Hip-hop dance
In the early 1970s, a young man named DJ Kool Herc stood at a party in The Bronx, New York. He held two turntables and a mixer to extend the instrumental breaks of songs. This technique allowed dancers more time to move on the floor. These dancers became known as b-boys and b-girls. They performed moves called toprock while standing up before dropping to the ground for footwork. Puerto Rican members of crews like Rock Steady Crew later added acrobatic elements to the dance. By 1973, these gatherings had evolved into a distinct cultural movement centered around breaking. Meanwhile, across the country in California, other styles were emerging from funk music. Don Campbell created locking in Los Angeles in 1969. His crew The Lockers included Fred Berry and Leo Williamson. They popularized the style through appearances on Soul Train. Samuel Solomon founded popping in Fresno during the 1970s with his group Electric Boogaloos. These West Coast dances differed from the East Coast breakdancing but eventually merged under media labels.
Decades after the initial styles formed, new movements appeared in specific regions. Ceasare Willis and Jo'Artis Ratti created krumping in South Central Los Angeles during the early 2000s. Their work focused on intense battles rather than entertainment for children. Thomas Johnson had previously developed clowning in 1992 as a form of birthday party entertainment. Jeriel Bey established turfing in Oakland in 2002 as a fusion of miming and gliding. This style emphasized storytelling through movement. In Memphis, Tennessee, dancers developed jookin' by evolving an older line dance called The Gangsta Walk. They performed footwork while balancing on the tips of their sneakers at the Crystal Palace skating rink. Jerkin' gained popularity in 2009 following the release of a song by the New Boyz. Dancers wore skinny jeans and Vans sneakers to perform moves like the Reject. These regional styles spread through local competitions and online videos before reaching global audiences. Each maintained distinct characteristics despite sharing hip-hop roots.
The dance industry responded to street culture by creating commercial versions known as new style. Choreographer Emilio Austin Jr described how stage performance could suppress improvisation. Toni Basil introduced eight-counts into locking during the 1970s to help dancers stay synchronized with music. Fatima Robinson choreographed Michael Jackson's 1992 video Remember the Time using this studio technique. She was only twenty-one years old when she took the job. Nappytabs became the first line of hip-hop dancewear in response to market gaps. Andy Funk founded Monsters of Hip Hop in Baltimore in 2003 to host conventions dedicated exclusively to instruction. Urban Dance Camp operates annually in Lörrach, Germany, bringing together participants from outside that country. Talent agents like Julie McDonald began representing individual dancers in the 1980s. HeadNod Agency started as the first UK-based agency for street dancers. ProDance and Superbad Talent followed suit to represent performers commercially. These developments shifted focus from cyphers to structured routines performed in studios and on stages.
Television shows played a major role in introducing these dances to mainstream audiences. Soul Train premiered in 1970 and featured freestyle dancers called the Soul Train Gang. The Lockers and Electric Boogaloos appeared on the program after auditions held in 1971. Lucinda Dickey acted in Breakin films while dancing on Solid Gold during the 1982 season. Jeffrey Daniel taught Michael Jackson how to perform the backslide before the Motown 25 special aired. In 1984, Beat Street opened in West Germany and screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Wild Style became the first movie centered around hip-hop culture. Rock Steady Crew performed breaking in Tokyo's Harajuku district to promote it. Films like Planet B-Boy and Rize documented specific styles decades later. YAK Films filmed turfing crews in Oakland starting with Turf Feinz. Their videos generated significant views on YouTube. Juba Films produced short stories about b-boying that won awards at online festivals. The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers web series combined multiple styles into a narrative about superpowers. These platforms expanded reach far beyond local neighborhoods.
Major international competitions emerged to organize street dance battles globally. DJ Hooch founded UK B-Boy Championships in London in 1996. Freestyle Session started in California in 1997 as the largest breaking competition in the United States. Hip Hop International launched World Battles and World Hip Hop Dance Championship in 2002. Howard and Karen Schwartz created these events to include junior and adult divisions. Juste Debout began in Paris in 2002 under Bruce Ykanji. It excluded breaking to focus on standing styles. Urban Dance Organisation operates championships across Europe and North America. Street Dance Kemp Europe holds workshops and battles in Jedovnice, Czech Republic. EuroBattle started in Portugal in 2005 with Max from Momentum crew. World Supremacy Battlegrounds evolved from GROOVE in Sydney to become an international event by 2006. World of Dance Tour traveled to cities like New York and Berlin starting in 2008. These organizations host thousands of dancers from dozens of countries each year.
Formal training programs developed to teach hip-hop dance alongside academic subjects. Safi Thomas established the Hip-Hop Dance Conservatory in New York City in 2004. The program offers certifications rather than degrees over a three-year period. Students study physiology and kinesiology alongside breaking and locking classes. The University of East London opened its Center for Performing Arts Development intake in 2007. This bachelor degree program includes African dance and kathak within its curriculum. GhettOriginal produced early stage shows like So What Happens Now? in 1991. Rennie Harris founded Puremovement in Philadelphia in 1992 to create theater productions. Boy Blue Entertainment won a Laurence Olivier Award for Pied Piper in 2006. Into the Hoods became the longest running dance show in London's West End by 2008. These institutions provided structured education previously unavailable to street dancers seeking professional careers.
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Common questions
Who founded hip-hop dance in the early 1970s and where did it start?
DJ Kool Herc founded hip-hop dance at a party in The Bronx, New York during the early 1970s. He used two turntables to extend instrumental breaks so dancers could move on the floor.
When was locking created by Don Campbell and which crew popularized it?
Don Campbell created locking in Los Angeles in 1969. His crew The Lockers included Fred Berry and Leo Williamson who popularized the style through appearances on Soul Train.
Where did krumping originate and when did Ceasare Willis create it?
Ceasare Willis and Jo'Artis Ratti created krumping in South Central Los Angeles during the early 2000s. Their work focused on intense battles rather than entertainment for children.
Which television show premiered in 1970 and featured freestyle dancers called the Soul Train Gang?
Soul Train premiered in 1970 and featured freestyle dancers called the Soul Train Gang. The Lockers and Electric Boogaloos appeared on the program after auditions held in 1971.
What year did Hip Hop International launch World Battles and World Hip Hop Dance Championship?
Hip Hop International launched World Battles and World Hip Hop Dance Championship in 2002. Howard and Karen Schwartz created these events to include junior and adult divisions.