Street dance and culture

In this article, I'll tell you Hip hop culture.

At first, the etymology of Hip hop.

Hip hop is the combination of two separate slang terms—"hip", used in African American English as early as 1898, meaning current or in the now, and "hop", for the hopping movement.

Keith "Cowboy" Wiggins, a member of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, has been credited with coining the term in 1978 while teasing a friend who had just joined the US Army, by scat singing the words "hip/hop/hip/hop" in a way that mimicked the rhythmic cadence of marching soldiers.　Cowboy later worked the "hip hop" cadence into his stage performance. The group frequently performed with disco artists who would refer to this new type of music by calling them "hip hoppers". The name was originally meant as a sign of disrespect, but soon came to identify this new music and culture. (Wikipedia)

So, Hip hop have to evolve any time.

Hip hop culture is not only Hip hip dance. Hip hip culture consists of almost all street dance (mainly B-boying), DJing, MCing and Graffiti. They are said to be related to culture of street gangs in the United States and they used to end the conflict bloodless. There are form of battle in street dance and MCing called free style battle.

DJing is manipulating sounds and creating music using phonograph turntables and a DJ mixer or computer and DJing software. There are some techniques in DJing. Scratching is technique which is scratching turntable to wind back music and controlling speed and pitch of music. DJs' main work is spinning music without pause continuously. DJs have to choose musics to suit the atmosphere in the dance hall and they must spin musics running on each other naturally.

MCing is speaking or chanting rhyming lyrics with a strong rhythmic accompaniment. When MCs put on a MCing to tunes, it is called rapping. MCs use MCing to prompt audience,to get at the government, to mickey other Hip hop communities, and to represent their feelings.  They are spokespeople of their community, so they put their lives in danger in struggles between Hip hop communities.

Graffiti is painting which is painted on wall in street. At the beginning of Graffiti, it was only political activity. But today, they sometimes include the meaning of patch. It is considered modern art today, but many people consider it mischievous thing.

These four elements are essential in Hip hop culture.I will tell you other two elements, they are music and fashion.

Hip hop music is thought to be born in the early 1970s. It was spread by three great DJs Cool Hark (the inventor of break beat) , Grandmaster Flash (the founder of Scratch)  and Africa Banbata (the creator of the word Hip Hop) beyond the community.

Hip hop fashion is divided into two ages. They are old school and new school. In old school age (1970-1980), people in Hip hop culture wear gold accessories, jerseys made by Adidas and athletic shoes. In new school age (1980-), they wear silver accessories with diamonds which have the figure of successful people, oversized clothes and athletic shoes.

Techniques of street dance

"The Dancer believes that his art has something to say which cannot be expressed in words or in any other way than by dancing... there are times when the simple dignity of movement can fulfill the function of a volume of words. There are movements which impinge upon the nerves with a strength that is incomparable, for movement has power to stir the senses and emotions, unique in itself. This is the dancer's justification for being, and his reason for searching further for deeper aspects of his art." ~ Doris Humphrey, 1937

For dancers, move is language and their bodies are musical instrument. Today, I will tell you some techniques of street dance.

In all styles of street dance, Dawn, Up and 16 beats are common and important basic moves.

Down means "bend one's knees and down one's upper body". You get counts in music by downing your upper body. Up is similar to Down but If you want to do Up, you get counts when you straight your knees. In short, Down and Up are simple squat motions. When you do Down, you have to down your upper body, and When you do Up, you have to up your upper body on counts.
16 beats is wiggle bouncing. At first, you let down in your body and stand with placing your legs shoulder height. And you make wiggle bouncing twice in counts. When you do it, you have to be vividly aware of this bouncing is from your chest.
In Almost all steps, these moves are used.

Wave is great important move especially in Popping, Hip Hop and Jazz. Wave is move waving your body. When you do Wave, you have to move your body parts separately. It is most important point to show Wave well. There are two types of Wave. These are Body Wave and Side Wave. Body wave is waving your body like ducking under bar which move downward without bending down. ①Put your face forward. ②Put your chest forward and put your face backward. ③Put your waist forward and put your chest backward. ④Put your waist backward. These are most simple routine to do Body Wave. When you use this move in street dance, you have to do this routine smoothly. Side Wave is similar to Body Wave. You change "forward" into "one side" and "backward" into "other side", you can know how to do Side Wave. I give you a Body Wave tutorial video.


Turn is essential move in street dance. Beautiful Turn fascinates audience. Turn is simple move. Every one can turn in anytime and anywhere. In this article, I will tell you Cross Turn. Cross Turn is brief. You cross your legs and turn with your soles touching on floor. How to cross your leg and how to move arms are free. One example is following. ①Jump and cross your legs. ②Open your arms and hands when your legs touch on floor. ③Turn with your soles touching on floor. When you do Turn, you have to aware of your body straighten.

These techniques are very small part of all street dance techniques. In the Internet, you can get many tutorial videos, so if you are interested in street dance, you can view these videos and learn techniques.

This is my favorite street dance lesson channel. Check it out! :) 
http://www.youtube.com/user/RISINGDanceSchoolCh?feature=watch

Appeal of street dance

Perhaps fittingly, given its humble beginnings as a street dance, hip hop has become increasingly popular in the past two decades. Thanks to irresistible rhythms and eye-catching steps that break many of the conventions of classical dance, hip hop has caught the attention of the modern public. Hip hop started on the streets in some of the United States' ghettos, and has made its way to illustrious performance venues across the globe. In a short period of time, hip hop has carved a substantial chunk of dance culture out for itself, and dance lovers celebrate the innovative nature of hip hop choreography and style.

(cite from http://dance.lovetoknow.com/History_of_Hip_Hop_Dance)

In former citation, "hip hop" is almost all style of street dance. The number of street dance lover is increasing day by day. In this article, I will tell you what's great about street dance.

As you know, street dance is cool! It can be a reason to start street dance. I think almost all street dancer start street dance by this reason.

Do you like music? Street dance make your music life better. You become to enjoy music with your body and share your enjoyment with other street dancers by starting street dance.

Today, many children enjoy street dance and hard work to get fame. Children can get sense of sports and music through street dance. They become express themselves well and they perhaps make good friends with other kids dancers. Also, children can make their body flexible and they become able to control your body well by dancing street dance. it is good for preventing injury.

When you get old, you can enjoy street dance yet. Street dance is always advancing, so it doesn't have goal. You can be advancing everyday too unless you continue training. So, you cannot lose interest in street dance. Also you can keep appropriate amount of exercise by enjoying street dance. It is good for your physical and mental health. It is true that so few people can earn money enough to live by street dance. But you can continue to enjoy street dance, because you can dance street dance whenever and wherever. Street dance can be your lifelong hobby.

You can make friends with many people through street dance. Street dancers looks fearful, but almost all of them are gentle and earnest disciplinants. When you want to be taught about street dance, they will teach you with pleasure. Also you can communicate with foreign people through street dance, if you cannot speak foreign language. Street dance is one of nonverbal communication tool. So many people around the world are dancing street dance, you can communicate with them through street dance. Isn't it exciting?


Today, I will introduce my favorite Japanese dancers.

Beat Buddy Boi is new school hip hop dance team. Their techniques are so great. They particular about music so much too. They always searching new style of street dancer as artist.



Hitoridedekirumon is free style dancer. His move is strange. He makes show case to break up audience. You'll like it.

Great persons in street dance

Street dance has been created and advanced by every street dancer but there are some great persons who raise a revolution. So, Today, I will introduce such some great persons in street dance.

At first, I cannot set aside James Brown when I write about street dance. He was not street dancer but great singer and entertainer. People call him "King of Funk". As it describe, he is one of creators of Funk music and the most famous Funk singer. He has African and Native American and Asian ancestry. He was born in Barnwell, South Carolina on May 3, 1933. When he was child, his family was very poor, so he worked hardly to support his budget. During his hard work, he sang in local talent contest and sometimes he captured the victory in it. he debuted as a member of The Famous Flames the Gospel group in 1954. His sing style was changed little by little. Eventually, He started solo activity and created Funk music. He and his performances and his music impinge greatly on market of music and show business. Michel Jackson was one of his great fan and affected by him in many aspect. His music are loved by many street dancers mainly old school dancers. Because, all of old school street dances were danced with his songs like Good Foot in early times.

Second, Don Campbell contributed to street dance. He created Locking. He was born in 1951 in Saint Louis, Missouri. When he was young, he couldn't dance Funky Chicken well which was popular dance in Los Angeles at that time, so he thought to make his original dance. It was the begging of Locking. In 1970's, he succeeded to create his style and formed Locking dance team "The Lockers". He and his team made a major breakthrough on show TV programs like Saturday Night Live and Soul Train. They became famous and got influence in the field of street dance.

Third, "Hip Hop Legend" Mr. Wiggles is also great person in street dance. He is a South Bronx Puerto Rican. He is a member of "Rock Steady Crew", "Electric Boogaloos" and "Zulu Nation". These street dance team are all legendary. He can dance B-boying, Popping and Locking so well. He started dancer life from dance battle on street in New York. In his middle age, he became famous street dancer around world. He appeared on movies which focused on street dance and contributed to create hip hop culture "Beat Street" and "Wild Style".

Forth, Boogaloo Sam and Poppin Pete brothers. They are the originator of Popping. They grew up in Fresno, California. When they are children, they are enjoyed robot dancing. They developed robot dance and created Popping and formed Popping dance team "Electric Boogaloos". This team is known as gold standard of Popping.

This image is Electric Boogaloos.

These great persons are a little part of all but they are the most greatest people in street dance.

Today, I'll give you world best b-boys in 2012. check it out!