How to practice hip hop dance

How To Dance Hip Hop For Beginners

So, you want to learn how to dance Hip Hop! You’ve come to the right place.

*Note: The term "Hip Hop" is more accurately described in this article: What Is Hip Hop Dance? ‍

For the sake of continuity, we will refer to it as Hip Hop Dance in this article.

‍You will learn everything you need to learn how to dance Hip Hop, from understanding music to where to find a Hip Hop dance class in your community. Ready to learn how to dance Hip Hop? Let’s get moving.

Part 1: Musicality

What is dance musicality? Why is it important in learning Hip Hop dance? Dance musicality is how dancers hear, interpret, and dance to music. It sets the tone for our movements and gives sounds to follow.

But, in order to start leaning about music and how we dance to it, the first step is learning how to count music itself.

What is an 8-count?

We use an 8-count to break down the structure of music. It's sort of like a map to know when you do a certain move. For example, if a choreographer says that a move should be executed on "the 5," you're going to count the beats of the music like this: "One, two, three, four, MOVE."

Try this:

Listen to a song, any song, and try counting in your head – "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight." Match your counts to the beat of the song – this is what you'd naturally bob your head or clap your hands to.

Follow along with this video for some practice, and a further breakdown of all the moments that you can hit within an 8-count.

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Different musical elements of a song

*We're not going into every single sound found in the history of music! Just the basics, so as not to overwhelm or overcomplicate.

Lyrics

The words that the singer is singing! The lyrics are probably the easiest to distinguish, but hardest to count/dance to, since vocals don't always match the strict structure of 8-counts. Sometimes, choreographers will make moves that correlate with the lyrics by miming actions that match what they singer is talking about.

Bass‍

The bass is the lowest of the standard four voice ranges (bass, tenor, alto, soprano), or, the lowest sound in a musical composition – its there to support the melody. Different instruments can produce a bass sound (most often drums or bass guitars). Dancers often use the onomatopoeia "boom" to describe a bass sound, and we tend to associate bass sounds with strong, grounded movements like a foot stomp or a Woah.

Snare‍

It's the sharp, staccato drum sound you hear in most Hip Hop songs, kinda like the sound you make when you snap a rubber band. Dancers often describe a snare as a "ka!" when they talk about their routine. Dancers usually do quick, sharp movements to match this sound. Think of how a dancer might suddenly shoot their arm to the side and snap their fingers, or quickly turn their head to look at the audience.

Hi-Hat‍

A hi-hat is produced by a hi- hat cymbal. Dancers often describe this sound as "tss tss" sound. Hi-Hats are usually paired with sharp movements, but they might melt into something groovier if the sound of the cymbal creates a reverb-y echo. Think of how a dancer might pop their chest right when the hi-hat is struck, and then might add a couple smaller pops right after the first one to mimic the way a hi-hat echoes.

Synth

A sound synthesizer produces electric signals converted to sound through amps and loudspeakers. A common type of synth is the synth piano, which may sound like a long, slow bass – a"wobba wobba" sound. This sound goes great with a gooeyyy movement – you want to mimic the way the sound is rippling by using resistance and waves in your movement. A dancer might do this by rolling their chest slowly to a synth.

Strings

Guitar strums and melodies are also useful to take note of, for more instrumental / acoustic songs. You can do whatever feels right in the moment to these types of songs!

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Keyboard/Piano

The piano sounds will also accent, or set the melody/harmony of the song. You can dance to these sounds separately or as chords. If you hear a high-pitched piano note over and over, you might hit that note with an upper-body-focused little move. If you hear a rich set of chords, you might do some flowy, full-body moves to communicate how rich those sounds are.

Try this:

You'll start to see patterns when you listen to music more carefully. Maybe there's a bass drum on each 1st and 5th count, or a snare on every even count. As you're clapping or bouncing or whatever you're doing to mark the beats in the music, take notice of the sound patterns that exist within it. It'll cue you in to the musicality you should use when you dance.

What does Hip Hop dance musicality look like?

Dance musicality is demonstrated in several ways, depending on the dancer's style, the song, and how they choose to interpret the music.

Check out these 2 pieces to the same song, that are completely different in both style of dance and musicality choice.

‍How Many Drinks – Pat Cruz & Aggie Loyola

How Many Drinks – Carlo Darang

Everyone listens to music differently, as you can probably tell from these two pieces. Choreographers utilize different pictures and textures to portray how they hear the song.

‍Not sure what textures are? Read this: What Are Textures In Dancing?

‍Great choreographers have unique ways of moving to music that bring out sounds you might not have heard when you’re just listening to the song. Now you know what it means when someone says. “UGHHH, their musicality is so sick!” By being more familiar with the different sounds that make up a song and their relationship to the flow of it, you'll have a better understanding of how to execute moves to embody those sounds more closely.

This dance tip is from Scott Forsyth's class on STEEZY Studio!

Part 2: Body Awareness

Have you ever taken a yoga class? Then you'll know that a big objective of yoga is simply to be present – in the mind, and the body. By doing so, you're bringing together your mental and physical selves. Similarly, as a dancer, your mind and body must be working together – your mind is the part that understands the music and the intent behind the movement, and your body is the actual tool for moving. Here are ways to train your body to learn to dance Hip Hop.

Try this:

Lay on the floor, and close your eyes. (Turn on some light music here, if you want.)

Then, go through this list of body parts, and focus your thoughts and feelings on each one. Flex or move the part to draw more attention to it. Once you feel fully comfortable with where it is and what it feels like, move on to the next one.

Arms

Shoulder

Forearm

Wrist

Fingers

Fingertips

Legs

Thigh

Knees

Calves

Ankles

Feet

Toes

Hips (Try rotating them in and out)

Chest

Upper chest

Core (tummy area)

Lower abdomen

Neck (Try turning your neck, and also rolling it clock- and counter-clockwise)

It sounds almost too easy to be effective – but the key here is not the difficulty of the movement (which is obviously very minimal). The key is how familiar you're becoming with these body parts, which requires a surprisingly great deal of focus. Muscle memory starts with muscle awareness! By dedicating your time and energy in getting to know your body, you're training your most important tool as a dancer!

Body Placements In Dance

Cool, so we're getting to know what each part of the body feels like in a resting position. Let's create some pictures to explore how our bodies look and feel in certain placements. We'll be using 3 main ideas for these exercises:

• Focus
• Posture
• Angles
Focus

What "focus" refers to in dance is the direction your face is facing. Timed right with a committed facial, your focus has the power to make or break a piece.

Whatever pose you're holding or pathway you're moving through, your focus is most commonly straight to the mirror (not the greatest habit, but it's good to watch yourself at first, when developing body awareness), to the right, to the left, up, down – and to varying degrees.

For example, "right 45" can refer to turning your face toward the right, but only halfway from directly ahead and your right side. "Down left 45" signals looking slightly toward the left, with your chin pointed down, so that your eyes are aimed at the bottom corner of the wall. Focus changes will flow naturally as you learn choreography, but sometimes the choreographer will specify certain pictures and combos to have a certain focus.

This dance tip is from Jeffrey Caluag's class on STEEZY Studio!

Try this:

Stretch your neck to the rhythm of a song, by looking to the

1. right, left, right left, ↔ then switch to
2. up, down, up, down
3. then hit the diagonals! ⤢⤡
4. then roll your neck around so your eyes are making a big circle ⤿ and switch directions ⤾
Posture

Posture has a lot to do with the style or mood of the piece.

For example, Whacking will call for your chest to be more open, and your focuses will be sharp and purposeful. In a more swaggy, laidback-feeling piece, your posture might be directed more toward the ground, with a relaxed torso and shoulders. Think of posture as huge part of your body language that communicates tone and mood.

‍Melvin Timtim explains how he channels Lil Wayne through his posture in this STEEZY Studio class.

Watch it in action here:

Pictures

Before getting into full-body movement, let's study how your body feels when hitting certain angles. When you break down the movements of Hip Hop dance, you will see certain stops in the movement, or pictures.

Practice creating different pictures in the mirror, and pay attention to how they make you feel.

Do you feel powerful when your legs are apart and your hands are on your hips?

Do you feel weak when your hunch your shoulders and point your knees inward?

Part 3: Execution of movement

Grooving!!!!

Chances are, you probably already know how to dance. When you go to a club, or listen to music on the radio, do you bob your head or sway side to side? These are  grooves – which is the foundation for Hip Hop dance and Open Style choreography. Hip Hop Dance grooves were invented by people who were dancing at clubs and parties to just vibe out with each other.

Bianca Vallar explains the importance of learning your fundamental Hip Hop moves here:

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Practicing grooves are KEY to not looking awkward when you dance.

(But there are more tips here: How To Not Look AWKWARD When You Dance)

‍There are several elements that factor into how your movement looks. These come more into play when executing choreography that's based around Hip Hop's foundations.

Hitting using the RIGHT amount of energy

Hitting is the fundamental move of Popping. You can learn more about it here: What Is A Popping Hit

‍Even if you're not a Popper, you probably use a similar technique to "hit" certain sounds in choreography.

Flexing your muscles creates a visual that matches louder musical elements, like a bass.

When you hit, you don't want to be too soft and undersell the move, but you don't want to go TOO full out and overkill it. The goal is to become/embody music, not to compete with it!

Imagine your energy levels as following the pattern of an audio visualizer. The louder the sound, the higher the level, and the stronger your hit!

"Milking" a move

This technique is most commonly used to describe movement in in-betweens of pictures – the "pathway" between A and B.Here are a few ways "milking" is used

• At the end of a move, instead of "putting a period" on it, that is, ending it definitely by stopping the movement, think of it as a "..." The "dot dot dot," connoting that you're dragging out that move, to extend its pathway past "B," what would've been the stopping point without the milking.
• Or, you can milk from one picture into a completely new picture. To practice this, set 2 poses. Every 4 counts, change your position.. but here's the challenge! Use a different pathway each time, to slowwwly get your body where it needs to be.
• Think of milking as a change in acceleration (ooh, physics terms!) Really, all moves are some sort of slowing down, speeding up, or stopping. Milking is just the term for gently stepping on your brakes. Where your car goes (the pathway) is up to you.
Speed control

Learning how to manipulate your speed is going to be a huge factor in shifting dynamics and textures. To practice speed control, pretend that your arms are hitting a "wall." But instead of stopping at this wall, that wall is the checkpoint at which you change your speed. Go from fast and hard hitting, to completely "milking." This variance in speed will help switch up the mood and "textures" of a piece.

Textures

Think of textures the way you think of the physical connotation of the word. Have you ever heard dancers being described as "smooth"? They probably move like honey. Visualize the way that a song feels. Is it staccato, with abrupt starts and stops? Is it flowy and silk-like, with lots of vocals? Is it gruff and interrupted, like an angry rap song? While many songs do embody a specific "texture," most have elements of several. And because a lot of songs carry with them hints of different textures, the variation in your hits, milks, and speed, are all going to contribute to how you match the music.

Part 4: Class and Training

OKAY OKAY, enough talking about how to dance hip hop – let's start practicing it already! One of the best ways to practice a skill is to... take a class!

Looking for a Hip Hop dance class in your area

If you don't have a dancer friend who can introduce you to different dance classes, it's okay! That's what the internet is for. Do a Google or Yelp search using key words like "Dance classes in ____" or "Dance studios in _____" or "Hip Hop classes in _____" or "How to dance Hip Hop in _____"

‍Do you live in LA? Train here: The Dance Studios In LA You Need To Be Training At

‍Once you have a good list of nearby dance studios, go on their websites to see what kind of class offerings they have. If they do not have a website, then call the studio and ask for their schedule. This way, you can ask more questions while you're on the phone, too. Instagram is is a great tool for finding dance studios and dance classes, too!If you keep noticing flyers or class videos (either in your personal feed, or through Instagram's "Explore" page), and click on the location link, you can see where the studio is located. Better yet, if the studio itself has an account, you can stalk their class schedules and instructors to find out more.

Finally, lurking skills from stalking your crush is coming in handy! If you like the instructors / classes offered, or the vibe of the studio, add that into your list of prospective places to take class at.

Which Hip Hop dance class should you take?

Once you've secured the place where you'll be taking your dance class, you need to decide which class to take. You want to make sure you feel comfortable diving into your first dance class, and that it will benefit you, rather than leave you feeling defeated.

‍A "Beginner" level dance class is probably the best to start with. Even if you're not a beginner dancer, read Why Every Dancer Should Take A Beginner Dance Class

How to prepare to take a Hip Hop dance class

Once you've decided on your dance class (where / when / which one), it's time to get ready. Choose an outfit that is loose and comfortable, but one that you still feel confident in. By no means do you have to follow the latest trends in "dancer fashion." It's about YOU and what makes YOU feel cool. Once you get to the studio, you're going to register at the front desk, pay for your "Drop-In" class, and wait for the room to be ready. There's usually back to back classes at studios, so another class will be exiting as you're waiting to enter. When you get inside, put your stuff down and wait for the choreographer.

Until then, you can just hang out, start stretching, or talk to other dancers in the class. You'll probably start to feel nervous right about now. Remember: It's all about your mindset! Take a deep breath and remind yourself that a class is called a class for a reason: you're there to learn! So instead of being intimidated by the idea of trying something new, get excited to start learning.

What to know when you take a Hip Hop dance class

The choreographer will start (most likely) by introducing themselves, and leading a quick stretch. Aside from the actual learning process (which we'll talk about in the next section), there are a few "class etiquette" notes to keep in mind:

Ask questions

If you're struggling with a move, it's perfectly *fine (encouraged!) for you to ask questions.*However, don't do this in excess! Try and figure out the answer yourself first (by looking closer at the move, trying it out in different ways for yourself), and if you still need clarification, ask.

Switching lines

When the choreographer says to "switch lines" – if you're in the front of the room, move to the back, and vice versa. This is to ensure that everyone gets a fair chance at having a good view of the choreographer throughout the class. It'd be a little selfish to hog the mirror the whole time, right?

Switching inside / out

In addition to switching lines, the choreographer might also ask the class to switch "inside out" / "outside in." And yep  – it's exactly as it sounds. If you're toward the middle of the room, move closer to the walls, and vice versa.In general, it's good to move around the room while you take class, regardless of whether the choreographer is telling you to or not. It helps you to not grow dependent on your position to learn or execute.

Sitting down

There are a few cases where you'll have to take a seat during the class.

1. When the choreographer is demonstrating the moves they taught and you're in the front of the room. We do this so that, when the choreographer first matches the moves to the music, everyone can see what the choreography is supposed to look like.

2. If the studio is too crowded, and the choreographer needs to demonstrate the choreography for the "back half" to see. It's easy to follow the choreographer if you can actually see what they're doing, but often the people in the back of the room have blocked or limited vision. (Especially when it comes to intricate details or footwork). We have the front half of the room sit down while the choreographer can teach the back half of the room, then have the whole class join in once everyone "gets" it.

What the choreographer means...

When they say to "Watch"

This is when it's polite for the people in the front of the class to take a knee/seat. Even if you know the moves, really WATCH the choreographer demonstrate the piece. While you watch, take note of where the piece counts in, the true tempo of how fast the song goes, and how the choreographer is hitting each move. The closer you pay attention, the closer you'll know what to emulate.

When they tell you to "Mark it"

Marking means that you are doing the piece more in your head than on your body – but you should still be doing it with your body. Think of it as doing the piece, but with less energy. Be more conscious of the music, timing, and where your body placements are rather than releasing your bankai. The choreographer might use percentages to indicate how much energy you should be putting into your mark. Example: "Let's go just 50% for this first run-through!" or "Mark it around 80%"

When they tell you to "Go full out"

All right, THIS is when you go 100% with your energy. Think of it as the most you can do for everything: cleanliness, timing (that you should've perfected in your mark), but now with power!

‍Read this for tips: How To Dance Bigger, Stronger, And More "Full Out"

How to learn when you take a Hip Hop dance class

Learning choreography

Take note of pictures, angles, footwork, focus, etc.

‍Scared that you'll fall behind? Use these tips for How To Keep Up In Dance Class

Choreographer's execution

WATCH them demonstrate for the class! Take note of texture, dynamics, milking, everything from their demeanor and posture to their facials and energy levels.

Listening to the music

A huge huge huge huge huge part of being able to get a piece is knowing the music. Know what sounds you're hitting, when those sounds come in the music, the tempo, mood, and style of the song.

Practice performance

If you're satisfied with starting out learning just the choreography, that's fine! But if you feel comfortable with the piece, try and add a little pizzazz to it! Your freestyle, your facials, your personal swag.

After you take a Hip Hop dance class

A class experience is not limited to just learning choreography. After all the moves are taught, there will be a few things the choreographer has you do.

Groups

This is when the room is divided into sections, and that group will perform the piece as the other students watch. Groups can get intimidating! But it's also an integral part to your growth. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone and just go for it!

Select group

The choreographer may or may not call out a "select group" – a group of students that they noticed and want the rest of the class to watch. The selected dancers may have been really clean, not so clean but performed the crap out of it, had a lot of personal style, or were just fun to watch. There are so many reasons you can get chosen or not for a select group, so don't overthink it!If the choreographer calls out a "any 10 people" or "any 5 people" to be in a group, and you feel comfortable with the piece, you should volunteer to go up!

Recording class footage

Don't be surprised if someone (either the studio staff, another student, or a parent) is recording you dance.The studio sometimes does this to promote their classes, and students/parents often do this for personal keeping or to post on social media.. (let's be real) And if YOU want to record yourself, ALWAYS ask the choreographer first if that's okay. If they say no, don't. Clear it with the studio staff, too. Then ask someone to record you so you can critique (or appreciate) how you did. Or post it on Instagram. Live your life.

Choreographer's solo

At the very end of the class, the choreographer will most likely perform the piece. Honestly, the best thing to do here is just watch so put your phone down, and just watch!

Saying thank you to the choreographer

Once you pick your jaw up from the dance floor, make sure to line up to thank the choreographer. They just shared their craft with you, hopefully in a way that helped you become a better dancer in some way, so it's important to show your appreciation. You can introduce yourself, say thank you, take a picture if you want. You can ask for critiques or tips, but if there is a long line of people behind you, the more polite thing to do is to keep it short and sweet. In addition, ask the choreographer for the song title and artist so you can keep practicing the piece at home!

Part 5: Setting Future Goals

So, you’ve made your first leaps into learning how to dance hip hop. Congrats! Welcome!! Yayyyyyy!!! Now, where do you go from here? Since different dancers dance for different reasons, let’s talk about 4 different goals you can set for yourself and tips to help you reach them.

#1: Train in different styles of hip hop dance

How did your first class go? Was it challenging? Scary? Too easy? Just hard enough? Although your first dance class is quite a hallmark in your dance journey, but it's only one of many to come. If versatility is your goal, keep exploring different classes at different studios. Don't just take the same beginner class from the same choreographer week after week. Make a list of specific styles or choreographers you want to train under. Schedule out when and where you can take those classes, and strategize a way to get the most variety as possible. After a while, you'll be able to identify what you need extra help in. And you'll have a better sense of your own "style," based on the types of pieces you tend to enjoy most.

#2: Level up! Learn advanced choreography

If your goal is to be able to keep up with advanced choreography, then set a hard date for the class you want to be able to take in a few months. Til then, seek out classes that are more and more challenging as time goes on. From beginning classes, intermediate, to more advanced. And after you take it, don't stop there! Keep challenging yourself with advanced classes – while you continue to train as a beginner. It'll push your choreo pickup and execution, while strengthening your foundation. How To Get The Most Out Of Dance Class (Video)

#3: Get involved in the hip hop dance community

It's nice to have a tribe of support for something that started as a personal journey. So if you want to get to know your fellow dancers – take initiative! Introduce yourself to the familiar faces you see in class. Definitely introduce yourself to the studio staff. Be vocal in classes, and ask other dancers where they're from / where they're going. Not only that, attend dance shows, competitions, battles, and even team fundraisers. These events spur a lot of conversations, and give you a better vibe (aye) for what the culture is all about.

STEEZY Studio members connect with each other through our Facebook group – where we share videos, ask for tips, give critiques, and even arrange meet-ups!

‍See related articles: How To Thrive In A New Dance Community

‍How To Build A Network In The Dance Community

#4: Audition for a hip hop dance team

Lots of us start dancing after watching a team perform. Whether it was on YouTube, or in person, these sets stirred something in us that pushed us to try it out. Consequently, a lot of dancers' goals are to perform with a team, on a stage, at a show or competition. If making it on to a team is your goal – and even if it isn't! – then auditioning is a great experience that can teach you a lot of things. It's going to call on you to pick up choreo quickly, in a crowded room, surrounded by other hungry dancers. You'll have to perform for a panel of judges, and maybe even freestyle.

The pressure might get nerve-wracking, but that's exactly why that experience is so valuable. Auditioning for a hip hop dance team will really test where you are as a dancer, in addition to being another great opportunity to train and meet people. Look into the dance teams in your area. Ask about auditions or private / mid year auditions if you missed the start of the season. Even if you don't end up joining right away, it's great for the psyche to have a clear goal to aspire to.

‍See related articles: How To Make Your Dream Dance Team

‍We hope this helped you newer dancers learn how to dance hip hop! Welcome, and we can't wait to share this journey with you!

New hip-hop dance minor invites everyone to join the cypher

Boyer College of Music and Dance’s minor in hip-hop dance and culture is set to launch during the fall semester of 2022. The program, which is open to non-dance majors across the university, will explore the history and culture surrounding hip-hop dance through a talented cast of Philadelphia-based dance icons and experts.

In the wake of the recent Black Lives Matter protests and their calls for social justice, scholars working in the field of dance have responded with efforts to decolonize their curriculum. White European dance has historically been at the center of dance studies, but Boyer’s newest minor program will instead focus on dances and culture of the African diaspora. 

Sherril Dodds, a professor of dance at Boyer who oversaw the development of the new program, says Philadelphia’s imprint on the hip-hop dance world is worth celebrating. “Philadelphia has a long history of what I describe as ‘Black vernacular dance,’ or Black social dance, and hip-hop is one of those forms,” Dodds said. “Although people often associate it developing in New York in the 1970s, which it did, there’s always been a long practice of hip-hop dance in Philadelphia as well.”

Students enrolled in the program will learn a variety of hip-hop dances, but the coursework will also explore other expressions of hip-hop such as graffiti writing and rap music. Dodds stresses that the program is welcoming of dancers of all skill levels, and that the coursework and hip-hop culture will share a similar virtue: inclusivity.

“Hip-hop is a really inclusive practice, and it’s founded on the idea of ‘each one teach one,’ or the idea that everyone can teach someone something else in order to develop and to maintain the culture,” she said. “Whether you’re a beginner or you’re an advanced practitioner, there should be space held for you within the classroom because part of what hip-hop does is it welcomes everyone into what’s known as the cypher, the dance circle. People of all levels should be supported and brought into it.”

The program also seeks to educate students about the history of hip-hop and its community, and the ways the culture has grown and thrived. “American culture sits upon the expressive practices of the Black diaspora, with a lot of influence as well from Latin American populations in terms of music and dance culture,” said Dodds, who has been studying hip-hop for over a decade and learning breaking for the past seven years. “Part of what we’re trying to do is honor that contribution and learn something about the history of it.”

“Within that history there is a story of oppression and minoritization of people,” she continued. “I think it’s really important that anyone who engages in hip-hop understands that history and how we all benefit from the expressive practices of those communities who’ve been historically oppressed or marginalized.”

Dodds drew on the expertise of the local hip-hop dance community when developing the new program. She consulted with Mark Wong, who runs an organization in the area called Hip Hop Fundamentals, as well as the hip-hop artist Raphael Xavier, who now teaches hip-hop at Princeton.

Other contributors to the program include Virgil “Lil O” Gadson, who was a finalist on the television show So You Think You Can Dance and is a respected street dancer; Kyle and Dinita Clark, international dance competitors who have taught hip-hop dance throughout the area including at Temple; and Raymond Trinh, who used to serve as the president of Temple Breakers, a Temple-based breaking organization.

The 22-credit program will include some existing coursework that the Temple Dance Department already offers, but it will also introduce six new courses designed to enhance the university’s teaching of hip-hop and dance culture. 

Included in the new curriculum are classes such as Breaking: Moves and Meanings, in which students will learn the foundational vocabulary of breaking and trace its journey from a Black social dance practice to an elite competition sport; Hip Hop Entrepreneurship; House and Hip Hop Social Dance; and Funk Styles: Locking and Popping, in which students will develop skills in the movement techniques of locking and popping and learn the histories of each dance form.

Interested students can learn more about the new program on Boyer’s website.

 

teaching basic movements and features of dance

Contents

Hip-hop, like any other dance direction, is best studied at a professional school. After all, only a qualified teacher will find an individual approach to a new student and teach the necessary movements. But if this is not possible, or if you want to come to class prepared, you can try to master the direction of hip-hop at home. How to dance the first movements, now we will tell.

Like any dance, hip-hop training includes getting acquainted not only with the basic movements of the style, but also with a certain philosophy. And in this direction it is special. Hip-hop came to us in the second half of the last century from the most disadvantaged areas of New York and Los Angeles. Tired of injustice, aggression and blood, teenagers, who mostly did not have the cleanest reputation, invented their own special way to resolve conflicts - with the help of dance battles and rap parties. Hip-hop is a free dance, a challenge to society and a protest against any inequality. That is why the main thing in this style is not at all the clarity of the learned movements, but the sense of rhythm, improvisation and expression of the individuality of the performer.

Getting Started: Preparation and Basic Movements

Before learning hip-hop for beginners, you should make sure that you feel comfortable doing it. According to experienced dancers, three things will help you relax and start learning:

• Appropriate environment: flat floor, spacious room, full-length mirror.
• Loose clothing and comfortable shoes. Nothing should hinder movement.
• Hip-hop rhythmic music.

A little ritual will help you tune yourself into the wave of hip-hop: stand with your legs apart, put your hands down and close your eyes. Listen carefully to the sound of the music and try to learn to hear the beat. Rock to the beat. And now you have already mastered the first movement. Congratulations! It's time to move on to more complex elements.

The basic movements of hip-hop are swing and step. You are already familiar with the first one. Now try to put your right foot to the side and stretch your right hand up. Bend your right leg, transferring your body weight to it, and lower your arm to shoulder level. Turn the body to the left, bend the left leg, and put the right leg on the toe. Now lower your right knee, arch your back and reach your hands to the floor. When you manage to complete this combination, consider yourself a good start in hip-hop.

Sign up for a trial lesson

Here are some more basic hip-hop moves for beginners:

• Starting position - standing, feet shoulder-width apart, and arms along the body. We squeeze the brushes into a fist and alternately bring forward one hand, then the other. Then we connect the legs bent at the knee: left hand - right leg, right leg - left hand.
• Starting position - standing. We jump in place and cross our legs, and bend our arms as if we were rowing.
• Starting position - standing, feet slightly wider than shoulders. We put the right leg a little back, bend the legs at the knees, which at the same time look straight. With the right hand we cover the face, with the left, folded into a fist, we put it in the region of the heart. Then at the same time we tilt our head to the right and unclench the left hand, and after that we turn the right knee and right hand to the right.
• Starting position - standing, feet firmly pressed to the floor, knees slightly bent. We put the spread fingers of the right hand on the chest, keep the elbow parallel to the floor. We bend in an arc, as if we received a blow right in the heart. Then we make two turns in different directions, straighten our back and return to the starting position. The hand at this time falls from the heart to the waist. At the end, we throw the pelvis forward again, round the back and tighten the buttocks.

You can achieve the first results quite quickly. But when you start to study closely how to dance hip hop, you will soon notice that there are no clear movements and rules in this direction. Having mastered a few basic elements, the dancers begin to improvise, create their own combinations and dance as creative fantasy suggests.

How to continue: choosing a style

If you have mastered the first movements of hip-hop from videos and photos on the Internet, it's time to choose the direction in which you will develop further. Hip-hop culture is a wide range of dance styles that differ from each other both in elements and in general mood. The main ones are:

• Breakdance is still popular basic style of hip-hop, on which the direction originated.
• Popping - rhythmic contraction of various muscle groups to the music so that it looks like jolts on the performer's body;
• Wave - smooth and plastic movements of the body, the most famous of which is the wave with hands;
• Afro-jazz - shaking mainly the lower and most prominent part of the body in women;
• Crump - energetic shaking of various limbs to the music so that it seems as if someone has moved into the dancer;
• New Style, also known as freestyle, is an improvisational dance that combines not only hip-hop movements, but also elements borrowed from more than a dozen other dance styles.
• La Style - Hip-hop, where the emphasis is on entertainment, so this style is used mainly in videos and when staging shows.
• Ragga jazz is a dance tuned to the music: the performer's legs work under the drums, and the hands become active during the recitative.
• Locking - an energetic dance with "locks" - freezing in different positions for a few seconds or periodically slowing down the movement.
• Power move is a spectacular style that includes complex acrobatic elements, handstands, various twists, and transitions.
• C-walk is a “language” dance with a criminal past that emphasizes intense and very dynamic footwork.

Women's and men's hip-hop

The next step in how to learn hip-hop without leaving home is to bring a little femininity or, conversely, brutality into your existing skills - depending on your gender accessories. The thing is that female and male hip-hop are somewhat different from each other, and, therefore, representatives of the beautiful and strong half are trained in this direction in different ways.

Hip-hop dancing for beginner girls is based on plasticity, flexibility and unobtrusive sexuality. Girls wear baggy sweatpants and hoodies on a par with men, perform sweeping movements, but their execution looks different: hips, legs and shoulders are more involved, the elements are a little smoother and sexier.

Male hip-hop, on the contrary, is more daring, energetic and sometimes even aggressive. The focus is on the work of the arms and body, acrobatic elements and movements that require strength and male endurance.

If you prefer to learn this difficult direction from videos, it is better to initially choose hip hop training, where the movements will be performed by a dancer of your gender. Together with the right technique, you will be able to capture the gender characteristics of the choreographic elements.

A few more secrets

Learning to dance hip-hop at home, without classes with a professional teacher, is not easy, but real. Especially if you add training with a few more components. Here, as in learning a foreign language, only complete immersion in the culture will help. So, here are some tips from “experienced” hiphopers who have mastered a lot not under the guidance of a qualified mentor, but at home by the mirror:

• Videos with basic exercises will help you master some of the moves, but for additional skills, it is better to turn to online courses. Hip-hop lessons for beginners are regularly held online, often live.
• Hiphop parties and hangouts will help you melt into this culture and make new acquaintances. Yes, of course, everyone will laugh at your first dances, but no one drags you to the center of the circle. While you're learning, watch the pros dance, adopt a style, and memorize some moves to practice at home.
• Clear training regimen. Only with regular practice can you achieve results. In addition, our body is set to a certain schedule, and if you exercise at a certain time, it will prepare for stress. As experienced dancers note, the optimal duration of even home workouts is two hours. This is enough for warming up, and for the lesson itself, and for stretching after.
• Additional physical activities. If you are in the mood not just for basic hip-hop movements, but for serious hip-hop elements with tricks, strengthening the muscles of the whole body is indispensable. You will need strong arms, strong core muscles, and no extra weight. This can be achieved by exercising in the gym or additional weight training at home.
• Compliance with safety regulations. Be sure to dance in comfortable non-slip shoes and loose clothing. Do not start training without a proper warm-up, and when practicing acrobatic elements, lay something soft on the floor.

Video tutorials will be enough to learn how to dance hip-hop. But to become a real dancer, you need to study the subculture from the inside. It is believed that a hiphoper has achieved true mastery when he is in perfect control of his body, does not “slow down” on the dance floor, knows how to improvise and select universal movements for any music. Hip-hop dance lends itself only to the very persistent and disciplined, those who are able to understand and accept its "philosophy of freedom".

Do not forget that there are many professionals around who are ready to help you take your first steps in hip-hop or improve the skills you learned at home. Qualified teachers of the La Boca dance club will find an individual approach to you, work out with you the technique of performing movements and even acrobatic elements. You don't have to go far: "La Boca" is located in the very center of St. Petersburg - on "Petrogradka"

Video: basic hip-hop movements

Dancing from "A" to "Z": where, when and how?

Do you like to dance? Or maybe your child loves to dance? Then, for sure, you wondered about choosing a dance school, thought about where and in what direction it would be better to go yourself or give your child away. In this article, we have collected all the main questions related to dancing classes. Vladimir Sheremetiev, teacher and choreographer with sixteen years of experience, author of many materials on the history and technique of performing various dance styles, director of the Step Forward contemporary dance studio, Chelyabinsk, answers them. So, let's begin!

- At what age is it better to send a child to dance?

Much here depends on the individual characteristics of the child, on the format of classes and on the dance direction that you choose for your child. If we are talking about children's dance classes, then you can try to start practicing at the age of three with the indispensable condition that the classes themselves will be held in a playful way, and a professional will work with the child.

At the same time, the question of individual characteristics and development remains open, because not all children at the age of three are ready for classes without the presence of their parents. However, by the age of four, the vast majority are already quite successfully engaged in children's dance, they enjoy the lessons very much and have good results. Therefore, the answer to this question is this - send your child to a dance studio from the age of three or four and choose groups for children's dance. About why it is worth giving the baby to this particular direction, we will talk a little later.

— At what age is it not too late to start dancing on your own?

Practice shows that it is never too late to start exercising yourself, it all depends only on your motivation, as well as on your health. Of course, starting breakdancing at sixty will probably be very difficult and traumatic. Therefore, decide which direction you like and which one is suitable for medical reasons. If you do not take age extremes, then you can say with confidence that middle age is not a hindrance. Even starting at thirty, you can achieve very good results in many types of dances, for example, in street directions. Therefore, do not deny yourself and do not refer to the years, if you dream of becoming a good dancer, the power of your dream can work wonders. And if we are talking about classes for yourself and for the soul, come to the hall, no matter how much you have.

Summarizing the above, the answer will be this: when practicing as a hobby, there are no age restrictions for any dance direction. Most importantly, try to get into the group of your age so that it is comfortable to practice.

If you want to achieve certain results, to dance semi-professional or professionally, then for street dances such as hip-hop, popping, locking, etc., middle age is not a contraindication, on the contrary, you can learn to dance well at this age, you can achieve certain heights and gain public recognition. In the case of choreography, modern, ballet, as well as breakdancing, due to the high requirements for physical form, it is advisable to start at least at student age. The same goes for ballroom dancing.

- Should I give the baby to hip-hop or breakdancing?

A very interesting question often asked by modern parents. Hip-hop and breakdancing are all over the place now, they are shown on TV, children watch and try to repeat the bright movements. But does it make sense to send a baby, that is, a child under 6 years old, to these types of dances, is it worth paying for such classes? Our opinion boils down to the fact that it is definitely too early to dance hip-hop or breakdance at this age. If you want your child to not just jump at home and in the gym, but really learn something, it is better to enroll him in a children's dance. There are several reasons for this:

First of all, both hip-hop and breakdance are technically quite complex and young children usually do not have enough attention and concentration to learn the elements correctly. It is necessary to send the child to a place where he is given material of adequate complexity that he is able to perceive. For even if you enroll him in a dance group just for the sake of the child spending energy, then isn’t it better to combine this waste of energy with learning something useful, something that he can adequately learn in his three to five years?

Secondly, at this age, children need to be engaged in a playful way according to appropriate methods, and street dancing does not imply this. Toddlers need to be given rhythm, develop physical abilities and coordination through activities that they understand and for which they are ready.

Now there really are dance schools that take students to hip-hop almost from the age of three. But you need to understand that this is done only because of the presence of demand in the market, because demand dictates supply. There will be no real benefit in three or four years from such classes. On the contrary, an inexperienced and young teacher, of whom there are a lot of street dance teachers, can bring certain harm, discourage the child from any desire to dance in principle.

So if your kid really likes street dancing, be patient for a couple of years, but until then, send him to a children's dance. There he will spend this time with benefit and, subsequently, he will come to hip-hop or breakdance with good preparation.

— What are the criteria for choosing a dance school?

Despite the fact that there may be several main criteria for choosing a dance school, the main one will always be the professionalism of the teaching staff. And here you need to pay attention to the following factors:

1) Mentor's age. Dancing and teaching dance is for the young, so basically it's okay if your choreographer is only in his early twenties. But if he or she is under twenty and is teaching children, then it makes sense to consider what such a young person can really teach a child - although, of course, there are exceptions. In the case of classes for adults, here, as a rule, everything is not so strict, because it is usually easier to find an approach to accomplished people. But, one way or another, you need to pay attention to it.

2) Vocational education. Ask if the teacher has a professional education in the dance field or if he is currently receiving it. When it comes to choreography, ballet, modern, ballroom dancing, secondary special or higher professional education is a big plus. If we are talking about street dancing, hip-hop or breakdancing, then there are no such subjects in educational institutions, so you should pay attention to other things.

3) Achievements. Many dancers, especially young people, like to brag about their own achievements at various competitions and festivals, prizes, trips, and so on. However, let's remember that the victory of a person in any dance event, although it speaks of his own dance level, does not mean at all that he is a good choreographer, works well with children and can really teach dance. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to what results the students of this choreographer achieve.

4) Manner of communication. In our opinion, this is one of the most important criteria. A person must be able to communicate competently, find a common language with children and adults, and be bright. Then you will like classes and this will give additional motivation to classes.

In addition, a good dance school always has a dance teaching system, programs that teachers work on, and intra-school events that you can and should attend. If this is the case, then the school management is really working for the good and it is worth enrolling in such a studio.

Among other criteria for choosing a dance school, we note the convenience of the location and the adequate cost for the services provided. But still, let's say that the main thing is always the mentor himself and the general system of work built in the dance school. It is better to overpay for quality and a good result than to give a lot of money and be disappointed. Therefore, analyze, understand whether you and your child like the classes and do not be afraid to praise the studio and its employees who really work for you.

— What to wear to dance classes?

The question is purely technical. It all depends on the style of dancing that you will be doing. For choreography, these are, as a rule, leggings and a T-shirt for girls and a T-shirt and sports trousers for men. They practice this type of dance often in socks or barefoot, or you can wear ballet flats.

If we are talking about street dancing, then it is always enough loose clothing that would not hinder movement - a T-shirt and sports trousers are fine, as well as sports shoes, sneakers or sneakers, on your feet.

When we talk about children's dance classes, the kids get gymnastic leotards (or shorts and a T-shirt for boys), and Czechs or ballet flats are put on their feet.

Well, adults can dress for classes in popular dance styles the same way they would dress when they came to fitness.

— How long does it take to learn to dance?

A very ambiguous question which, nevertheless, interests many. What does it mean to "learn to dance"? For some, mastering a couple of dance moves will be enough to shine in a disco, while others need a big stage.

Therefore, you must first decide on the purpose of the classes. If we are talking about street dancing, then decent results can be achieved, as a rule, after a couple of years of regular classes. Of course, a lot depends on who leads the classes and on your own abilities, but on average, in the second year you will no longer recognize yourself in comparison with the past, and in the third year you will dance very decently, if only you yourself want to. The same can be attributed to any classes at the amateur level - subject to such an important condition as regularity, the results will appear fairly quickly.

In the case of serious choreography, ballet and professional activities in general, get ready for the fact that it will take years and there will never be a limit to perfection. Although the first results will also appear in the second or third year of study.

— How often do you need to practice dancing to get results?

The regularity of any activity is very important! It is clear that the more training, the better. But what is the optimal schedule in which the result will be achieved and you yourself or your child will really develop and learn to dance? We'll talk about this below.

So, at least, classes should be held twice a week for one astronomical hour. Moreover, it must be borne in mind that the break between them should not exceed three days, otherwise all the studied material will be forgotten.

If there is an opportunity to study three times a week for an hour and a half, this is very, very good. Such activities will help keep yourself in a constant tone, and this tone is extremely important in order to grow in your favorite business.

And, of course, the more classes, the better. If with a schedule twice a week for an hour you will get a certain stable, but small, result, then by practicing every day for two or three hours, for example, you will almost certainly achieve great dancing success soon.

It should be borne in mind, however, that regular classes in the gym do not at all cancel the desirability of studying at home. If, say, your child goes to a children's dance, then at home it is quite possible to dance with him a little, ask him to repeat what was learned today in the studio. Well, if you do it yourself, then homework, practicing various movements, stretching will become an integral part and even a guarantee of progress.

— Why do we need dances, what do they develop? What are the medical contraindications for dancing?

When you come to a dance or take your child to a dance school, it is very important to understand whether the classes will be beneficial. In addition, if you know what physical and mental qualities, motor skills develop certain dance styles, this will undoubtedly help you make the right choice.

Let's start with the choreography. Classes in classical and modern choreography, ballet, ballroom dancing help to form a muscular corset, correct posture. In addition, great attention is paid to stretching. Therefore, if you want to be slim and easily sit on the twine, welcome! However, it must be borne in mind that the same stretch has certain nuances. For example, if by nature you or a child have long ligaments, then it makes sense not to stretch, but to perform muscle strengthening exercises, and to do physiotherapy exercises in parallel.

As for street dances, namely hip-hop, locking, popping and other similar dance styles, their undoubted advantage is that they teach you to relax and control your body, relieve muscle clamps, improve coordination and help you learn a sense of rhythm. It is no secret that many diseases, in particular, diseases of the spine, are associated with the presence of muscle clamps in various parts of the body. These clamps are formed very often under the influence of psychological factors. For example, if you pay attention to the cervical spine, to the shoulders, then with a high degree of probability you will notice that your shoulders seem to be slightly raised, moreover, you were not aware of this before. This is one of the typical muscle clamps, which is a reaction, including to everyday stress - remember a cat or dog that bristles in case of danger. Despite the fact that we are not aware of this clamp, it keeps the neck muscles in constant tension, spasms them, and it is the neck and cervical spine that contain the arteries responsible for the blood supply to the brain. That is why it is so important to learn to relax, relieve muscle tension in your own body and, in this way, help yourself to relieve physical stress. Street dancing is an indispensable assistant in this regard, because the technique of performing the same hip-hop requires control over the body and a certain tone, associated, among other things, with muscle relaxation.

If we talk about practicing such a demanding physical form as breakdancing, then here a contraindication may be diseases in which it is undesirable, say, to lift weights. However, of course, it is better to clarify everything with a doctor. At the same time, this style is an excellent, if not the best, means to strengthen the body, muscles, develop flexibility and endurance. Probably, only gymnastics can compete with him in this, but breakdancing is also a dance, and dancing is always more interesting! Therefore, if you want your child to grow up strong, strong, do not be afraid to sign him up for a break.

Summarizing the above, we can say that the physical and other benefits of dancing are always obvious. Although it also makes sense to first consult with a doctor you know about contraindications. But in the vast majority of cases, even the presence of any kind of disease is never a factor that prevents people from dancing. You just need to do it wisely, carefully and under the guidance of a competent mentor.

- What do you do when you don't seem to be getting anything?

Many who have been dancing for a while begin to wonder how well they dance. Often these thoughts come a few years after the start of classes and, sometimes, force someone to quit classes, because, in their opinion, they do not succeed. Let's look at a few key points to dispel this myth.

First, in dancing, as in any other activity, you must have patience. Immediately, after the first lesson, no one ever becomes a champion. The main thing is to practice regularly, persistently and enjoy the process itself. Then the result will not keep you waiting.

Secondly, the assessment of one's own result is always subjective and depends on who we compare ourselves with. Let's say, before I started doing modern dance, it seemed to me that some guys at the disco dance very well, but I can't do anything. But very soon I outgrew them, and I begin to compare myself with a coach, and then with champions, world celebrities, the best of the best. It's good to look up to the stars, of course. But when evaluating yourself, look back and look at the whole path that you have traveled. Isn't that the result?

Thirdly, there is another nuance that is not so obvious, but has a huge impact on self-esteem. Its essence is that in the course of classes, especially over the years, the nature of the material studied, the acquired skills, changes. Accordingly, the evaluation system should also change, and this often does not happen. A simple example is when a person is just starting to dance, he learns the basic steps, movements. And, pretty soon, he already sees the result - so I didn’t know how to do anything, but now I’m already dancing. This is great. But years pass and the same person, continuing to practice, asks himself: "the years go by, but I still dance the same." And he concludes - "probably I have not achieved anything." The mistake is that people do not always realize that if knowledge of the dance base comes at the beginning, then over the years the technique is honed and their own style, their own understanding of dance is developed.

So remember, if you continue to dance and give yourself and your heart to it, you will continue to develop and will do it better and better. Do not quit what you started, because it is not in vain that they say that the one who walks will master the road. The one who has perseverance and will will always be the winner!

© Vladimir SHEREMETEV, 2016

Any reprint of this material is allowed only with the knowledge and consent of the author.

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