why do you like hip hop dance essay

319 Dance Essay Topics & Research Questions on Hip Hop, Ballet, & More

Dancing is a universal form of expression and movement. It has been an integral part of human culture for centuries. From traditional cultural dances to contemporary urban dance styles, this art form transcends language barriers and brings people together.

But dancing is not just about entertainment. It is significant in various aspects of society, from its role in expressing emotions to its impact on mental health.

In this article, our expert team delves into the diverse world of dance. Below, you’ll find interesting dance topics to write about and explore the cultural, social, emotional, and physical dimensions of dance. Read till the end to find a writing guide with examples.

🔝 Top 10 Dance Essay Topics

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• Cultural significance of dance.
• Mental health benefits of dancing.
• Gender roles in dance.
• Dance as nonverbal communication.
• Technological innovations in dance.
• Social impact of dance activism.
• Dance education in schools.
• Emotional expression in dance.
• Dance and cultural identity.
• Politics of dance movements.

Why I Love Dance: Essay Prompt

Are you passionate about dance and want to write about it? Consider including the following points in your essay:

• Explain your deep-rooted passion for dance. Reflect on how dance has influenced your life, shaped your identity, and impacted your personal growth.
• Describe the specific styles or dance genres you are passionate about and explain why they hold a special place in your heart. Share experiences that have strengthened your love for dance, such as memorable performances, challenges , or inspirational moments.
• Discuss how dance has enriched your life and contributed to your overall well-being. Convey your dedication to dance and the importance of this art form in your life.

What Does Dance Mean to You: Essay Prompt

This essay is your chance to reflect on the place of dance in your life. Here are some ideas to include in your paper:

• Express your understanding and connection to dance. Describe what dance means to you on a deeply personal and emotional level. Share your unique perspective on the effects of dance on your life choices and identity.
• Discuss how dance has impacted your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Write about its contribution to your personal growth and development. Describe the emotions and sensations you experience while dancing and how they enrich your life. Discuss any memorable dance experiences, performances, or interactions with fellow dancers that impressed you.
• Depict your passion and appreciation for dance. Articulate the role of dancing in your life. Consider how dance has allowed you to express yourself , connect with others, and navigate life.

Hip Hop Essay Prompt

Are you a fan of hip-hop dance? Then you might enjoy writing an essay about it! Consider the points below to cover in your paper:

• Explore the art and culture of hip-hop. Discuss the origins and evolution of hip-hop dance, including its roots in African, Caribbean, and African-American dance traditions. Study the key elements of hip-hop dance, including its unique style, movement vocabulary, and musicality.
• Discuss the impact of hip-hop dance on popular culture , including its influence on music videos, films, fashion, and the entertainment industry. Analyze the social and cultural significance of hip-hop dance, including its role as a form of self-expression, community-building, and activism . Discuss the diversity and inclusion within hip-hop dance, including its ability to bring people of different backgrounds together.
• Describe any personal experiences or connections with hip-hop dance , and discuss how it has influenced your understanding of dance and culture. Convey your appreciation for hip-hop dance’s artistry, creativity, and cultural relevance. Provide insights into this dynamic and influential dance form.

Why Dance Is a Sport: Essay Prompt

There’s been a long-lasting debate about whether dance should be considered an art or a sport. You can present your opinion on this issue in your essay. Here is a prompt to guide you:

• Study the arguments on both sides of the debate and articulate your stance. Discuss the physical demands of dance, including athleticism, strength, and endurance. Compare them to the criteria used to define sports.
• Explore the competitive nature of dance , including competitions, rankings, and performance expectations . Discuss the training, dedication, and discipline required for dance and compare them to other recognized sports.
• Examine the artistic and creative elements of dance and how they may differentiate dance from traditional sports. Discuss any challenges or controversies surrounding the classification of dance as a sport. It might be the lack of standardized rules, funding, and recognition.
• Consider the cultural, historical, and societal factors influencing perceptions of dance as a sport. Present your argument supported by evidence and examples. Provide a nuanced perspective on this complex and debated topic.

Below, you’ll find plenty of ideas for a college essay about dance. Read on to find a suitable topic for your paper!

Modern Dance Essay: Topics

Modern dance significantly differs from traditional dance forms like ballet. Nowadays, dancers prioritize emotional expression instead of following rigid rules. Here are some interesting dance titles & ideas for your essay on modern styles:

• The diversity of contemporary dance styles.
• Psychological determinants of choosing a particular dance style.
• Creative Movement and Dance in My School.
• Sociopolitical concerns through the prism of dance.
• Modern dance as a form of protest against classical dance.
• Modern Black dance: race in motion.
• Significant people who contributed to the modernization of dance.
• Features of post-modern dance.
• Art Therapy: Creativity as a Critical Part of Art Therapy.
• The new American dance forms.
• Modern dance in the US vs. Europe: differences and similarities.
• Injuries in modern dance: career options for dancers.
• The concepts of modernity, race, and nation in the early modern dance forms.
• Oxygen uptake during a modern dance class.
• Physical Therapy Services for Sports Injuries.
• Socio-demographic correlates of modern dance genre preferences.
• Indian modern dance and feminism.
• Self-expression in modern dance.
• National and transnational modern dance.
• Principles of modern dance therapy.
• Regular engagement in modern dance and depression treatment.
• Modern dance pioneers who revolutionized this art: a case of Lester Horton.
• Incorporating Physical Activity into Lesson Plans.
• Mood changes of people attending dance classes.
• Modern dance classes: can one learn to dance online?
• Evolving gay stereotypes in modern dance.
• Dance as a reflection of culture.
• Depression and Physical Exercise.
• German modern dance during the Nazi rule.
• Body image and modern dance engagement.
• Eating disorders in professional modern dancers.
• Significant elements of modern dance.
• Dance as a hobby and professional activity.
• Art Education, Its Role and Benefits.
• Examples of popular modern dance styles.
• Controversial dance practices.
• Is folk dance considered modern dance?
• Does modern dance come with serious choreography similar to classical dance?
• Class and ethnicity reflected in dance.
• Physical Activity and Sports Team Participation.
• Modern dance in France.
• The transformative power of flamenco dancing.

Dance Critique Essay: Topics

A dance critique essay requires you to evaluate carefully a particular dance performance or a specific aspect of this art form. Check out some dance titles for an essay to inspire your critical response :

• Degradation of dance quality in the 21st century.
• Passion versus physical characteristics in dance performance.
• Racism and gender discrimination at the dance competitions.
• Gender inequality in professional dance.
• Subway dance – a subculture or simply a weird place for practice?
• Dancing and Its Effects on Self-Esteem .
• How did industrialization contribute to the departure from classical dance?
• The rise of burlesque as a rebellion against ballet.
• The Role of Music and Movement in Education.
• The ideology and importance of radical dance.
• The Wigman technique of dance.
• José Limón’s contribution to contemporary dance.
• The place and influence of the American Dance Festival in modern American dance traditions.
• Art, Music, and Dance in Therapeutic Treatment .
• Combination of choreography and multimedia in Alwin Nikolais’s works.
• The flaws and loopholes of early modern dance.
• Popularization of African American dance across the world.
• Ballet elements in contemporary dance.
• The Importance of Arts in the School Curriculum .
• The contribution of Grete Wiesenthal to modern dance development.
• What place does concert dance occupy in the dance typology?
• Place of women in dance – now and then.
• Differences between modern and contemporary dance styles.
• Pole dance’s potential for inclusion in the Olympic Games list.

Dance Reflection Essay: Topic Ideas

Are you looking for thought-provoking dance topics to talk about in a reflection paper ? Check out the list below:

• What features and character traits should a good dance teacher possess?
• What does it mean to be a dance revolutionary?
• What did modern dance pioneers do to create new dance types?
• Should professional dance be taught in college?
• Sports Psychologist: Working With Athletes.
• The national dance of my country.
• My first experience in a dance class.
• My music preferences for dancing.
• Dances with Wolves Essay – Movie Analysis .
• Dancing as a personal form of relaxation and meditation.
• Why do some people prefer dancing alone at home and others need an audience?
• My favorite movie about dancing.
• Ballet as my passion and my greatest disappointment.
• My opinion of dancing as a profession.
• Music in the Service of Social Movements.
• Importance of dancing in my culture.
• What I think makes a good and bad dancer.
• My experience of participating in a dance contest.
• The role of dance in my family.
• My fascination with Indian dance.
• My dream is to become a hip-hop dancer.
• Benefits I see in regular dancing.
• The pros and cons of professional engagement in dance.

There are some controversial issues related to dance you can explore in your paper. Below, you’ll discover a list of dance topics to express your reasoned opinion about.

• Dance can be a tool for social change .
• How can culture be reflected through dance?
• Should College Athletes Be Paid?
• The impact of the environment on dance perception.
• The importance of dance styles and types for specific cultures.
• Dance as an intangible cultural heritage.
• Is dance a kind of sport?
• Sports-Related Problems and Conflicts .
• Why do people start to dance?
• Why is the audience attracted to dance performances?
• What is the motivation behind starting to dance at an early age?
• Why is contemporary dance more popular than classical dance today?
• The Cognitive Performance and Physical Activity Link.
• Are modern dance styles, like hip hop, easier than ballet dancing?
• Dance training is highly traumatic and shouldn’t be practiced at an early age.
• The risk of trauma and permanent injury among professional ballet dancers.
• Street dance is not serious dance.
• Exercise – The Mind and Body Connection.
• The impact of motivation and self-confidence on dance performance.
• Dancing positively affects the physical and cognitive health of aging adults.
• Dance is a tool against aging .
• Different dance styles and genres require different physical endurance and energy expenditure.
• Music Incorporation into Classes.
• Importance of choosing your dance style according to your BMI and bodily peculiarities.
• Partner dancing is healthier for motor control and coordination than solo dancing.
• Benefits of ballroom dancing.
• The economic effect of dance development.
• What is the hardest dance style?
• Cultural Appropriation in Music .
• Ghost dance as a religious movement.
• Electronic dance as a new subculture.
• Techniques of dancing to jazz music.
• Flamenco dance as a reflection of Spanish passion.
• Students’ Motivation and Satisfaction of Music Festival .
• Cultural significance of feminist dance films.
• The impact of proper nutrition on dance performance.
• The art of staging a dance performance.
• The social significance of street dance.
• Creative Art Therapy for Mental Illness.
• What does dance have to do with math?
• Belly dance as a recreational activity.
• Interpretative dance as a strong therapeutic tool.
• The use of dance therapy for individuals with Down syndrome.

Hip-hop dance is a popular street dance style that emerged in the second half of the 20th century. It encourages freedom of expression and is characterized by freestyle movements, particularly drops to the ground and sharp turns. If you seek to write a paper on hip-hop, here are catchy dance titles to inspire you:

• The role of dance in hip-hop culture.
• Chinese Hip Hop and Identity .
• Hip-hop dance and body power.
• Hip-hop as an African diaspora dance style.
• Meanings and messages in hip-hop dance.
• Genders, Sexuality, and Hip-Hop .
• Origins of hip-hop.
• Injury incidence in hip-hop training and performance.
• Commercialization of hip-hop dance.
• Core elements of hip-hop dancing.
• The Uprising of Hip-Hop: Music History .
• Hip-hop dance in modern ballet choreography.
• Low back pain in hip-hop dancers.
• B-boying in hip-hop.
• Motivations of hip-hop dancers for professional engagement with this dance style.
• The “breaks” concept in break dancing.
• The Evolution of Hip-Hop Culture .
• The roots of hip-hop choreography.
• Battling among hip-hop crews.
• Hip-hop scandals – sex and violence in hip-hop content.
• Theorizing hip-hop dance.
• Hip-Hop’s Response to Crime Analysis .
• Hip-hop dance consumption: who is the target audience?
• Globalization and hip-hop dancing.
• Principles of hip-hop dance codification.
• Hip-hop as a black social dance.
• Metaphors in hip-hop dance moves.
• Black feminism in hip-hop dance.
• Concepts of Elite Culture and Popular Culture .
• US Ebonics as the language of American hip-hop choreography.
• Extreme kinematics in hip-hop performances.
• What injuries are the most common among hip-hop dancers?
• Can hip-hop be a professional career?
• Basic rhythmic movements of hip-hop dance.
• Hip-hop practice’s impact on the dancer’s mood.
• Body poetics in hip-hop performances.
• Standards for judging hip-hop contests.
• Cultural Movement: Hip-Hop Related Films.
• Le hip hop – a French hip-hop subculture.
• The hip-hop culture in New York.
• Perceptions of race in the hip-hop community: white vs. black dancers.
• Hip-hop theater in London: a new level of dance style’s legitimization.

Do you want to learn more about dance? Then why not write a research paper on that? Below, you’ll discover a list of engaging dance topics to research.

• Novel approaches to dance: a blend with architecture at the Barnes Foundation’s exhibition.
• Dance from an anthropological perspective .
• Politics and poetics in dance.
• The biology of dance movements’ language.
• Teaching dance: should it be art or sport?
• Dance ethnology.
• Women in dance since antiquity : the images of sylphs and sirens.
• Philosophy of the dance: universal or nationally bound?
• What is a dance movement?
• Dancing and the brain.
• Psychology of dance.
• Dance as a mighty psychotherapeutic tool.
• Should national dance be included in the school curriculum?
• Living through psychological trauma in dance.
• The role of dance improvisations.
• Reform and revival of old dance styles.
• The role of space and subjectivity in dance.
• Shakespeare and the dance tradition of England.
• The social anthropology of dance performances.
• Theories and methodologies in dance research.
• A Eurocentric approach to the study of dance.
• Dance and the body.
• Dance as a method of self-study.
• Computer technology and dance.
• The evolution of Irish dance.
• The contribution of Merce Cunningham to modern dance.
• How does dance stimulate social fantasy?
• Partner dancing as a way to strengthen relationships in a couple.
• Verbal language of dancers and choreographers.
• The political side of national dancing.
• Dance and physics.
• The mind-body concept in dance.
• What can be regarded as contemporary dance?
• Dance imagery in various dance styles.
• What makes people dance? The philosophy of bodily movement.
• Dancing out one’s emotions: the dance of anger or happiness.
• The neural basis of human dance movements.
• Isadora Duncan’s revolutionary dance theory.
• The challenges of the interactive dance genre.
• Dance from the position of existential phenomenology.
• Dualism and body-soul separation: a dance perspective.
• Dance and embodiment.
• Dance and self: a philosophical perspective.
• Body as object vs. subject in dance.
• Freedom and intention in body movements during dance.
• Staged dance: the concept of created body.
• A tension between the personal and the universal in dance.
• Health benefits of recreational and professional dance.
• Japanese dance as an embodiment of culture.
• Turning body and identity into dance choreography.

The history of dance dates back millennia. So, there is so much to explore! Check out possible dance research project ideas for your history paper:

• Approaches to rethinking dance history.
• The elements of early European modern dance.
• Feminist perspectives on dance history.
• Dance at the dawn of history.
• History of somatic education and its relationship to dance.
• History of classic theatrical dancing.
• New media use in dance history reconstructions.
• The evolution of dance and sexuality relationship.
• Tools for capturing dance from the past.
• Dances in prehistory.
• Early records of dance performances in historical manuscripts.
• Ancient Greek dance traditions and forms.
• Dancing in Ancient Rome.
• Dance at court: the 16th-17th centuries in Europe.
• Evolution of dance from royal court to theater in the 18th century.
• The early dancing traditions in the 17th-century US.
• Dancing genres in Medieval Europe.
• The history of waltz: origin, evolution of dance elements, and traditions.
• How did the tango dance emerge?
• The emergence of belly dance.
• Flamenco dance history: a style born in Andalusia.
• Historical perspectives on dance research.
• The Ojibwa dance drum: history of the practice.
• Yoeme performs as a narrative of Yaqui history.
• The evolution of African American dance.
• The African roots of Latin American popular dance.
• Ethnographic elements of modern dance performances.
• The dance halls of Britain, 1918-1960.
• A historical overview of social dance.
• Global history of dance development.
• Dance in the French baroque opera.
• The history and meaning of tango dancing in Argentina.
• What materials to use when studying dance history?
• A cultural history of dance in the troubled areas: a case study of Palestine.
• The hidden history of capoeira: intersections of battle craft and dance.

Ballet is a highly formalized dance form with rigid rules and predefined positions. If you’re interested in this classical type of choreography, check out the dance research topics below:

• Is free dance a subtype of ballet?
• The evolution of ballet traditions by Isadora Duncan.
• Russo-American ballet at the start of the 20th century.
• Emerging American ballet: the 1930s onwards.
• Romantic and classical ballet traditions in the 19th century.
• Classical ballet in Russia.
• Classical ballet vs. modern dance: key similarities.
• Injuries in professional ballet.
• Static and functional balance in ballet dance.
• Ballet as a form of ethnic dance.
• The impact of ballet dance attire on female dancers’ self-perception.
• Endurance of pain among ballet dancers.
• The concept of the ideal ballet body.
• Methods of preventing hip and knee injuries in professional ballet.
• Physiological eligibility characteristics for classical ballet.
• Evolution of ballet dancer identity in the process of training.
• Incidence of sprained ankles in ballet dancers.
• Physiological responses to active ballet exercise among dancers of different ages.
• Importance of artistic performance ability in ballet dancers.
• Disordered eating patterns among ballet dancers.
• Management of stress fractures in ballet dancers.
• Ballet dancer career: an international perspective.
• Incidence of scoliosis in young ballet dancers.
• Travesty dancing in the 19th-century ballet tradition.
• Gender issues in ballet.
• The cultural power of ballet.
• Degenerative joint disease risks among female ballet trainees.
• Hip arthrosis as a long-term consequence of ballet training.
• History of the “Apollo’s Angels” ballet.
• Sleep quality in professional ballet dancers.
• Heteromasculinity images among male ballet dancers.
• Postural stability before and after a ballet injury.
• Dance classicism as an ideology.
• Royal Ballet’s dancers and body perception.
• How do professional ballet dancers perceive injury and aging?

Are you looking for research topics about dance in the form of questions? We’ve got you covered! Look through the list below to find good dance topics to research:

• How does dance education foster creativity in children?
• How do feminists view belly dance?
• What is the impact of technology on dance performances?
• How to preserve indigenous peoples’ traditional dance forms?
• How have traditional gender roles been challenged through dance?
• What creative strategies do choreographers employ?
• What is the impact of dance on community building?
• What factors contribute to the commercialization of dance?
• How does dance function as a means of storytelling?
• What is the link between dance and spirituality in different religions?
• What is the role of costumes and stage design in dance performances?
• What are the cognitive benefits of dance for older adults?
• How has ballet adapted to modern artistic movements?
• How has globalization affected the cross-cultural exchange of dance styles?
• What dance styles have been influenced by flamenco?

Do you need help writing an essay on dance? Below, we’ve prepared a short guide with examples. Read on to learn how to write each section of your dance essay.

Dance Essay Introduction

The introduction is the opening paragraph of an essay that should engage the readers. Use a hook to grab the readers’ interest and introduce your topic. It can be a catchy quote, interesting question, or controversial statement.

Hook example : Imagine a world where bodies move in perfect harmony, telling stories without words. That’s the magic of dance, an art form that transcends language and culture, captivating audiences for centuries.

After that, you can provide some background information about the subject. End your introduction with a thesis statement .

Thesis Statement about Dance

The thesis statement outlines the central argument or purpose of the essay. It is the last sentence of your introduction, summarizing the whole paper. Your thesis should include all the main points mentioned in your writing in the same sequence.

Dance thesis example : Dance is not only a form of artistic expression but also a means of communication, a tool for personal growth, and a reflection of cultural identity.

Essay about Dance: Body Paragraphs

The essay’s body contains paragraphs that provide evidence and support for the thesis statement. Each section should begin with a topic sentence that presents a point related to your central argument.

Topic sentence example : One significant aspect of dance is its ability to convey emotions and stories through movement.

Evidence, such as examples, facts, or research, should support the topic sentence. The evidence should be analyzed and explained to show how it supports the thesis statement.

Evidence example : In classical ballet, dancers’ graceful movements and facial expressions can portray a wide range of emotions, from love and joy to sorrow and anger.

Dancing Essay: Conclusion

The conclusion is the final part that summarizes the main points made in the essay’s body. It should also restate the thesis statement in a paraphrased form without introducing new information. The conclusion should leave a lasting impression and a sense of closure.

Conclusion example : In conclusion, dance is a powerful form of expression beyond mere movement. It is a universal language conveying emotions, facilitating personal growth, and reflecting cultural identity.

How to Describe Dancing: Words & Tips

When describing dancing in an essay, use vivid and sensory language to convey the experience. Words such as “graceful,” “rhythmic,” “expressive,” and “dynamic” can capture the movement and style of dancing.

Emotive words like “joy,” “passion,” “energy,” and “freedom” can convey the emotional impact of dancing. Describing the physical sensations of dancing can make the description more immersive. You can write about the feeling of one’s body in motion, the sound of feet tapping, the swish of skirts, or the rush of adrenaline.

Metaphors or similes, such as “floating like a butterfly,” can add depth and creativity. Overall, using vivid language that engages the senses and emotions will benefit your paper.

We hope you found a perfect essay topic in this article. Use our free online title generator to get even more creative topics about dance and writing inspiration.

• Dance 260: Introduction to Dance: Dance Topics | BYU Library
• Dance: Topics in Dance and Dance History | Utah Tech University Library
• Research Areas | UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts
• Dance | PBS Learning Media
• Dancing Styles | Boston University
• Dance 260: Introduction to Dance: Research Help | BYU Library
• Writing a Dance Critique | Utah Tech University Library
• Glossary for Dance | Connecticut’s Official State Website
• Guidelines For Writing a Dance Review | Human Kinetics

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What is hip-hop and why does it matter?

Want to study hip-hop? Apply for our HND in Music or our free short course (for Scotland residents only).

Our brand new Hip Hop and Rap HND pathway will kick off next academic year and we want to provide some important context ahead of time. In light of recent #BlackLivesMatter protests bringing to light racial inequalities, it feels vital to highlight hip-hop’s Black American roots. White audiences and society uses and commodifies, co-opts and even steals a Black culture a lot – and it is important we check ourselves wherever we can.

Students on the HND will also get a Hip-Hop Reading List alongside their primary course material, which outlines some great readings on the significance of hip-hop as Black pop culture – how it has been represented, received, and produced.  The current Black Lives Matter protests evoke a familiar message that hip-hop has spoke since it began. For decades hip-hop has spoken truth to power and challenge the status-quo. Protest and resistance have been common elements of the music, evoking the fight for racial equality and communicating anger at socio-economic conditions that shaped the lives of many Black people. Today, not a lot has sadly changed and many of hip-hop’s messages are still incredibly relevant. 

Since it emerged in the Bronx in the 70s and 80s, Hip-hop has become hugely influential – mainstream music, a “cultural and artistic phenomenon” and a multibillion-dollar global industry. It’s important to understand how hip hop came about within the historical context of the African American experience but it is also important not to fall into common cultural misconceptions and associations of hip hop. It can be interesting to examine how representations of Blackness operate in American pop culture and vital when approaching the subject as an area of study.

We owe many popular music forms to the Black community. Rock and Roll, Techno, Jazz, Disco – you name it. Some of these genres have been subject to  ‘whitewashing’ throughout history, such as Elvis becoming known as the ‘King’ of Rock n’ Roll which was originally pioneered by African American musicians, or current fears that European electronic music is erasing its Black origins ( read about the campaign called ‘Make Techno Black Again’ ). 

Hip-hop is slightly different. For the most part it’s very much still read as ‘black culture’ – even synonymous with black culture (which can be problematically essentialist). Hip-hop culture is a global culture – we use, enjoy, implement, and borrow from the culture in music, fashion and elsewhere. Hip-Hop was born in New York of Black, Latino and marginalised communities, and hip-hop in the mainstream developed to largely to be seen as Black. Developing an awareness of ‘hip-hop history’ can be important to understanding how the contemporary west treats and represents Blackness and how Black popular culture works in the mainstream.

Born in the Bronx, New York in the 1970s in African American and Latino urban neighbourhoods, hip-hop was a fusion of various cultural forces and influences. It emerged in a period of “urban renewal” for American cities, with a new kind of resegregation happening and white-flight to the suburbs; terms like inner city and underclass were reinventing America’s racial vocabulary. In this midst of what Professor Trica Rose calls the “post-civil rights era ghetto segregation”, a flourishing new youth culture emerged. “Hip Hop is an oppositional cultural realm rooted in the socio-political and historical experiences and consciousness of economically disadvantaged urban black youth of the late 20th century,” as Layli Phillps says.

Hip-hop emerged in part, as a reaction to the socio-economic conditions in Black and Brown neighbourhoods. The culture was broad and not just about the music; beatboxing, DJing, street art, graffiti, dancing, braids, hairstyles all emerged as part of hip-hop culture . ‘Hip hop’ generally refers to the overall culture, while ‘rap’ (or MCing) referred to the rhyme creation and lyricism, originating in the battle raps that would take place on the streets. 

Kickstarted by the likes of Grandmaster Flash, DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa, music at first was largely party anthems, often played in block parties and in the underground scene ( see the 1982 film Wild Style ). “It was Herc who laid the groundwork for everything associated with Hip Hop today” says The Independent , “the Jamaican-born DJ would often speak over a rhythmic beat – known within the music genre as toasting, and at parties in his high-rise apartment, he would extend the beat of a record using two players, isolating the drum “breaks” by using a mixer to switch between the two – or as it’s more commonly know: scratching.”

The music was a product of its socio-economic conditions and it grew to actively express these too, giving it a political edge. Protest rap or conscious rap grew in the 80s and 90s with the likes of Public Enemy, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, NAS, Mos Def, and N.W.A. – and would often make reference to the Black Power movement of the 50s/60s. It was a reactionary response to mainstream culture – an oppositional force. In the 80s early gangsta rap also emerged, (N.W.A., Ice T, KRS One, Eazy E, Westside Connection) and often crossed over into the political or protest.

Rappers have been criticising the violence of the police and law enforcement on Black people, particularly Black men, since the emergence of political conscious rap in the 80s. Hip-hop reflected and responded to various racial inequalities such as the American Prison Industrial Complex, where Black men are disproportionately incarcerated ( what Michelle Alexander calls quite convincingly the ‘New Jim Crow ‘), white police brutality against Black bodies, and the socio-economic conditions of Black urban communities leading to factors like Black on Black crime. 

Once hip-hop entered the mainstream it became increasingly commoditised and increasingly consumed by white audiences. The ‘gangsta image’ was seized on in pop culture, and in this became a popular and essentialist way to view this generation of Black youth. 

Hip-hop has a lot of important things to say. But as the culture became commodified and popular to the masses, certain things – like references to violence, ‘Thug’ or ‘gangsta’ lifestyles, and even misogynistic lyrics – were heightened in order to sell more records. Problematically these were often taken as literal representations of Black life and Black people often too got seen as synonymous with hip-hop. Many have argued that there is a lot more to be taken from hip-hop than these base-level assumptions and stereotypes. 

“Many critics of hip hop tend to interpret lyrics literally as a direct reflection of the artist who performs them. They equate rappers with thugs, see rappers as a threat to the larger society, and then use this ‘causal analysis’ (that hip hop causes violence) to justify a variety of agendas: more police in black communities, more prisons to accommodate larger numbers of black and brown young people, and more censorship of expression. For these critics, hip hop is criminal propaganda. This literal approach, which extends beyond the individual to categorise an entire racial and class group, is rarely applied to violence-oriented mediums procured by whites,” says hip-hop scholar Tricia Rose.

Aspects of rap lyric and video content are continually criticised in the mainstream for its representation and treatment of women, although several critics (such as Tricia Rose and Imani Perry) have worked to reclaim black women’s positioning within the genre. There are many female participants in hip-hop culture – and have been since it first emerged. Studying the work of female artists can open up a space for more transgressive and nuanced interpretations of hip-hop culture, they say.

It is true that much of hip hop’s sexual politics (from male producers) involve demeaning representations of women, but the dialogue and interaction of the sexes in hip-hop is complex. Moreover, black female rappers have asserted a prominent space in hip hop and this deserves particular attention. From the start rappers like MC Lyte and Queen Latifah exploded onto the scene with empowering, assertive tracks like Ladies First and U.N.I.T.Y .

Conscious artists like Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu have been hugely acclaimed and work to celebrate Black womanhood, and even the ‘female Gangsta rappers’ like Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown arguably created some transgressive space for Black female performers in hip-hop. Overall several scholars have argued for a articulation fo women’s role in early hip-hop and for highlighting the oppositional and empowering stance many of them hold. 

In her book Black Noise , Tricia Rose explores rap’s sexual politics, looking at the ways black women rappers negotiate—either by resisting or unwittingly perpetuating—dominant sexual and racial narratives in American culture. She puts female rappers in dialogue with black male rappers, and argues that there is a conscious and race-specific negotiation of cultural terrain taking place. 

Literature by black female writers such as Hazel Carby , Angela Davis and bell hooks also speaks to the complexity of black female expression and specifically the black American female experience – Rose sees this complexity as operational in mainstream hip hop spheres, and argues black female rappers have a voice worth exploring critically.

Since hip-hop has become such a global entity, it’s produced some of the world’s biggest stars. Many prominent artists like Ice Cube, Queen Latifah, Jay Z, Kanye and Will Smith have become what we could call a ‘mogul’ often crossing over into other industries like fashion or Hollywood and creally creating a brand out of their star identity, becoming incredible successful business people . Other creators in hip-hop like Russell Simmons (Def Jam) have become known as hip-hop moguls – entrepreneurs who are understood as coming from the ‘hip hop generation’.

These producers emerged during the period in which hip-hop became mass commodified, which eventually coincided with a political context of Neoliberalism . America’s Neoliberalism also introduced the concept of a post-racial society (prominently in the US, but also mirrored in the UK ) – reinforced and/or determined in America by the election of President Obama , the first Black president. Illusions of a post-racial society worked alongside successful Black figures to creative an illusion that the US was rid of racial injustice – systemic or otherwise. In fact, long-standing racial inequalities still exist and many of hip-hop’s original arguments are still very much relevant.

“Many academics have argued that hip-hop was ‘complexly determined by some of the worst social trends associated with neoliberalism: soaring inequality, extreme marketisation, mass criminalisation, and chronic unemployment.’ While many political rappers adopted oppositional stances to these trends, mainstream hip-hop culture often celebrated materialism and enterprise with all the gusto of individuals who have ‘made it’ against terrible odds” says hip-hop scholar Eithne Quinn.

Today, hip-hop still has a political edge, arguably continues a return to the consciousness and resistance of some early protest hip-hop, and a step away from the hyper-commodified, hyper-sexualised versions of the music in the 90s/00s. Hip-hop is and was more than a music form, and has an enduring and particular significance. It became the voice of a generation – a generation who now lead the way with the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

“The hip-hop-savvy radicalism of #BlackLivesMatter has liberated commercial rap from its default modern setting — the one that birthed the breezy millennial perception that “hip-hop” was a synonym for a consumer market where rowdy, rhyming negro gentleman callers and ballers sold vernacular song and dance to an adoringly vicarious and increasingly whiter public – a fair portion of whom are undeniably apathetic to race politics and  the New Jim Crow, per Michelle Alexander’s groundbreaking study of present-day judicial abuses,” commented Rolling Stone in 2015.

There’s so much to unpack in hip-hop, it’s impossible to cover it all in a short article – be it whiteness in hip-hop, it’s sexual politics, prosecuting rap, a hip-hop education or hip-hop filmmaking, w e hope this has provided a small start to doing just that. While hip-hop must not been seen as the ‘blueprint’ for ‘describing’ the Black community or all African American people collectively, however it can be important to understand the impact and production of hip-hop in these specifically racial terms, and connect it to it’s history – and the arguments hip-hop has been making about the treatment of African Americans and Black people in the U.S (and UK) for decades. 

This article was written by Isobel Trott , our social media editor. Isobel has an MA Degree from the University of Manchester where she specialised in hip-hop culture, African American representation and film. 

“ From Black Power to Hip Hop: Racism, Nationalism, and Feminism “ – Patricia Hill Collins “ Yo’ Mama’s Disfunktional”: Fighting the Culture Wars in Urban America “ – Robin Kelley “ Prophets of the Hood: Politics and Poetics in Hip Hop “ – Imani Perry “ Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America “ – Tricia Rose “ The Hip-hop Wars: What We Talk About When We Talk About Hip-Hop and Why It Matters “ – Tricia Rose “ Hip Hop Matters: Politics, Pop Culture, and the Struggle for the Soul of a Movement ” – S. Craig Watkins “ That’s the Joint! The Hip-Hop Studies Reader “ – Murray Forman and Mark Anthony Neal, ed “Hip-Hop Revolution: The Culture and Politics of Rap” – Jeffrey Ogbar “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang: The Culture and Commerce of Gangsta Rap ” – Eithne Quinn “Occupy Wall Street, Racial Neoliberalism, and New York’s Hip-Hop Moguls” – Eithne Quinn “ A Furious Kinship: Critical Race Theory and the Hip Hop Nation “ – Andre Douglas Pond Cummings “Oppositional Consciousness within an Oppositional Realm: The Case of Feminism and Womanism in Rap and Hip Hop” – Layli Phillips, Kerri Reddick-Morgan, Dionne Patricia Stephens Representing: Hip-Hop Culture and the Production of Black Cinema – S. Craig Watkins, The Spike Lee Reader – Paula Massood, ed. Black Talent and Conglomerate Hollywood: Will Smith, Tyler Perry and the Continuing Significance of Race – Eithne Quinn (2013) “ What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture ” – Stuart Hall Reel to Real – bell hooks Wild Style (1982 film, Dir Charlie Ahearn)

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Understanding Hip Hop Dance: 5 Types of Hip Hop Dance

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Dec 7, 2021 • 3 min read

Hip hop is a popular style of dance that is performed at dance competitions and in music videos all over the world. It began on the streets of New York City, and has shifted over the last few decades to include new kinds of moves and styles.

What Is Hip Hop Dance? Learn the History & Moves at Home

The moves, the style, the music…

From where it all started until now, Hip Hop dance & culture has made, and is still making, a huge impact on our world.

And if you’re a dancer, studying Hip Hop’s undeniably raw and fascinating background should be considered a core part of your education!

To get you started, we’ve put together a Hip Hop dance crash course for you below. 

In this article we’ll cover:

• The definition of Hip Hop dance
• The 5 elements of Hip Hop
• The history of Hip Hop Culture
• Types of Hip Hop dance
• Mainstream media’s effect on Hip Hop
• Everything you need to know about Hip Hop dance classes

But first… if you’re looking to do more than read about Hip Hop dance, here’s a shortcut to our online Beginner Hip Hop dance program !

There, your instructor Buddha Stretch will teach you about Hip Hop history in real time, while also showing you the basic moves and foundations of the style, step-by-step.

All right, let’s dive into all things Hip Hop.

What Is Hip Hop Dance?

Hip Hop Dance is a style of movement characterized by bounces and rocks, executed to Hip Hop music. It has deep historical and social roots in African American culture, having emerged in Black communities living in 1970s New York. While frequently referred to as a singular dance style, Hip Hop dance is part of a whole culture of Hip Hop, that includes Deejaying, Graffiti, Emceeing, and Breaking.

The 5 Elements of Hip Hop

Also known as turntabling, this is an art form in which music is made in real time using record players and DJ mixers. DJs in the Hip Hop community are responsible for creating/curating the music that gets people on the dance floor at parties.

MC stands for “Master of Ceremonies” and they’re basically the hype-man of the DJ! The MC gets the crowd going and will sometimes freestyle rap over the music.

This is the art of expressing oneself about everyday life using spray paint on walls/outdoor spaces.

Breaking (often called breakdancing by popular media) is the original dance style that came out of the Hip Hop community. It started out with these 5 core movements: Top Rocks, Fast Footwork, Back Rocks, Freezes, and Power Moves. 

This element is the thread that weaves all the other elements together. “Knowledge of self” refers to the Afro-diasporic mix of spiritual and political consciousness designed to empower members of oppressed groups by portraying social change and giving back to the minority communities.

While some OG members of the Hip Hop community consider other elements to be part of Hip Hop’s core (such as Beatboxing) all agree – you must participate in the 5 elements above to be considered a member of authentic Hip Hop culture.

The History of Hip Hop Culture

The Bronx in the 70's was a rough, dangerous place to grow up. The youth were surrounded by drugs, crime, poverty, gang violence, and overall struggle.

Yet they, particularly the African American and Latino youth (minority groups), were neglected by mainstream institutions.

Desperate for a way to escape their everyday struggles, they invented their own art forms.

These art forms, which the youth embodied in the way they dressed, talked, moved, and expressed themselves, soon became a lifestyle. A way to live.

This lifestyle and culture became known as Hip Hop.

KRS-One defines the etymology of "Hip Hop" in this lecture below.

"Hip" = present, "Hop"= action.

So, Hip Hop is a movement that represents the freedom to learn, grow, and evolve.

Despite the negativity and tumult in the South Bronx, Hip Hop heads were able to rise above their environment and create a positive form of release.

Instead of substances and violence, their energy was redirected to values like originality, creativity, identity, respect, and community.

The same way that our religious, ethnic, and familial backgrounds inform our way of being in the world, Hip Hop was the way that people could be in a way that felt right to them.

Deejaying, Emceeing, Breaking and Dancing, and Graffiti weren't just hobbies – they were sanctuaries.

Photo by The Guardian

DJ Kool Herc (AKA the “Father of Hip Hop”) used to start block parties in the West Bronx (AKA the “birthplace of Hip Hop").

He played music on his turntables and the community would come out to mingle and dance.

If you've ever heard of "1520 Sedgwick Avenue" that's the address of the iconic building where many of these first parties took place.

As Kool Herc watched the people party, he noticed that they got the most hype during the breakbeat of a song.

(The breakbeat is the instrumental, percussive section in funk and R&B records.)

And since his job as a DJ was to keep the energy of the party up, he found a way to extend the breakbeat by isolating it, then using two turntables to play it back to back on a loop.

Grandmaster Flash further innovated the art of DJing by using his headphones to pinpoint exactly where the beats started and ended.

This allowed him to “precue” the beats and make seamless transitions between the breaks. (Price 156)

As this happened, the Master of Ceremonies, or MC, or Emcee, would hype up the DJ and the crowd, keeping the energy going.

By the late 1970s, DJs and Emcees were getting together regularly to spin, scratch, cut, and mix for the community.

Photo by Voices of East Anglia

As much as the art forms within Hip Hop have evolved over the decades, the core tenants of the culture remain.

Now that we’re familiar with the history of Hip Hop culture, let’s take a closer look at the two major Hip Hop dance styles – Breaking and Party Dances.

Types of Hip Hop dances

Breaking (often referred to by mainstream media as "breakdancing”)" is a style of dance that was born through Hip Hop block parties. It’s an athletic dance style that allows skilled dancers to engage in good-natured battles and displays of one-upmanship.

DJ Kool Herc originally called these dancers break boys (b-boys) and break girls (b-girls) – because they danced to his break beats that he looped.

“Standard” techniques include fast footwork, freezes, powermoves, downrocks and toprocks.

Footwork and toprock both require being able to think in three dimensions, the ability to create your own moves, and the originality to imbue every individual movement with style, flavor, and originality. (Rajakumar 19)

The early b-boys and b-girls came from all kinds of backgrounds of movement.

They brought salsa, Cuban mambo and rumba, Brazilian samba, Jazz dance , as well as martial arts like Kung-Fu and Capoeira to influence Breaking.

Breaking battles became tests of athleticism, attitude, originality, and dominance.

Through these battles, dancers earned pride, respect, and a sense of identity and purpose.  And instead of asserting themselves with weapons or violence, they did so through dance.

Hip Hop Party Dances

But not everybody could do the athletically demanding moves of Breaking, nor were they interested in competition.

And different types of Hip Hop music prompted people to move a different way – a way that is social, light-hearted, and fun.

With the advent of dancers like Buddha Stretch, Hip Hop party dances were born!

Some examples of these social or party dance moves include the Snake, Chicken-head, Cabbage Patch, Harlem Shake, and Running Man.

As the dance scene expanded, multiple Hip Hop clubs sprang up all over New York. Two popular ones were Latin Quarters and Union Square.

The dances that emerged during this era are usually what people think of when you say “old school Hip Hop” dances.

Then, as we entered the late 90s and early 2000s, Hip Hop music evolved to include different instruments and rap flows, which led to new dances.

The Whip, Nae Nae, Dougie, Cat Daddy are examples of new school party dances that came from recent songs. ( Brandon Allen Juezan )

P.S. You can learn all these Hip Hop party dance moves on STEEZY Studio too! Learning single moves can be a great way to delve into Hip Hop in a short amount of time. Click here to take the classes for free.

Other “Hip Hop” styles?

Styles like Popping/Boogaloo, House, Locking, and Whacking are often incorrectly grouped under the Hip Hop “umbrella.”

However, these are not Hip Hop styles, but their own individual styles of dance with their own techniques, vocabulary, and origin.

The social dances that developed in the 1980's like Locking and Popping are more accurately described as "West Coast Funk" styles.

Hip Hop dance in the media

Hip Hop started being noticed by the media in the early 1980's.

Films like Wild Style, Style Wars, Beat Street, and Breakin’ were significant in introducing Breaking and street dance culture to a wider audience.

In 1981, a battle between Rock Steady Crew and the Dynamic Rockers at the Lincoln Center gained national exposure.

It was covered by several New York Publications, and even National Geographic.

In 1983, the movie Flashdance featured dancers from Rock Steady Crew (Crazy Legs, Ken Swift, Frosty Freeze, and Mr. Freeze) in a cameo performance.

Graffiti Rock, though short-lived, was a show that bridged all the foundational elements of Hip Hop together.

"[Graffiti Rock] is still “remembered as one of the pioneers of hip hop culture.” (Rajakumar, 35)

Soul Train, created in the 70s by Don Cornelius, also popularized Hip Hop social dancing along with Popping, Locking, and other styles .

Breakers went on to be featured in commercials for major brands such as Burger King, Pepsi, Coke, and Panasonic, as well as talk shows, news shows, and even the 1984 summer Olympics.

‍ Charles “Cholly” Atkins and James Brown popularized several dance moves that would later influence the future Hip Hop generation (Durden).

Elite Force , a dance crew from the 90s, was made of Hip Hop heads that also worked as professional dancers.

All of these Hip Hop dancers were getting more exposure and opportunities, but the style and culture were depicted in a watered-down and commercialized manner when it was performed for the masses.

“Critics now find flaws in the films as examples of the early commercialization of breakdancing diluting the intensity of the socioeconomic roots of the origins of breakdancing and hip hop culture – part athletic creativity and part struggle for meaning in the midst of poverty and social alienation.” (Rajakumar, 38)

After all, it’s difficult to make anything appeal to a mass market while fully preserving its authenticity.

Many dance and fitness studios use the term “Hip Hop” to describe their classes, despite the fact that the movements are not based on Hip Hop’s foundational grooves or culture.

And all of these misuses of the term “Hip Hop” have led people to believe that any choreography danced to Hip Hop, Rap, and R&B music is considered Hip Hop dance, which 

Modern shows like America’s Best Dance Crew, Dancing With The Stars, So You Think You Can Dance , and movies like Save The Last Dance, You Got Served, and the Step Up series further popularized street style movement to younger dancers, but depicted underground Hip Hop culture in a way that was packaged to be palatable for the screen.

Today, dance organizations and community groups around the world are working to reverse this appropriation by practicing, teaching, and living all things Hip Hop as authentically and preserving the culture in its purest form.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Versa-Style Dance Company (@versastylela)

Hip Hop Dance Classes

As we previously mentioned, coming across an authentically taught Hip Hop dance class can be tough – especially if you live in smaller cities where that culture never had the chance to take root.

However, while you search for a class, you can always start your training by building your knowledge – it’s one of the 5 elements of Hip Hop after all!

We recommend that you train all of the background dance skills that’ll aid you in an in-person Hip Hop class by reading this article: How To Dance Hip Hop For Beginners

And for a deeper dive on all the things you might wanna know before taking any street style class, our post How To Start Dancing will give you info on everything from freestyling to getting involved in your local dance community.

Now, let’s talk about how to actually find a good Hip Hop class in your area.

• Start simple by Googling. Look up “Hip Hop dance classes near me” and check out dance studios or events that have great reviews.
• Once you find a few solid-looking studios, check out their social media (Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook tend to be best) to get a sense of what the classes actually look like.
• Check out the studio websites.

As you’re doing all of this digging, you should be looking for a couple of things!

First, you should be making sure that the classes are truly Hip Hop, not a mix of styles that has been artificially labeled. 

To do this, look for classic moves listed in their website descriptions/executed in their videos. Also look for language about “bounces and rocks,” “old school,” or “new school” dance moves.

Lastly, research the instructor! Does it seem like they’re a member of the wider Hip Hop community? Do they talk about the culture and history like we’ve done in this article? Or do they talk mostly about superficial, commercialized things?

Use your best judgement!

And if you can't find Hip Hop dance classes near you, or you just wanna learn in the comfort of home,  we have plenty of authentically taught classes and programs for you on STEEZY Studio .

Our Beginner Hip Hop program is taught by OG Hip Hop dancer Buddha Stretch . Step-by-step, he’ll guide you through the basics of rhythm, technique, performance skills, and more.

Click here to start the Beginner Hip Hop Program on STEEZY.

If you’re looking for something a little more bite-sized, check out our FREE classes with Brandon Beastboi Juezan! Each class covers a classic Hip Hop move or one of the more recent viral moves of the 2000s. 

Lastly, if you’re an intermediate/advanced dancer, you might be ready to explore Hip Hop in a more personal way. 

Check out these 5 tips on how to find your own flavor in Hip Hop dance.  

And as for choreography?  

Though Open Style Choreography (once referred to as Urban Dance ) is not Hip Hop dance, we can trace some of its movements and techniques to Hip Hop and street styles.

If choreography is what you’re actually looking for, STEEZY made it a priority to give that style of movement its own category! 

You can check out our Open Style Choreography classes here , and you can find out more about the differences between "Urban Dance" and Hip Hop here.

What Hip Hop dance means to us

‍ As a part of our jobs as dance educators and because of our personal understanding of how deep dance cultures root back, STEEZY does everything we can to preserve and share the right information – especially with the younger generation of dancers.

In all of our styles programs on STEEZY Studio, whether it's:

Slim Boogie’s Beginner  Popping Program

‍Jojo Diggs' Beginner House Program 

‍Lorena Valenzuela's Beginner Whacking Program

‍Tango Leadaz' Beginner Dancehall Program

Mr. YouTube’s Beginner Lite Feet Program 

Bboy Machine’s Beginner Breaking Program 

we make sure to

• Work with dope dancers/teachers who are also respected ambassadors of each dance culture
• Include History as a part of teaching the dance moves (because the moves came from the history)

‍Head over to STEEZY now to try our Hip Hop classes from home , and learn about the style from authentic educators in the Hip Hop community.

This article about Hip Hop Dance is far from perfect, and I fantasize of one day writing one all-inclusive piece that accurately, thoroughly covers every little thing about Hip Hop.

But Hip Hop's story contains so many moving parts (some of which conflict), stories of several people's personal lives, and so many details that are still being uncovered to this day...

It's nearly impossible to capture all of that in one package...

Unless it's a package of Encyclopedias?

Alas, I accepted that I can't write the perfect story, and instead embraced the opportunity to simply create dialogue.

If you disagree with something, then write to me ([email protected]) and let me know.

Or if you have something to add, can connect me with people to interview, have any questions to ask, please don't hesitate to reach out.

We're all learning together. That's what this is really about.

‍Hip Hop, by Christopher A. Miller and Rebecca A Ferrell  

Hip Hop Culture, Emmett G. Price III, Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO 2006

Hip Hop Dance, Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar

Underground Dance Masters: Final History Of A Forgotten Era, Thomas Guzman-Sanchez

Hip-Hop Dance in Context Jazz Dance: A History of the Roots and Branches E. Moncell Durden

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Hip-Hop 101: Exploring the Origins and Language of this Dynamic Dance Style

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.

- 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.

- 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.

- 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.

Thank you for our community for contributing. If you have more to add. email [email protected] or comment on this post.

Julien Marion

How professional dance can make you a better athlete, tips for coming back after a dance injury, tips for relieving muscle tension in your body, join our newsletter and get the latest posts to your inbox, what you need to have for a safe dance recital, dance and early childhood development- how they are interlinked, 3 tips for building a successful dance career roadmap.

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Hip-Hop Digital Essay: The Evolution of Hip-Hop into the Modern Era- By Matt Scott

Trinity College

Digital Essay: The Evolution of Hip-Hop into the Modern Era (Essay #2)

Matt Scott FYSM 212: Introduction to Hip-Hop Professor Markle Due: 12/15/19

Looking back at the history of hip-hop, and the rich culture surrounding the art form, it’s clear that the roots of the genre have been stripped down to almost nothing over the years. I believe hip-hop is an art form, a mix of breaking, DJing, and MCing all coming together under one roof with emphasis on the sound and rhythm of the music, created in black communities as an outlet. In its early days, hip-hop lyrics weren’t preaching any particular message, but the movement and its impact on communities sent a powerful message. The movement was about bringing together communities, stopping violence, and inspiring a generation of youth – and its impact on black culture was positive and powerful. Today we see the art form being used to promote violence, the disrespect of women, drug abuse, and other negative messages that are at odds with hip-hop’s origins. It is now about making money, selling records, and gaining popularity at all costs. The popularity of hip-hop opened the door for many talented black artists and created new opportunities for a community of people who have been mistreated at every turn throughout history. I think the new era of hip-hop has had a negative impact on the art form itself, and it puts a bad label on the community. Without its core principles, hip-hop loses what made it special. When all the lyrics are just hollow and meaningless words, it leaves you with something that’s not hip-hop at all, but just a way to make money. In this essay I’m going to be looking at five hit songs from top artists from each decade, starting with Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rappers Delight” and ending with Migos’s “Bad and Boujee”. The purpose of this essay is to show the evolution of hip-hop from its roots in the Bronx through the present day by exploring the lyrics and message behind each song.

Hip-hop without the other forms of creative expression tied to it is a way of mixing lyrics and beats to convey a meaningful message about the culture and community from which it emerged. If you take away the powerful message of justice and equality that many true hip-hop songs convey, you’re left with a money hungry industry doing whatever it takes to sell records. When hip-hop is being fueled by money, and not by meaning, we see the most damage being done to the community of people the art form represents. This era of hip-hop is hurting the image and meaning that hip-hop once stood for, but there’s still hope for hip-hop moving forward. If we can go back its roots, to some of those early songs from the 80s, 90s and into the early 2000s that represent the true ideals behind hip-hop, there is a chance for the industry and genre to regrow with its strong roots back in place.

Work Cited “Song Lyrics & Knowledge.” Genius, https://genius.com/. Chang, Jeff, and DJ Kool Herc. Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: a History of the Hip-Hop Generation. St.Martins Press, 2008.

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10 Benefits of Hip Hop Dance

Learning hip-hop dance can be one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences in your life! The deceptively casual and stylish aesthetics of the genre has more to it than meets the eye. 

Hip-hop is a highly stylized and developed discipline that can require a rigorous work ethic and years of physical training to achieve the smooth end result. 

Hip-hop dance, like hip-hop music, exists as a developing art form. It’s in a uniquely pioneering position in culture, relying on certain bedrock traditions as well as dizzying innovations. Hip-hop can push the envelope while at the same time paying homage and respect to its rich traditions. And with that comes the secret to its near-universal appeal: It’s always expanding artistically while maintaining its core history. 

No wonder hip-hop dance is such a popular genre for students of all ages. Whether you are interested in learning hip-hop online or with in-person instruction , here are a few of the many benefits it offers.

The Cool Factor

Hip-hop dancing is cool, has always been cool, and will always be cool. Why? First off, it’s not just a dance form. Hip-hop is a music genre with just as much, if not more culture and history than rock n’ roll. Both styles of music embody the rebellious spirit of counterculture. But, hip-hop culture exploded into a dance form and swagger that is well known today for looking smooth and exciting.

Hip-hop dance moves often accentuate the beats and lyrics in songs. When a hip-hop dancer has that cool and smooth almost arrogant-like quality that the style is known for, it’s called being “in the pocket.” Dancers that can dance in the pocket look cool. Every. Single. Time. Achieving this cool quality is a factor of the types of beats hip-hop songs typically have, the influences that have made hip-hop dance classes what they are today, and the number of hip-hop dancers that teach this style today!

And on the other end of the spectrum: imagine krumping, breaking, popping, locking , and any hip-hop choreography that puts the human body to the ultimate test. Some hip-hop dance is meant to be in your face and physically powerful, and it can be really fun to exert yourself this way, especially if it’s a side of you that you don’t often access!

From the quick muscle engagement involved in popping and locking, to the full-body strength needed to hit the stronger moves, and the cardio needed for house dancing— hip-hop can be one of the more physically demanding dance styles! 

Hip-hop is historically influenced by African dancing, too. This is where some of the repeated grooves, low to the ground movement, and cardiovascular components of the dance style come from. Whether you’re looking for strength training, a cardio workout, or simply to make your brain and muscles work together in new ways, hip-hop has something for you!

Learn to Groove

At its core, hip-hop has always been a social dance. Not even counting the recent rise in hip-hop dance videos on TikTok, it has always celebrated the sharing and proliferation of specific grooves. Many of them have names, so you can learn them piece by piece! 

There’s the Cabbage Patch, the Running Man, the Butterfly, the Shamrock, the Dougie, the Reebok…. Notice any familiar names? If you know them, then you’re already a hip-hop dancer yourself! If you don’t, try them out by taking a CLI Grooves Series with tWitch!

Need we say more about just how versatile this style of dance is? If you’re taking a general hip-hop dance class , you’ll get to work specifically on the dynamics of your movement. Since hip-hop inhabits the music it is choreographed to, you’ll often have moments of quiet cool where you get to choose your own pose, and then moments of full-out make-it-your-own dancing for a whole eight count. This can be a great way to work on your range of movement, and how to make choreography pop with your personal energy.

More so than other dance styles, hip-hop encourages individual expression. Some styles are more specific like tutting and locking, but overall, the genre thrives on individual energy and expression. As long as you’re sticking to the rhythm of the song, you can play around with energy, expressions, and even the placement of your body. Especially when the move is a lower-body step (which a lot of hip-hop is!), you might have the freedom to play in the upper body. You might notice that this is a similar idea to tap dancing: tap dancing is a major influence of hip-hop dance too!

Confidence can arrive in the nonchalant, casual, and crisp aesthetic of being in the pocket like we discussed earlier, or it can arrive in the shameless execution of your favorite move on the hardest-hitting lyric of the song. Hip-hop does not shy away from individual freedom and expression! Taking hip-hop classes is a great way to naturally improve your personal confidence.

Show it Off

With high confidence comes new social opportunities. One thing that separates hip-hop dance from other styles is its relationship with current culture. Ballet is a truly wonderful artform and worth the time of every student who chooses to reach for its dizzying heights of achievement, but let’s face it: They aren’t playing Prokofiev at the club or on the wedding reception dance floor. The DJ will, however, be playing hip-hop. Lots and lots of hip-hop. And as you develop as a student you will also be developing as a casual hip-hop dancer. After all the hard work you put in learning new skills, why not have fun letting it out on the dance floor?! 

Learn Anywhere

While it is traced back to New York in the ’60s and ’70s, nowadays, hip-hop is worldwide, and hip-hop dance is right there next to it, spanning the globe. Nowadays you can learn hip-hop dance anywhere , and the exciting and cutting edge world of virtual online instruction is more accessible and interactive than ever before. Take advantage of the new world of technology to get the most out of your experience as a student of hip-hop dance.

Live and Learn

One aspect of hip-hop dance that we mentioned before is its dual relationship to its own history as well as an obsession with innovation. This duality allows students of all ages to occupy an exciting place between timelessness and the “right here, right now,” which is an appealing place to be as an artist. As you learn from the greats, you’ll learn about the history of different techniques and you’ll start noticing it in the choreography you see and learn today. 

Innate Style

Hip-hop has slowly worked its way from the streets into the top fashion houses of the world, while still maintaining and actively cultivating a cool, outsider status. This area that’s been staked out is an excellent breeding ground for style, both old and new, and the hip-hop dancer is therefore a natural candidate to be the avatar of those styles!

Hip-hop culture is sometimes said to be composed of six different parts: DJing, MCing, beatboxing, B-boys and B-girls, graffiti artwork, and fashion. If you’re listening to the music, dancing hip-hop choreography, and wearing hip-hop-inspired fashion, you’re already engaging with half of the creative outlets of hip-hop culture! 

Strangely enough, this makes hip-hop dance similar to the opera! In previous eras, operas were an exciting event because every aspect of the production was tied to music and design. Hip-hop is similar in that way, and both are true art forms that have earned their place in pop culture history. 

Want to start your hip-hop journey today? Become a member with CLI Studios and take class with the industry’s top Hip-Hop dance Choreographers! All levels welcome.

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Hip Hop Dance Essay

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Works Cited

• Craig Watkins, S. Hip Hop Matters: Politics, Pop Culture, and the Struggle for the Soul of a Movement. Boston: Beacon P, 2005.
• Forman, Murray, Hazzard-Donald and Mark Anthony Neal. That's the Joint: The Hip-Hop Studies Reader. New York City: Routledge, 2004:13-20; 505-515.
• Hanna, Judith L. To Dance is Human: a Theory of Nonverbal Communication. Chicago: The University of Chicago P, 1987.

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Similarities between Ballet and Hip Hop

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Introduction

Similarities, differences.

Dance is and always shall be a form of expression where the movements performed speak volumes of the emotions and feelings that the dancer is trying to impart to the audience. The unique aspect of dance is that it is not limited to an assigned constraint or form but rather adapts to the type of music that is being played which as a result has created a myriad of different dance forms reflecting the plethora of available music in the world today.

What must be understood though is that just as different versions music must convey different messages so to do different forms of dance portray different feelings and emotions. In order to better understand this concept an examination of contrasts is needed to clarify just how different yet similar certain styles of dancing are to each other. To this end Hip hop and ballet have been chosen due to the obvious differences in their manner of conveying emotion and eliciting reactions from various audiences.

It is actually a rare sight for audiences of either form of expression to interact and even rarer still to see them within the same area however this is precisely why both styles of dance were chosen, for it is in their contrasts that make them dissimilar that the obviousness of their similarity comes to light.

It is based on this that this paper assumes that despite their inherent differences in style both hip hop and ballet contain similar attributes when it comes to precision movements and their ability to tell the story of a song through movement and body rhythm.

What must first be understood is that despite the assumptions of this paper, hip hop and ballet are still inherently different styles of dance. When a person performs ballet their body follows a certain flow, moves delicately in precise accordance with the music with strict adherence to form and style. Hip hop on the other hand has no particularly distinct style, in fact the basis of this particular form of dance is in improvisation where dancers develop dance moves and patterns as they see fit.

If ballet is a soft form of dancing involving delicateness, hip hop is a hard form of expression employing explosive movements. It is on this basis that this paper will elaborate on the basis of the forms and styles utilized in both types of dance and will break down just how similar and different both particular methods of dance are to each other.

Emotion, pure unadulterated emotion and expression, this is basis of the style of ballet, every bodily movement, every graceful step, leap and raised limb, all of this is done to convey some form of message to the audience. While many may assume that the ballerina merely dances along with a song it must be understood that the song itself is merely complimentary, what must be observed is how the movements flow, if they are meant to portray lust, sadness or demurity.

It must be noted that the human body is in fact capable of multiple types of bodily expression all of which can be interpreted in any manner ways. Ballet takes advantage of this by utilizing body language as a means of telling a story without words. The songs, backgrounds and costumes all contribute to building up the story however it is the ballet dancer that is the true story teller.

On the other hand ballet is also done to impress, precise movements, breathtaking rhythm and timing as well as slight acrobatics are all done in order to entertain the audience. In reality ballet is not only a form of expression but also a form of entertainment that is meant to draw in crowds for a profit. Comparatively Hip hop is also based on sheer raw emotion; its movements though convey the baser aspects of emotion such as anger, the need for freedom and recklessness however they convey emotions none the less.

Just as ballet is precise in its movements and rhythm so too is Hip hop, one present day example of this can be seen in the Step Up movie series where Hip hop dancers move together under the same rhythm, express themselves through their dancing and let the music compliment what they do instead of their dancing complimenting the music. Similar to ballet Hip hop performances are also meant to impress and entertain audiences during various events to also make a profit.

The inherent difference between the two styles lies solely with the fact that one advocates absolute conformity while the other encourages improvisation and redefinition, this of course refers to ballet and Hip hop respectively. What must first be understood is that the each form of dance developed under a different type of culture. In the culture of Hip hop redefinition, recreation, and improvisation are at the heart of this dance style due to fact that that imitation is highly frowned upon in Hip hop culture.

For them, originality and uniqueness defined the utilization of styles with each performance actually being slightly or even divergently different than what came before. This is done in the name of ensuring that particular dance numbers are done in way where they always seem original, that they are not reliant on imitation and that they are the sole creation of those who dance them.

Ballet on the other hand is all about conformity, performances done on one night must be the same as the next night and the night after that. For classical ballet dancing it is not all about improvisation and creativity rather it is the development of talent to its zenith through sheer repetitive action. The development of perfect form, perfect grace and perfect steps, to give the perfect performance over and over again is what ballet strives to do.

While there are certain improvisations done, these are relatively minor when compared to manner in which the style seems to keep repeating itself. In this repetition a ballet dancer can develop himself/herself into a figure of absolute grace and beauty. While Hip hop can be considered constant surprise and innovation ballet is considered the achievement of the absolute zenith in grace and fluidity.

Based on the findings of this paper it can be seen that while Hip hop and ballet may have inherent differences in the intent and focus of their various dance movements the fact remains that they are still inherently similar in their desire to express and entertain.

While it is still not quite clearly understood, precision and coordinated movements that can be seen in both ballet and Hip hop apparently have a similar appeal to the human senses. Perhaps it is in the body language, movement styles or sheer rhythm, regardless both styles of dance are the same in their ability to entertain and impart a message through their movements.

This ability is distinctly different as compared to ballroom dancing since there does not seem to be any message that ballroom dancing is trying to impart to an audience and in fact rather than the song complimenting the dancer, in this case it is the dancer that is complimenting the song.

This is why ballet and Hip hop are so similar, they are able to convey messages other forms of dance cannot; they alone can use their bodies to weave stories, elicit strong responses, cause excitement and tension and most important of all entertain audiences beyond mere body movements and knee jerking.

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IvyPanda. (2018, August 21). Similarities between Ballet and Hip Hop. https://ivypanda.com/essays/comparison-of-hip-hop-dancing-and-ballet/

"Similarities between Ballet and Hip Hop." IvyPanda , 21 Aug. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/comparison-of-hip-hop-dancing-and-ballet/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Similarities between Ballet and Hip Hop'. 21 August.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Similarities between Ballet and Hip Hop." August 21, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/comparison-of-hip-hop-dancing-and-ballet/.

1. IvyPanda . "Similarities between Ballet and Hip Hop." August 21, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/comparison-of-hip-hop-dancing-and-ballet/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Similarities between Ballet and Hip Hop." August 21, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/comparison-of-hip-hop-dancing-and-ballet/.

Why hip hop should be used to teach

Lecturer in Education Studies, University of East London

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Silhouette Bushay is affliated #HipHopEd community and is taking part in The Power of Hip Hop, a conference organised by In Place of War.

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What comes to mind when you hear the term hip hop education? I’d imagine that the vast majority of people would picture young people learning how to write rhymes, break dance, graffiti or DJ. Sounds like fun, right? And certainly, many people do join these traditional “hip hop classes” for various reasons including self-expression, increased fitness, a better social life, and professional development in the performing arts.

But hip hop is starting to be used in schools and in the community in much more creative and diverse ways than this. In the US there is a growing movement of hip hop education in both formal and informal education settings. For example, Minnesota’s High School for Recording Arts , established in 1998, has been dubbed “Hip Hop High”.

Hip hop informs more than what is actually taught at this particular school. Emery Petchauer, associate professor of urban education at Oakland University in the US, explains that its principles are embedded in all facets of the school, including its management. Like hip hop music – which samples other songs to create new, almost patchwork tracks – such a style of management emphasises the benefits of picking and choosing ideas from other educational systems, rather than sticking to a rigid formula. The school calls its advisers “adult allies”, for example, an idea that originated elsewhere.

This philosophy is also seen in the work of Christopher Emdin, founder of the global movement #HipHopEd , a forum in which hip hop educators communicate, share ideas and resources, as well as challenge and support each other. Emdin’s partnership with Wu Tang Clan’s GZA offers children from urban communities a more accessible way into science education via his Science Genius programme, in which students prepare for and engage in Science Genius Battles to showcase both their knowledge of science and their rhyming skills.

So hip hop education can take shape in different ways. I, for example, have used hip hop in a very different way in London workshops I run. These aim to build attendees’ confidence in articulating matters of importance.

One particular workshop, for example, facilitates learning and development through critically engaging with sociological concepts primarily via rap music, rap videos, artefacts and dialogue which will later inspire their own contribution to performing a rap or spoken word. Participants for these particular events include girls and young women aged 11-21 from South Asian communities affected by female genital mutilation (FGM), honour killings and forced marriage. The workshop is part of a wider programme to prepare the participants to meet with their local council as advocates.

Wider issues

Hip hop education also provides a brilliant way into political and cultural discussions. Consider how often hip hop has been in the international news of late. Beyoncé , for example, is regularly praised for demonstrating how such issues can be taught along with hip hop.

Her activism really got going with the release of “Formation”, a song that narrates some of the struggles and politics of southern African-Americans, and which resonated with the African diaspora at large. It begins with the question: “What happened to New Orleans?” supported by images of flooding, moving onto critiques of the US treatment of their African-American citizens and black women’s role in taking action for social change.

Here Beyoncé, as hip hop has always done, gives voice to the marginalised – this time, in the mainstream. Her performance at the Super Bowl , with backing dancers dressed in Black Panther styled clothing, made a bold statement of unapologetic blackness that resulted in much debate.

The subsequent release of the album Lemonade prompted some educators and academics to create a syllabus that draws from a variety of sources to look at the various tensions, politics, experiences that apply to women of the said community. The music section and film section the syllabus has some representation of hip hop, such as Queen Latifah’s Unity and the film Set It Off .

Given all this, I would say hip hop and education work together beautifully. The debates that hip hop taps into are perfectly placed in order to provide relevant content and methods in contemporary urban education. They touch on many issues concerning matters of importance to marginalised communities. These issues are far ranging, from police brutality to discourse around representation and misrepresentation.

So don’t be alarmed if your children come home with homework set to learn the lyrics of a hip hop song in preparation for their next class – it will be about much more than entertainment.

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• American hip-hop in the 21st century
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• Table Of Contents

While there is some debate over the number of elements of hip-hop, there are four elements that are considered to be its pillars: deejaying, or “turntabling”; rapping, also known as “MCing” (emceeing) or “rhyming”; graffiti painting, also known as “graf” or “writing”; and break dancing, or “B-boying,” which encompasses hip-hop dance, style, and attitude, along with the sort of virile body language that philosopher Cornel West described as “postural semantics.” Many also cite a fifth essential component: “knowledge of self/consciousness.” Other suggested elements include street fashion and language.

There are various explanations for the source of the term hip-hop . However, the most popular one involves Keith (”Keef Cowboy”) Wiggins, a member of the rap group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five . The rapper used the words hip/hop/hip/hop , imitating the sound of soldiers marching, in reference to a friend who had joined the army. According to some accounts, Kevin (”Lovebug Starski”) Smith was with Wiggins and helped create the phrase. Hip-hop was subsequently popularized in songs, notably the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight.”

While a number of people were influential in the creation of hip-hop, much credit is given to Kool Herc (Clive Campbell), a Jamaican immigrant who was the first major hip-hop disc jockey. At a Bronx party on August 11, 1973, he introduced the technique of playing the same album on two turntables and extending the drum section (which became known as the breakbeat). Many recognize this night as the birth of hip-hop. Other pioneering hip-hop deejays include Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash . The three men are often called the “holy trinity” of early hip-hop.

Although not the first hip-hop song, the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” (1979) was considered the first significant single of the genre. Within weeks of its release, it became a chart-topping phenomenon and gave its name to a new genre of pop music. Part of its crossover appeal was attributed to its lighthearted lyrics, which were atypical of most rap songs at the time.

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hip-hop , cultural movement that attained widespread popularity in the 1980s and ’90s and also the backing music for rap , the musical style incorporating rhythmic and/or rhyming speech that became the movement’s most lasting and influential art form.

Although widely considered a synonym for rap music, the term hip-hop refers to a complex culture comprising four elements: deejaying , or “turntabling”; rapping, also known as “MCing” or “rhyming”; graffiti painting, also known as “graf” or “writing”; and “B-boying,” which encompasses hip-hop dance, style, and attitude, along with the sort of virile body language that philosopher Cornel West described as “postural semantics.” (A fifth element, “knowledge of self/consciousness,” is sometimes added to the list of hip-hop elements, particularly by socially conscious hip-hop artists and scholars.) Hip-hop originated in the predominantly African American economically depressed South Bronx section of New York City in the late 1970s. As the hip-hop movement began at society’s margins, its origins are shrouded in myth , enigma , and obfuscation.

Graffiti and break dancing , the aspects of the culture that first caught public attention, had the least lasting effect. Reputedly, the graffiti movement was started about 1972 by a Greek American teenager who signed, or “tagged,” Taki 183 (his name and street, 183rd Street) on walls throughout the New York City subway system. By 1975 youths in the Bronx , Queens, and Brooklyn were stealing into train yards under cover of darkness to spray-paint colorful mural-size renderings of their names, imagery from underground comics and television, and even Andy Warhol -like Campbell’s soup cans onto the sides of subway cars. Soon, influential art dealers in the United States , Europe, and Japan were displaying graffiti in major galleries. New York City’s Metropolitan Transit Authority responded with dogs, barbed-wire fences, paint-removing acid baths, and undercover police squads.

The beginnings of the dancing, rapping, and deejaying components of hip-hop were bound together by the shared environment in which these art forms evolved. The first major hip-hop deejay was DJ Kool Herc (Clive Campbell), an 18-year-old immigrant who introduced the huge sound systems of his native Jamaica to inner-city parties. Using two turntables, he melded percussive fragments from older records with popular dance songs to create a continuous flow of music. Kool Herc and other pioneering hip-hop deejays such as Grand Wizard Theodore, Afrika Bambaataa , and Grandmaster Flash isolated and extended the break beat (the part of a dance record where all sounds but the drums drop out), stimulating improvisational dancing. Contests developed in which the best dancers created break dancing, a style with a repertoire of acrobatic and occasionally airborne moves, including gravity-defying headspins and backspins.

In the meantime, deejays developed new techniques for turntable manipulation. Needle dropping, created by Grandmaster Flash, prolonged short drum breaks by playing two copies of a record simultaneously and moving the needle on one turntable back to the start of the break while the other played. Sliding the record back and forth underneath the needle created the rhythmic effect called “scratching.”

Kool Herc was widely credited as the father of modern rapping for his spoken interjections over records, but among the wide variety of oratorical precedents cited for MCing are the epic histories of West African griots , talking blues songs, jailhouse toasts (long rhyming poems recounting outlandish deeds and misdeeds), and the dozens (the ritualized word game based on exchanging insults, usually about members of the opponent’s family). Other influences cited include the hipster-jive announcing styles of 1950s rhythm-and-blues deejays such as Jocko Henderson ; the Black power poetry of Amiri Baraka , Gil Scott-Heron, and the Last Poets ; rapping sections in recordings by Isaac Hayes and George Clinton; and the Jamaican style of rhythmized speech known as toasting.

Rap first came to national prominence in the United States with the release of the Sugarhill Gang ’s song “ Rapper’s Delight ” (1979) on the independent African American-owned label Sugar Hill . Within weeks of its release, it had become a chart-topping phenomenon and given its name to a new genre of pop music . The major pioneers of rapping were Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five , Kurtis Blow, and the Cold Crush Brothers, whose Grandmaster Caz is controversially considered by some to be the true author of some of the strongest lyrics in “Rapper’s Delight.” These early MCs and deejays constituted rap’s old school.

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Music Preferences and Your Personality

What your musical tastes might reveal about your personality traits

BONNINSTUDIO / Stocksy

• Personality and Music

Big Five Personality Traits and Musical Preferences

Age also plays a role, cognitive styles and musical taste.

• Music's Psychological Functions

Tastes in music vary, and many people believe that the type of music that you love to listen to might actually reveal a lot about your personality. Not only can your musical tastes say something about your personality characteristics, but your traits may play a part in the type of music you are drawn to.

While it isn't uncommon for people to make a connection between a person's listening habits and their personal characteristics, the links between personality traits and musical taste have not been the subject of much empirical research.

However, some studies confirm that there may be some sort of connection—at least, to some degree. Others say not so much. Keep reading to learn more about what research says about the relationship between who you are and what you listen to.

Personality Traits and Musical Tastes

Do your preferences for certain genres of music indicate something about your personality? In one older study, researchers asked more than 36,000 participants worldwide to rate more than 104 different musical styles. They also filled out Big 5 personality inventories and provided information about their favorite music.

The results indicated that personality and musical taste are indeed linked, but other individual differences factor in, too. Here are some of the personality traits  the study linked to certain musical styles.

• Pop . Extroverted, honest, and conventional. Although pop music lovers were hardworking and had high self-esteem, researchers suggest that they are less creative and more uneasy than those enamored by other musical styles.
• Rap/hip hop . Despite the stereotype that rap lovers are aggressive or violent, the researchers found no such link. However, the rap fans tended to have high self-esteem and were generally more outgoing than fans of other styles.
• Country . These fans typically identified as hardworking, conventional, outgoing, and conservative. Although country music frequently centers on heartbreak, people who prefer it tended to be emotionally stable. They also ranked lower than others in openness to experience.
• Rock/heavy metal . Rock and heavy metal often project images of anger, bravado, and aggression. However, this study found such fans to be gentle, creative, and introverted . They also tended to have low self-esteem.
• Indie . Fans of the indie genre registered as introverted, intellectual, and creative, but less hardworking and gentle than fans of other styles. Passivity, anxiousness, and low self-esteem were other notable personality characteristics.
• Dance . Those who preferred dance music were typically outgoing, assertive, and open to experience but ranked lower than others in gentleness.
• Classical . The study's classical music lovers were generally somewhat introverted but at ease with themselves. Creativity and healthy self-esteem were common among them.
• Jazz, blues, and soul . Extroverted with high self-esteem. They also tend to be very creative, intelligent, and at ease.

The study further suggests that people define themselves through music and use it as a means to relate to other people. This explains why people sometimes feel defensive about their taste in music: A criticism about their music feels like a criticism of them .

People can make accurate judgments about an individual's levels of extraversion, creativity, and open-mindedness after listening to 10 of their favorite songs.

A 2018 study found that looking at people's Facebook likes related to music could accurately predict some personality traits. The study found that:

• People high in openness had more Facebook likes related to classical, jazz, and opera music
• Those high in extraversion were more likely to enjoy genres like country and folk music
• Those high in agreeableness were more likely to enjoy music in general without being drawn to any specific style

A 2022 study found similar results in countries worldwide, suggesting that these connections between musical preferences and personality tend to be universal.

Researchers also suggest that rather than considering just a general musical style or genre, it's more helpful to think about musical preferences in terms of three key elements: arousal, valence, and depth. Arousal refers to the intensity and energy levels of the music, valence refers to the type of emotional response the music evokes, and depth refers to intellectual and emotional complexity.  

Punk, hard rock, and metal are high in arousal. Upbeat pop songs are high on valence. Classical and jazz music, for example, are considered high in depth. 

According to this approach, people with Big Five traits tend to have the following preferences:

• Neuroticism : Prefer music that is high in arousal and low in valence
• Extraversion : Prefer music that is lower in arousal
• Openness : Prefer music high in valence and depth
• Agreeableness : Prefer music lower in arousal and valence but higher in depth
• Conscientiousness : Prefer music lower in arousal and high in depth

The research also found that, in general, people who like a wide variety of music tend to be more extraverted, agreeable, and conscientious. People who are higher in neuroticism tend to have less diverse musical tastes.

Interestingly, researchers have found that people tend to prefer music created by people with personalities similar to their own. For example, people drawn to David Bowie's music often share his open and neurotic traits, the researchers suggest.

Evidence indicates that it isn't just personality that plays a big role in shaping musical preferences—age also has an important effect. Musical tastes typically start to form right around adolescence, which is a time when people are also exploring and forming other important aspects of their social identity.

Researchers have found that people tend to prefer music that they loved during their teen years. It's why those hits you used to love in high school tend to hit so hard, even decades later. Evidence has also found that people tend to recall the music they listened to during their teens and early adult years (from about age 10 to age 30) most easily.

Another study found that the music you enjoy might be connected to how your brain processes information. The researchers suggest that people have two ways of responding to the world: based on social cues (empathizing), and based on preset conceptions of how people think they should respond (systemizing).

Empathizers enjoy mellow but emotionally rich contemporary music ranging from indie rock to country to folk. Many have careers in the arts or helping professions and prefer soft music that evokes strong emotional responses.

In contrast, systemizers gravitated toward math and science. They were drawn to structural complexity, often liking classical, jazz, and world music and complex, intense, energetic, upbeat music. 

Not all research supports the idea that personality traits play a role in determining musical preferences, however. One 2017 meta-analysis found that personality traits played very little of a role in accounting for these individual differences.

Music's Psychological Functions

Music serves a range of psychological functions. In addition to its links to personality, research has found that music is also associated with:

• Health behaviors
• Social connection
• Physical activity
• Cognitive functions

People also engage in a range of musically related activities. These include listening to music, sharing music, playing instruments, singing in groups, writing lyrics, rapping, dancing, songwriting, and composing.

Different activities are associated with different benefits and effects. Listening to music, for example, can help reduce pain. Sharing music with others is a way to enhance social connection. Playing an instrument is connected to positive effects on mental well-being and cognitive function.

What Are Your Dominant Traits? Try Our Quiz

Our fast and free personality test can help give you an idea of your dominant personality traits and how they may influence your behaviors.

Researchers are still figuring out just how personality and musical tastes are connected, but the available evidence suggests that there is a universal connection between the music people enjoy and their personality traits. So, the next time you're putting together a playlist for your commute or workout, consider how your personality might be reflected in your song choices. Try listening to styles of music that you don't normally prefer; research suggests that this can have a lasting positive impact on the brain.

North AC. Individual differences in musical taste .  The American Journal of Psychology . 2010;123(2):199-208. doi:10.5406/amerjpsyc.123.2.0199

Nave G, Minxha J, Greenberg DM, Kosinski M, Stillwell D, Rentfrow J. Musical preferences predict personality: Evidence from active listening and Facebook likes .  Psychol Sci . 2018;29(7):1145-1158. doi:10.1177/0956797618761659

Greenberg DM, Wride SJ, Snowden DA, Spathis D, Potter J, Rentfrow PJ. Universals and variations in musical preferences: A study of preferential reactions to Western music in 53 countries . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology . 2022;122(2):286-309. doi:10.1037/pspp0000397

Greenberg DM, Kosinski M, Stillwell DJ, Monteiro BL, Levitin DJ, Rentfrow PJ. The song is you: preferences for musical attribute dimensions reflect personality . Social Psychological and Personality Science . 2016;7(6):597-605. doi:10.1177/1948550616641473

Greenberg DM, Matz SC, Schwartz HA, Fricke KR. The self-congruity effect of music .  J Pers Soc Psychol . 2021;121(1):137-150. doi:10.1037/pspp0000293

Way SF, Gil S, Anderson I, Clauset A. Environmental changes and the dynamics of musical identity . Proceedings of the International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media . 2019;13:527-536.

Jakubowski K, Eerola T, Tillmann B, Perrin F, Heine L. A cross-sectional study of reminiscence bumps for music-related memories in adulthood . Music & Science . 2020;3:205920432096505. doi:10.1177/2059204320965058

Greenberg DM, Baron-Cohen S, Stillwell DJ, Kosinski M, Rentfrow PJ. Musical preferences are linked to cognitive styles . Nusbaum H, ed. PLoS ONE . 2015;10(7):e0131151. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0131151

Schäfer T, Mehlhorn C. Can personality traits predict musical style preferences? A meta-analysis .  Personality and Individual Differences . 2017;116:265-273. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2017.04.061

Dingle GA, Sharman LS, Bauer Z, et al. How do music activities affect health and well-being? A scoping review of studies examining psychosocial mechanisms .  Front Psychol . 2021;12:713818. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.713818

Wong PCM, Chan AHD, Roy A, Margulis EH. The bimusical brain is not two monomusical brains in one: Evidence from musical affective processing.   Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience . 2011;23(12):4082-4093.

Greenbert, DM. Baron-Cohen, S, Stillwell, DJ, Kosinski, M, and Rentfrow. PJ. Musical preferences are linked to cognitive styles . PlosONE. 2015. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131151.

North, AC. Individual differences in musical taste. The American Journal of Psychology . 2010; 123(2): 199-208. doi: 10.5406/amerjpsyc.123.2.0199.

Schafer, T & Mehlhorn, C. Can personality traits predict musical style preferences? A meta-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences. 2017 116: 265-273. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.04.061.

Wong, PC, Chan, AH, Roy, A, and Margulis, EH. The bimusical brain is not two monomusical brains in one: Evidence from musical affective processing . J Cogn Neurosci. 2011; 23(12): 4082-4093. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_00105.

• Rentfrow PJ, Goldberg LR, Stillwell DJ, Kosinski M, Gosling SD, Levitin DJ. The Song Remains the Same: A Replication and Extension of the MUSIC Model . Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal . 2012;30(2):161-185. doi:10.1525/mp.2012.30.2.161.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Dance — The Art and Expression of Dance

The Art and Expression of Dance

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Published: Aug 1, 2024

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The beauty and significance of dance, the physical and emotional benefits of dance, the implications of dance: personal growth, cultural preservation, and social change.

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