BREAKing

Introduction


Breaking is a street dance that evoled as a part of the Hip-Hop movements among African American and Puerto Rican youths in Manhattan and the South Bronx of ew York City during the early 1970s. It is normally danced to Electro and Hip-Hop musics. Breaking involves the elements of toprock, downrock, freezes and powermoves.

A Break-dance, Breaker, B-Boy or B-Girl refers to a person who practices Breaking.

Today, B-Boying culture is a discipline somewhere between those of dancers and athletes. Since acceptance and involvement centers on dance ability, Breaking is often free of the common race and gender boundaries of a subculture and has been accepted worldwide.



Techniques

There are four basic elements of Breaking, i.e Toprock, Downrock (also known as Footwork), Power Moves and Freezes.

Toprock refers to any string of steps performed from a standing position, relying upon a mixture of coordination, flexibility, style, and rhythm.It is usually first and foremost opening display of style, and it serves as a warm-up for transitions into more acrobatic maneuvers. Perhaps the most toprock is the Indian Step, but toprock is very eclectic and can draw upon many other dance styles.

Downrock includes all footwork performed on the floor as in the 6-steps. Downrock is normally performed with the hands and feet on the floor. In downrock, the Breakdancer displays his or her proficiency with foot speed and control by performing footwork combinations. These combinations usually transition into more athletic moves known as power moves.

Power Moves are actions that require momentum and physical power to execute. In Power Moves, the breakerdancer relies more on upper body strength to dance, and is usually on his or her hands during moves. Power Moves include the the windmill, swipe and flare. Power Moves are very physically demanding and a great display of upper body strength and stamina. Several moves are borrowed from gymnastics, such as the flare, and martial arts, with impressive acrobatics such as the butterfly kick.

Breaking sets usually end with Freezes that halt all motions in a stylish pose. The more difficult freezes require breakdancer to suspend himself or herself off the ground using upper body strength, in poses such as the handstand or pike. Alternatively, Suicides can also signal the end to a routine. Breakers will make it appears that they have lost control and fall onto their backs, stomach, etc.



Here is a video which shown some highlights in the finals of RedBull BC One 2007:

POPping

Introdution

Popping is a funk dance and street dance style based on the technique of quickly contracting and relaxing muscles to cause a jerk in the dancer's body, referred to as a pop or a hit. This is done continuously to the rhythm of a song in combination with various movements and poses.

It is genereally believed that the dance evolved in Fresno, California in the 1970s, partly inspired by Locking.

Today, Popping has been incorporated into both the Hip-Hop and electronica dance scenes to some extent.

History

In the late 1970s, a Popping group called Electric Boogaloos (earlier known as the Electronic Boogaloo Lockers) from California greatly contributed to the spread of Popping, partly because of their appearance on the television programme.

The Electric Boogaloos themselves state that around the years 1975-1976 their founder Sam Solomon (Boogaloo Sam) created a set of movemnts that evolved into the styles known today as Popping and Boogaloo after being inspired by one of the pioneer Locking groups known as The Lockers as well as a fad dance popular in the 1960s known as the Jerk.

While dancing, Sam would say the word "POP" everytime he flexed his muscles, eventually leading to the dance being called Popping.

Other closely related styles, such as the Robot, are known to have existed prior to Popping. Michael Jackson also helped popularize Popping and related styles such as the Robot and moves such as the Moonwalk, but introduced a new naming confusion as the Moonwalk was already known by a different name in Popping contexts (called Floating or Gliding) before Jackson made the move famous.

Terminology

Popping is the name given to a specific style of street dance . The name was introduced by Boogaloo Sam, the founder of the pioneer Popping group, the Electric Boogaloo, when he used the word "POP" everytime he flexed his muscles to perform the characteristic Popping technique.

Another term, Pop-Locking , gained popularity in the late 1970s and early 1980s in some circles aroud Los Angeles as a general slang term for Popping and its integrated styles. The term is controversial because some believe it generates connotative confusion by incorporating the word "Locking", which also is the name of another distinct style of street dance that is generally kept separate from Popping compared to its more integrated styles.

Characteristics

Popping is centered around the technique of popping (or hitting), which means to quickly contract and relax muscles to create a jerking effect (a pop or hit) in the popper's body. Popping can be concentrated to specific body parts, creating variants such as arm pops, leg pops, chest pops and neck pops, and can varied in explosiveness. Stronger pops normaly involve Popping both the lower and upper body simultaneously.

Normally, pops are performed at regular intervals of time to the beat of the music, causing the dance to appear very rhythmic in nature, and are often combined with stopping and holding a pose right before the pop. A common technique of transitioning between poses is the so called dime pose, heavily utilized in robot dancing as well, which basically means to end a movement with an abrupt halt after which a pop normally occurs.

Poses in Popping make heavy use of angles, mime style movements and facial expressions, and the lower body has many ways to move around, from basic walking and stepping to the more complex and gravity defying styles of Floating and Electric Boogaloo. Movements and techniques used in Popping are generally focused on sharp contrast., being ether robotic and rigid or very loose and flowing.

Here is a video of the most PROFESSIONAL AND FAMOUS Popping dance -- Salah from France

LOCKing

Introduction

Locking (originally Campbellocking) is a style of funk dance and street dance, which is today also associated with Hip-Hop. It relies on fast and distinct arm and hand movements combined with more relaxed hips and legs. The movements are generally large and exaggerated, and often very rhythmic and tightly synced with the music.

The name is based on the concept of Locking movements, which basically means freezing from a fast movement and "locking" in a certain position, holding that position for a short while and then continuing in the same speed as before.These movements create a strong contrast towards the many fast moves that are otherwise performed quite continuously, combine with mime style performance and acting towards the audience and other dancers.

History

The beginning of Locking can be traced to one man, Don Campbell. He put together several fad dances adding moves on his own (notably the "Lock") when performing.

The original lock was created by accident: Don Campbell couldn't do a move called the "Robot Shuffle" and stopped at a particular point. He wasn't able to perform it fluently because he couldn't remember which step to take next. These halts soon became popular as Don added them into his performances.

The resulting dance was called Campbellocking, which was later shortened to Locking.

Moves

Locking maybe done in solo or in unison with two or more dancers doing steps or handshakes together. A Locking dancer may smile while performing to emphasize the comical nature of the dance.

Some important stylistic features are waving of arms, pointing, walking stationary and grabbing and rotating the cap or hat. Don Campbell created the original freezes, incorporating his unique rhythm and adding gestures such as points and handclaps.

Other dancers also adapted this style while adding some of the steps and moves, such as The Skeeter Rabbit, Stop and Go, Scooby Doo, Whichaway etc.

Some main basic motions: Twisting, The Uncle Sam's Point, Scooby Doo, Cross hand, Scoobot and Scuba.

Clothes

Consist of loud striped socks, pegged pants that stopped at the knees, bright colourful satin shirts with big collars, big colorful bow ties, gigantic Apple Boy hats and white gloves.

The most famous Locking dancers: Hilty & Bosch (Japan)

The History of Hip-Hop Dance

What's Hip-Hop Dance

Hip-Hop dance refers to dance styles, mainly street dance styles, primarily danced to Hip-Hop musics or that have evolved as a part of the Hip-Hop culture. Hip-Hop dance can be seen as part of the Hip-Hop culture in the US. By its widest definition, it can include a wide range of styles such as popping, breaking, locking, house dance and even electro dance. It can can be simply labelled as New School Hip-Hop, Old School Hip-Hop (or hype), Hip-Hop New Style and Freestyle.

Origins of Hip-Hop

The first Hip-Hop music hits were born in the African Americans New Yorkers Block parties in the Bronx during the 1970s. In the first Hip-Hop hits performers began speaking while the music (especially funk and soul music) was played. These were originally called MCs.

In 1960~1970s

The dance style primarily associated with Hip-Hop is Breaking, which appeared in New York City during the early 1970s and came to be popularly classified as one of the four primary "elements" of Hip-Hop (along with rapping, DJing and graffiti). Funk styles, such as Popping and Locking, evolved separately in California in the 1960-70s, but they were also integrated into Hip-Hop when the culture reached the West Coast of the United States.

Though breaking and the original funk style looks quite different stylistically, they share many surrounding elements, such as their improvisational nature, the music they are danced to and the way they originated from the streets, mainly within African American and Hispanic communities. These similarities helped bring them, and other street dance styles, together under the same sub-culture and help to keep them alive and evolving today.

In 1980s

Hip-Hop musics took whole new forms and the Hip-Hop subculture established further, new dance styles began appearing. Most of them were danced in an upright manner in contrast to breaking with its many ground moves, and were in the beginning light-footed with lots of jumping. Some moves hit the mainstream and became fad dances, but overall they contributed a lot to later Hip-Hop styles, and heavily influenced the development of House Dancing.

During the 1990s and 2000s

Parallel with the evolution of Hip-Hop music, Hip-Hop dance evolved into heavier and more aggressive forms. While Breaking continued to be popular on its own, these newer styles were danced upright, and draw much inspiration form earlier upright styles. Classifying these newer Hip-Hop styles as a unique dance style of its own has grown common with larger street dance competitions. Today, we see many specific styles that first appeared on their own, such as Krumping and Clown Walking, now being danced and accepted within Hip-Hop new styles contexts.

Nowaydays

All Hip-Hop styles from the 1980s and beyond are sometimes collectively called New School whilethe distinct styles from the 1960-70s, such as Breaking, Locking and Popping, are considered Old School. However, this classification is controversial, and often Old School Hip-Hop is used solely for the late 1980s upright and jumpy Hip-Hop styles, excluding Breaking, Popping and Locking, and new style Hip-Hop for the heavier Hip-Hop styles of today.

My SMART Goal: Getting to know more about Hip-Hop Dance

Specific
I’ve been interested in Hip-Hop dance for a long time, since I was in primary school, but I never tried it before even didn’t know what it is exactly. But now, I get a chance for getting to know more about it since an assignment was required to do in Personal Development module, i.e. set a personal SMART goal and achieve it within week 13th. I believe that the goal will motivate me to put effort on it. I plan to achieve the goal because it sure is good for me to start learning Hip-Hop dance. On the other hand, I can explain it to my friends to let them get interested in it too so that both of us can enjoy in Hip-Hop dancing together.

Measurable
First of all, I will find out some information about Hip-Hop dance such as the history, types and skills by surfing internet. To let it more realistic, I should better learn some of the skills myself by watching some tutorial videos and learning from friends, so it is the next step I will do. I will do my best to catch them well. I decided to divide Hip-Hop dance into 3 main parts in my presentation as well as in my blog according to their characteristics of motions in dances, i.e. Locking, Popping and Breaking. I will set a time limit of about two weeks getting to know more each of them.

Achievable
I believe that I will know more about Hip-Hop dance by the set deadline, the week 13th. For the presentation, it will need much effort for information research and collecting to let the presentation is substantial in content and my friends are easier getting to know about it. I also need to know how to perform a good presentation as well so that I can get greater positive feedback from my friends after the presentation. My goal is achieved when a presentation with good feedback of audience is done.Relevant: The goal is relevant to me because by getting to know more Hip-Hop dance, I’m able to choose one type of Hip-Hop dance which is the most I’m interested in and start to learn it in a dance studio. I have a great passion in it and it can enrich my life as well. I think my life will be enjoyable with it. I could make friends easily with others through dancing. I wouldn’t spend too much time playing computer games again due to enjoying another hobby.

Relevant
The goal is relevant to me because by getting to know more Hip-Hop dance, I’m able to choose one type of Hip-Hop dance which is the most I’m interested in and start to learn it in a dance studio. I have a great passion in it and it can enrich my life as well. I think my life will be enjoyable with it. I could make friends easily with others through dancing. I wouldn’t spend too much time playing computer games again due to enjoying another hobby.

Time Reference