national and international competitions and practices across the globe.
Hip Hop has flourished into different styles and choreographies
On September 21st, 1982, the term “Hip Hop” first appeared in media, in “Afrika Bambaataa’s Hip Hop” article in the Village Voice magazine. Hip Hop dancers started to star in several marketing campaigns.
Source: https://dancebibles.com/history-of-hip-hop-dance/#Origin_-_Kool_Herc
Music
Music for Hip Hop dance is primarily Hip Hop music itself, characterized by strong beats, rhythmic patterns, and often prominent bass lines, which allows dancers to express themselves through fluid movements and intricate footwork, typically featuring a variety of styles like popping, locking, and breaking.
This text is generated by AI.
Big names
Below are dancers who have made prominent impacts on the world of Hip Hop dance.
