Hip-Hop Dance: A Cultural Phenomenon That Revolutionized the Art of Movement

Hip Hop originated in the South Bronx area of New York City in the late 1970s. It emerged from a combination of African American and Latinx cultures, including music, dance, graffiti art, and spoken word poetry. Hip Hop was a way for young people in the Bronx to express themselves and their experiences in a creative and impactful way. Over time, Hip Hop has spread to become a global phenomenon, influencing fashion, music, dance, and popular culture around the world.

The early pioneers of hip hop dance include some of the most influential dancers and crews in the history of the culture. Here are some of the most notable names:

The Rock Steady Crew: Founded in 1977 in the Bronx, New York, the Rock Steady Crew is one of the most legendary hip hop dance crews of all time. Their members, including Crazy Legs and Ken Swift, were instrumental in developing and popularizing breaking, one of the foundational styles of hip hop dance.

Afrika Bambaataa: Known as the "Godfather of Hip Hop," Afrika Bambaataa was a DJ and cultural leader who played a key role in the early development of hip hop in the Bronx. He helped to popularize breaking and other hip hop dance styles through his performances and events. @afrika_bambaataa_official

The New York City Breakers: This dance crew, founded in 1981, helped to bring breaking and other hip hop dance styles into the mainstream through their performances on shows like "The Merv Griffin Show" and "Soul Train." They were known for their acrobatic and athletic style of dancing.

Electric Boogaloos: Founded in the early 1970s in Fresno, California, the Electric Boogaloos were pioneers of popping and locking, two styles of hip hop dance that involve isolations, robotic movements, and fluid waves. They were known for their precise and intricate choreography.

Kool Herc: Considered by many to be the "father of hip hop," Kool Herc was a Jamaican-born DJ who played a key role in the early development of hip hop in the Bronx. He was known for his innovative use of breakbeats and his ability to energize crowds with his music.

These early hip hop pioneers paved the way for the countless dancers and crews who have emerged in the years since, and their contributions continue to be celebrated and honored by the hip hop community today.

Within the realm of Hip Hop, there are numerous significant schools, styles, and departments that stand out. Let's take a closer look at some of the most prominent ones:

1. Breaking/B-boying/B-girling - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in the Bronx and involves a lot of acrobatic and athletic movements, including spins, flips, and freezes.

2. Popping - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves jerking and contracting the muscles to create a popping effect, often performed in sync with the beat of the music.

3. Locking - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of locking and unlocking movements, often performed in sync with the music.

4. Krumping - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Los Angeles and involves a lot of aggressive and energetic movements, often performed in a circle or battle setting.

5. Hip Hop choreography - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of choreographed movements and routines, often performed in groups.

6. Voguing - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in the LGBTQ+ community and involves a lot of fluid arm and hand movements, often performed in a vogueing ball or competition.

7. Waacking - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in the LGBTQ+ community and involves a lot of arm and hand movements, often performed in sync with the beat of the music.

8. House - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in the Chicago club scene and involves a lot of footwork and fluid movements, often performed to house music.

9. Dancehall - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Jamaica and involves a lot of hip movement and rhythmic footwork, often performed to dancehall music.

10. Memphis Jookin' - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Memphis and involves a lot of footwork, gliding, and popping.

The schools, styles, and departments mentioned above are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the diverse world of Hip Hop. In fact, there are countless sub-styles and variations within each category, making Hip Hop an endlessly fascinating and dynamic art form.

Here are some of the sub-styles and variations within each category of Hip Hop dance styles:

Breaking/B-boying/B-girling:

- Power moves: a sub-style of breaking that involves a lot of acrobatic and aerial movements, such as windmills, flares, and air tracks.

- Top rock: a sub-style of breaking that involves footwork patterns performed while standing upright.

- Footwork: a sub-style of breaking that involves intricate footwork patterns performed on the ground.

- Freezes: a sub-style of breaking that involves holding a pose or position, often with one or both hands touching the ground.

Popping:

- Boogaloo: a sub-style of popping that involves fluid, wave-like movements.

- Tutting: a sub-style of popping that involves creating intricate hand movements and shapes.

- Animation: a sub-style of popping that involves mimicking cartoon-like movements and expressions.

Locking:

- Wrist rolls: a sub-style of locking that involves rolling the wrists in a circular motion.

- Points: a sub-style of locking that involves pointing the fingers and hands in different directions.

- Scooby doos: a sub-style of locking that involves bouncing the knees and hips while performing locking movements.

Krumping:

- Clowning: a sub-style of krumping that involves exaggerated movements and facial expressions, often performed in a clown-like costume.

- Bucking: a sub-style of krumping that involves a lot of chest popping and bouncing movements.

- Stomping: a sub-style of krumping that involves stomping the feet on the ground in a rhythmic pattern.

Hip Hop choreography:

- Commercial Hip Hop: a sub-style of choreography that is often seen in music videos and commercials, and involves a lot of sharp, stylized movements.

- New style Hip Hop: a sub-style of choreography that incorporates other dance styles, such as contemporary dance, jazz, and ballet.

- Street Jazz: a sub-style of choreography that combines Hip Hop with jazz dance.

Here’s a comprehensive terminology list of hip-hop terms from A to Y:

Arm swing - a move in which the dancer swings their arms in a circular motion

Arm swing and body roll - a style of Hip Hop dance that combines arm swinging and body rolling movements

Arm wave - a move in which the dancer creates a wave-like movement with their arms

Arm wave body roll - a style of Hip Hop dance that combines arm waving and body rolling movements

Arm wave tut and pop - a style of Hip Hop dance that combines arm waving, tutting, and popping movements

Arm wave tutting - a style of Hip Hop dance that combines arm waving and finger tutting movements

B-boy stance - a stance used in breaking that involves standing with one foot forward and one foot back, with the knees slightly bent

Belly dance fusion - a style of Hip Hop dance that incorporates elements of belly dancing

Body roll - a move in which the dancer rolls their torso from top to bottom or bottom to top

Body wave - a move in which the dancer creates a wave-like movement with their entire body

Boogie - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of footwork and body movement

Boombah - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in the Caribbean and involves a lot of hip movement and footwork

Bounce - a move in which the dancer bounces up and down on the balls of their feet

Bounce slide - a move in which the dancer slides their foot forward and bounces back on the other foot

Breaking - a style of Hip Hop dance that focuses on acrobatic and athletic movements, including spins, flips, and freezes

Brooklyn bounce - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Brooklyn and involves a lot of bouncing and shuffling movements

Buck jump - a popular dance move that involves the dancer jumping up and down while kicking their feet out to the sides

Bucking - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of sharp and aggressive movements, often performed in a circle or battle setting

Buckle - a move in which the dancer drops to the ground and bounces back up quickly

C-Walk - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Compton, California, and involves shuffling and sliding movements

Cabbage patch - a popular dance move that involves the dancer hopping and twisting their feet while swinging their arms

Cabbage patch 2.0 - a modern version of the cabbage patch that incorporates new steps and movements

Cat Daddy - a popular dance move that involves the dancer swaying their arms while stepping side to side and bending their knees

Catwalk - a move in which the dancer struts forward and backward, often with exaggerated hip movements

Cha-cha slide - a popular line dance often done at parties and weddings

Chicken noodle soup - a popular dance move that involves the dancer stepping side to side while twisting their body and arms

Chicken wing - a move in which the dancer holds their arm out to the side and flaps it like a chicken wing

Clown walk - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of exaggerated footwork and arm movements

Connect - a move in which the dancer transitions smoothly from one move to another

Crip hop - a style of Hip Hop dance that combines Crip walk and other Hip Hop styles

Crip walk - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Los Angeles and involves footwork and hand movements performed in a specific pattern

Criss-cross - a move in which the dancer crosses their legs while jumping in the air

Crumping fusion - a style of Hip Hop dance that combines krumping and other dance styles

Dab - a popular dance move that involves the dancer dropping their head while extending one arm and bending the other arm at the elbow

Detroit cha-cha - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Detroit and involves a lot of footwork and cha-cha-like movements

Detroit footwork - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Detroit and involves a lot of footwork and shuffling movements

Detroit jit - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Detroit and involves a lot of footwork and arm movements

Dime spin - a move in which the dancer spins around on the ball of one foot while keeping the other foot in place

Dime stop - a move in which the dancer comes to a sudden stop on one foot while balancing on the ball of the foot

Dip - a move in which the dancer quickly bends their knees and lowers their body, often accompanied by a hand gesture

Dougie - a popular dance move that involves the dancer swaying their arms and hips while stepping side to side

Dougie swag - a style of Hip Hop dance that incorporates elements of the Dougie and other Hip Hop moves

Electric boogaloo - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in the 1970s and incorporates popping, locking, and other styles

Electric Slide - a popular line dance often done at parties and weddings

Electric Slide 2 - a modern version of the Electric Slide that incorporates new steps and movements

Finger tutting - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves creating intricate hand movements and shapes

Flexing - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of muscle control and isolations, often incorporating bone-breaking movements

Flow - a term used to describe the smoothness and continuity of a dancer's movements

Foot shuffle - a move in which the dancer shuffles their feet quickly back and forth

Foot stomp - a move in which the dancer stomps their foot on the ground in a rhythmic pattern

Footwork - a style of Hip Hop dance that focuses on intricate and fast movements of the feet and legs

Footwork shuffle - a move in which the dancer shuffles their feet quickly back and forth while incorporating footwork patterns

Freestyle - improvisational Hip Hop dance where the dancer creates their own movements on the spot

Freeze - a move in which the dancer holds a position, often at the end of a sequence or routine

Glide - a move in which the dancer appears to be gliding across the floor, often performed in slow motion

Harlem footwork - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of intricate footwork and shuffling movements

Harlem shake - a dance move that involves the dancer shaking their body and head rapidly

Harlem shake (new style) - a modern version of the Harlem shake that involves a lot of erratic movements and shaking of the entire body

Harlem shake (original) - a dance move that originated in the 1980s and involves a lot of shaking and jerking movements

Harlem shake (trap) - a modern version of the Harlem shake that incorporates trap music and involves a lot of erratic movements and shaking of the entire body

Head spin - an advanced breaking move in which the dancer spins on their head

Heel toe - a move in which the dancer taps their heel and toe alternately, often performed while stepping side to side

Hip Hop fusion - a style of Hip Hop dance that incorporates elements of other dance styles, such as ballet, jazz, or contemporary dance

Hip roll - a move in which the dancer rolls their hips in a circular motion

Hip roll and bounce - a style of Hip Hop dance that combines hip rolling and bouncing movements

Hip roll body wave - a style of Hip Hop dance that combines hip rolling and body wave movements

Hip roll bounce - a style of Hip Hop dance that combines hip rolling and bouncing movements

House dance - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Chicago and involves footwork, spins, and other movements inspired by house music

I hope these additional Hip Hop dance terms are helpful to you!

Isolation - a technique in Hip Hop dance where the dancer moves one part of their body while keeping the rest still

Jerk - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Los Angeles and involves a lot of footwork and arm movements

Jerk and reject - a move in which the dancer performs a jerk followed by a quick rejection of the movement

Jerkin' - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Los Angeles and involves a lot of footwork and arm movements

Jit - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Detroit and involves a lot of footwork and arm movements

Jook joint - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in the South and involves a lot of footwork and shuffling movements

Jookin' - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Memphis and involves a lot of footwork, gliding, and popping

Juke - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Chicago and involves a lot of footwork and shuffling movements

Krumphop - a style of Hip Hop dance that combines krumping and Hip Hop

Krumping - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Los Angeles and involves exaggerated and aggressive movements

Lean back - a move in which the dancer leans back while keeping their feet in place

Lean with it - a popular dance move that involves the dancer leaning to one side while bouncing back and forth

Liquid - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of fluid, wave-like movements

Liquid popping - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves fluid movements and popping and locking

Locking - a style of Hip Hop dance that incorporates a lot of arm movements and "locking" movements where the dancer holds a position for a beat or two

Lockstep - a move in which the dancer takes a series of steps while locking their knees together

Memphis jookin' - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Memphis and involves a lot of footwork, gliding, and popping

Milly rock - a popular dance move that involves the dancer stepping side to side while swinging their arms

Milly rock 2.0 - a modern version of the Milly rock that incorporates new steps and movements

Moonwalk - a popular dance move that involves the dancer gliding backwards while appearing to be walking forward

Moonwalk glide - a move in which the dancer combines the moonwalk with a gliding motion

Nae Nae - a popular dance move that involves the dancer swaying their arms while stepping side to side and bending their knees

Naenae and whip - a popular dance sequence that involves the dancer performing the naenae followed by the whip dance move

Nasty - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of sharp, staccato movements

New Jack Swing - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in the 1980s and incorporates elements of R&B and swing music

Pop and lock - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of popping and locking movements, often performed in sync with the music

Pop and wave - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves popping and fluid wave-like movements

Popping - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves contracting and relaxing muscles to create a sharp and sudden movement

Popping and ticking - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves popping and ticking movements, often performed in sync with the music

Reverse - a move in which the dancer performs a move in the opposite direction, often used to add variety to a routine

Rocking - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in the Bronx and involves a lot of footwork and rhythmic movements

Running man - a popular dance move that involves the dancer running in place while performing a specific footwork pattern

Running man challenge - a viral dance challenge that involves the dancer performing the running man while incorporating their own unique moves and style

Shoulder lean - a popular dance move that involves the dancer leaning to one side while swaying their shoulders

Shoulder roll - a move in which the dancer rolls their shoulders in a circular motion

Shoulder shimmy - a move in which the dancer rapidly moves their shoulders up and down

Shoulder shimmy and body wave - a style of Hip Hop dance that combines shoulder shimmying and body wave movements

Shoulder shrug - a move in which the dancer shrugs their shoulders up and down rapidly

Shoulder walk - a move in which the dancer walks forward while rolling their shoulders in a circular motion

Slow motion - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves performing movements in slow motion, often with exaggerated fluidity and control

Smooth criminal - a dance move made popular by Michael Jackson that involves the dancer leaning forward while keeping their feet in place, often performed in a group or line

Smurf - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Los Angeles and involves a lot of arm movements and hand gestures

Snap dance - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of snapping movements with the arms and fingers

SpongeBob - a popular dance move that involves the dancer bouncing back and forth while crouching and extending their arms

SpongeBob SquarePants - a popular dance move that involves the dancer bouncing back and forth while crouching and extending their arms

Stanky leg - a popular dance move that involves the dancer lifting one leg and shaking it while bending the other leg and shifting their weight.

Step touch - a basic Hip Hop dance move that involves stepping to the side and touching the other foot to the ground

Stomp - a move in which the dancer stomps their foot on the ground in a rhythmic pattern

Strutting - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves exaggerated and confident movements, often incorporating elements of locking and popping

Swag surf - a popular dance move that involves the dancer swaying their arms while bouncing up and down

Tick tock - a move in which the dancer swings their leg back and forth while keeping the other foot in place.

Ticking - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves rapid, precise movements, often incorporating popping

Toe wop - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of footwork and shuffling movements

Top rock - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves footwork performed while standing upright

Top rock shuffle - a move in which the dancer shuffles their feet while performing top rock footwork patterns

Turfing - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in Oakland and involves a lot of footwork, gliding, and popping

Tutting - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves creating geometric shapes with the arms and hands

Twerk - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of hip movement and shaking.

Two-step - a basic Hip Hop dance move that involves stepping twice to one side and then twice to the other side

Uprock - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves footwork and upper body movements performed with a partner

Uzi shuffle - a popular dance move that involves the dancer shuffling their feet while swinging their arms and spinning around

Vogue - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in the LGBTQ+ community and involves a lot of fluid arm and hand movements.

Waving - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves

Whacking - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of arm movements and fluid, graceful movements

Whine - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of hip movement and gyrating.

Wobble - a popular line dance often done at parties and weddings.

Wu-Tang - a style of Hip Hop dance that involves a lot of martial arts-inspired movements and poses, inspired by the Wu-Tang Clan music group

Yiking - a style of Hip Hop dance that originated in the Bay Area and involves a lot of hip movement and twerking.

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