HIP HOP DANCE: PERFORMANCE, STYLE, AND COMPETITION
by
CHRISTOPHER COLE GORNEY
A THESIS
Presented to the Department of Dance
and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
Master of Fine Arts
June 2009
-------------_._.._--------_ ...._-
11
"Hip Hop Dance: Performance, Style, and Competition," a thesis prepared by Christopher
Cole Gorney in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Fine Arts degree
in the Department of Dance. This thesis has been approved and accepted by:
Jenife
Date
Committee in Charge:
Accepted by:
.ning Committee
Jenifer Craig Ph.D., Chair
Steven Chatfield Ph.D.
Christian Cherry MM
Dean of the Graduate School
111
An Abstract of the Thesis of
Christopher Cole Gorney for the degree of Master ofFine Arts
in the Department of Dance to be taken June 2009
Title: HIP HOP DANCE: PERFORMANCE, STYLE, AND COMPETITION
Approved: ----- r_----
The purpose of this study was to identify and define the essential
characteristics ofhip hop dance. Hip hop dance has taken many forms throughout
its four decades ofexistence. This research shows that regardless of the form there
are three prominent characteristics: performance, personal style, and competition.
Although it is possible to isolate the study of each of these characteristics, they
are inseparable when defining hip hop dance. There are several genre-specific
performance formats in which hip hop dance is experienced. Personal style
includes the individuality and creativity that is celebrated in the hip hop dancer.
Competition is the inherent driving force that pushes hip hop dancers to extend
the form's physical limitations. Defining these vital characteristics in the
vernacular context should help dancers, scholars, and educators to develop a
better understanding ofhip hop dance.
IV
CURRICULUM VITAE
NAME OF AUTHOR: Christopher Cole Gorney
PLACE OF BIRTH: Tulsa, Oklahoma
DATE OF BIRTH: December 31,1977
GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED:
University of Oregon
University ofMontana
DEGREES AWARDED:
Master of Fine Arts in Dance, 2009, University of Oregon
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, 2002, University of Montana
AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST:
Hip Hop Dance, Breakdance
Performance, Choreography
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Graduate Teaching Fellow, Department ofDance, University of Oregon, Eugene,
2006-2009
Guest Lecturer, Department ofMusic, Dance, and Theater Arts, Lane
Community College, Eugene, Oregon, 2007, 2008
Director/Choreographer, Rhythm Army Worldwide Krew, Hip Hop Dance
Performing Company, Eugene, Oregon, 2007-Present
GRANTS, AWARDS AND HONORS:
Department of Dance Faculty Discretionary Award for Graduate Student
Research, Summer Hip Hop Research Intensive, University of Oregon, 2007
Outstanding Senior Award, Department of Dance, University of Montana, 2002
Award of Excellence, Department of Dance, University ofMontana, 2001
v
VI
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank Dr. Jenifer Craig, my committee chair and academic advisor,
for her diligence and patience with me through this process. I am ever grateful for her
open-mindedness and willingness to let me pursue research in hip hop dance in the
academy. In addition I would like to thank Steven Chatfield and Christian Cherry, my
committee members and mentors, for their guidance, encouragement, and endless support
during my studies at the University of Oregon. I would like to thank Marian Moser and the
entire Department of Dance for everything they have done for me. A special thanks goes
out to my family for their unconditiomV love and support throughout the last three years, I
couldn't have done it without you. Sincere gratitude goes to Valerie Ifill for her brilliance,
grace, and thoughtfulness as we progressed through this program together. Finally, I would
like to thank the entire RAWK Family, Raw Action, Rhythm Army Worldwide Krew,
DV8, and all those who have shared their talents with me.
Vll
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRCIDUCTION 1
Statement of Purpose.................................................................................... 3
Definition of Hip Hop Dance 3
Significance of Study.... 6
Definition of Terms............................................................................................... 7
II. REVIEW OF RELATED WORKS........................................................................ 13
Published Literature.............................................................................................. 13
Video Documentaries...... 18
Personal Experience.............................................................................................. 21
III. DON'T STOP THE BODY ROCK: THE POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES OF HIP
HOP CULTURE THROUGH THE ELEMENT OF DANCE 25
Performance in the Hip Hop Context........................... 31
Personal Style in the Hip Hop Context................................................................. 32
Competition in the Hip Hop Context.................................................................... 33
IV. CONCLUSIONS 37
REFERENCES............................................................................................................ 40
1CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
"Hip Hop Culture is most commonly defined as the combination of four
foundational elements: DJing, graffiti, b-boying/b-girling, and MCing. Each element
serves as a method of self-expression relying on individual creativity and highly
personalized modes of performance." (Price 2006) B-boying/b-girling, which is also
casually referred to as breaking and/or breakdancing, is the dance element of hip hop
culture. In the founding years, 1973-1979, "Dancing was the essence of early Hip
Hop Culture." (Price 2006) Hip hop was " ...entirely dependant on face-to-face social
contact and interaction." (Dimitriadis 1996) This form of expression involved
rhythmic steps and gestures that had a strong affinity for the floor. Breaking is hip
hop, straight up.
Over the next few years, 1979-1984, the musical element of hip hop, which
became a combination of the DJ and MC elements mixed with record industry
production, began to grow as rap music was pressed on wax. Although hip hop dance
was featured in a few movies like Wild Style, Beat Street, and even Flashdance, the
rap music industry took the front seat in the visible commercial scene as the
popularity of hip hop grew. There was a move toward materialism in hip hop culture
2and the commoditization of the music overshadowed some of the cultural elements
that were once central to its existence. Interest in the dancing came and went.
Breakdancing became a cultural fad, and just as quickly as it had become popular it
was pushed aside for the take home product of hip hop, which was the record, or
tape, and eventually the CD.
In recent years there has been a huge resurgence of the dance form associated
with hip hop that has taken many forms. Hip hop dance is not just b-boying
anymore; it has developed and grown in a number ofways, some more conducive to
it as an art form than others. Today there are movies and TV shows that feature hip
hop dance exclusively, and it is offered at almost every dance studio in the nation. In
many instances the dancing has become watered down, and unfortunately, " ...the
history written by the texts of hip hop dance is on the way to being lost in the
commercialization, globalization, codification, and commoditization process."
(Huntington 2007)
On the other side of the coin, through all the attention that hip hop dance has
gained on the global scale, many ofthe pioneers are stepping forward and bringing
an awareness to the history and roots of traditional hip hop dance styles. There is a
movement to keep hip hop dance potent in its original forms, rich with culture and
meaning. It is also beginning to be studied in the academy. There are classes offered
on college campuses across the nation that focus on hip hop culture, some even
specifically on hip hop dance. I currently teach an advanced level hip hop dance
class, a beginning breakdance class, and I just began teaching an intermediate level
breakdance class at the University of Oregon. Students are earning college credit for
studying breakdancing. Breakdancing, and hip hop dance in general, is becoming
widely accepted as a legitimate dance form, gaining much more academic esteem
than it was once given as a street dance fad. With this recent flood of interest,
popularity, and artistic respect, we are seeing a new breed of scholars who are
interested in this dance form.
Statement ofPurpose
As a hip hop dancer, educator, and scholar, I am interested in contributing to
this new field of scholarly research by defining what I have found to be the three
most essential characteristics of hip hop dance: performance, style, and competition.
It is the purpose of this thesis, which includes an article that will be submitted for
publication upon approval from my committee, to explain the importance of these
characteristics in the context ofhip hop dance and to define their roles in the
development of this spectacular vernacular dance form.
Definition of Hip Hop Dance
In order to discuss the essential characteristics of this dance form, it is
necessary to try to define it first as a distinct genre. What is hip hop dance? This
question poses a challenge because by definition hip hop dance is hip, which the
3
4Merriam Webster Dictionary defines as "keenly aware of or interested in the newest
developments or styles." (Mish 1997) So, in a way it is always changing with the
times. However, now that hip hop culture, and the dancing that accompanies it, has
been around for close to four decades, there are some dance styles and characteristics
that have remained prominent throughout. Because it is hip, there are always new
styles developing, but there are four that are generally accepted as the traditional
styles of hip hop dance. In Jorge "Popmaster Fabel" Pabon's article Physical
Graffiti: The History ofHip Hop Dance, he defines them as "locking, popping, b-
boying/b-girling, and up-rocking." (Pabon 2006) Supporting this assertion I found an
article published in The Philadelphia Tribune, wherein Janae Hoffler says "At its
most organic level, hip hop dance is up-rocking, locking, popping, and breaking."
(Hoffler 2004) Usually referred to as old school or true school hip hop, all of these
styles originated in the 1970's and they have been an integral part of hip hop culture
ever SInce.
There is a broad umbrella term for street dance styles called urban dance, or
vernacular dance. For example, there are older dance styles like the jerk, and the
robot, and newer ones like the krump and hyphy movements. These are clearly
specific dance styles, and they even have cultures associated with them, but these
belong to broader vernacular categories. Hip hop falls under the umbrella term urban
dance, and within hip hop there are four styles that have become prominent. For
purposes of this thesis, hip hop dance refers to the traditional styles of up-rocking, b-
boying/b-girling, locking, and popping.
5It is interesting to consider what qualifies a dance style to be hip hop. At what
point does it become hip hop? It is hard to say, and this could bring up some
controversy, but the four styles of up-rocking, b-boying, locking, and popping seem
.to be generally accepted as the traditional hip hop dance styles, and most of the
scholarship I have found supports this assertion, and addresses these specific styles.
"The particular form of dancing most associated with hip hop's formative
years is breakdancing." (Dimitriadis 1996) DJ Kool Here, who is credited as the
father and innovator ofhip hop culture, originally termed the dance style b-boying,
but the terms breaking and breakdancing have become synonymous. Although B-
boying sounds like a gender specific term, through the years it has been accepted as
the term for any dancer, male or female, who practices and participates in the dance
element of hip hop culture. "The term b-boy.. .is widely viewed in the community as
a generic term that includes women." (Schloss 2009) Furthermore, although b-
boying is only one style ofhip hop dance, my experience and focus, along with most
ofthe scholarship I have come across, deals with this style specifically. So although I
mostly make specific reference to the b-boy style of hip hop dance, I believe that the
three essential characteristics I have identified apply to the other styles ofhip hop
noted abovti.
6Significance of Study
My research ofthe history and development of hip hop dance is based on
what the originators have said in interviews and video documentaries, what I have
found other scholars have written, and my own experiences with hip hop dance over
the past ten years. The existing scholarship on hip hop dance has focused mainly on
contextualizing and describing generally what hip hop dance is and what purpose it
has served from the cultural perspective. "Another reason that the internal discourse
ofb-boying has been overlooked is that most academic hip-hop scholarship still
operates within the framework of literary analysis and culture studies." (Schloss
2009)
My own experience with hip hop dance has taken many forms including
being a b-boy myself, directing and choreographing my own hip hop crew, and
studying all forms of hip hop dance that I come across. I have read numerous
interviews, and attended dance workshops where many of the pioneers have
discussed what they did in the founding years. But from the academic standpoint,
there remains a lack of discussion on the essential defining characteristics of hip hop
dance and how these characteristics have shaped the art form into a global dance
phenomenon. What I have noticed is that no matter what form of hip hop dance I
encounter whether it be a break battle, a hip hop performance crew, or a freestyle
dancer at a club, they all have these same three core characteristics; it is transmitted
through a performance, there is expression of personal style, and there's always a
7competitive edge. It seems that the vitality of hip hop dance as an art form rests in
these three areas.
Discussion of these essential and vital characteristics should provide a useful
vocabulary and basis for future study of hip hop dance. Also, the positive attributes
that hip hop dance brings to hip hop culture are embedded in these characteristics.
Because of hip hop's broad scope there needs to be a foundation of ideas that help to
outline the dance in descriptive, defInitive terms. As hip hop dance progresses,
knowledge of these ideas will give dancers, educators, and scholars a better
understanding of what this dance form consists of and how to work within this
vernacular culture.
DefInition of Terms
Hip hop dance is performed in a number of ways. The Merriam Webster
Dictionary defInes performance as "a public presentation." (Mish 1997) Hip
Hop, like many other dance forms is presented as a performance, usually in a
public place such as a park, community center, or even a theater. According to
Shelley Esaak, the term performance art, " ...got its start in the 1960's", and
"was originally used to describe any live artistic event... " (Esaak 2009)
"Performance artists saw (and see) the movement as a means of taking their art
directly to a public forum." (Essak 2009) Hip hop dance is known for using the
public forum in street performances.
----------------------
8
The whole culture of hip hop is based on elements of expression. In this
case, expression comes through in the moment of the dance performance. This
dance form lives in its transmission from dancer to dancer and dancer to
observer. This lived experience situates hip hop dance in the vernacular, as the
oral traditions, in the form of non-verbal communication through the action of
dancing, pass on the history and legacy of the dance. Performance is the vehicle
in which the attitudes and ideas of the hip hop body are expressed.
In hip hop slanguage, which is a combination of literal and slang terms used
in the vernacular setting, there are various terms that identify hip hop dance as
performance. B-boys and b-girls have been said to show off, display, rock, flaunt,
work, and boast. All of which are references to the moment the dancer performs
hislher moves. (Westbrook 2002)
There are a number of structures that hip hop dance uses as modes of
performance. There is the circle, or cypher, as it is referred to by those who
participate. A group of observers, usually dancers themselves, create a circle, and
one at a time they enter the circle and dance. This is the original structure in which b-
boying was done, and it continues to be practiced in this way. In this setting the
group offers support to the performer in the middle by clapping to the beat of the
music, known as the soul clap, and yelling out exclamations of affirmation. There is
a certain code of ethics at work, and generally the dancer in the middle is given
attention and respect for that moment.
9Another structure that hip hop dance uses is the stage. Western Concert
Dance has used this format for years, and over the past few decades hip hop dance
has been presented in this way. Theaters have become performance venues for hip
hop dance. Hip hop crews who practice the art of contemporary hip hop dance
choreography use this performance structure. The movement vocabulary usually
remains within the realm of the four traditional hip hop dance styles, but crews
choreograph routines to be presented on stage rather than in the cypher. Examples of
this are hip hop dance performance groups like Rennie Harris' Pure Movement from
Philidelphia, and the Groovaloos from California.
There are also hip hop theater shows with a full narrative that are more like
plays and/or musicals. They use a proscenium stage to present a story based in the
hip hop vernacular. An example of this type of performance was RAWK, a hip hop
dance showcase that I produced as part ofmy MFA work in the department of dance
at the University of Oregon. I will discuss the details of this show more later.
The individual's style and personality has always been celebrated in hip hop
culture, especially the dance element. "As in the cyphers at Here's parties, there were
rarely group routines, instead the spotlight was on each dancer's style." (Chang
2005) Hip hop is always developing new styles of dance as part of its definition. This
constant flow of new energy and innovation has kept hip hop on the cutting edge for
years. There were a few pioneers that danced in ways that were particularly creative
and expressive. Improvisation and spontaneity sparked these dancers and they used
their individual talents and tendencies to lay the groundwork, sometimes literally, for
10
world-wide dance phenomena. These dancers developed their own styles and
techniques and they began to teach each other and pass on their style through the
dancing.
Personal style in the context of hip hop dance means adapting any given
movement within the hip hop dance vocabulary to make it unique. While
improvising, there is an element of creativity that happens as the dancer executes the
moves, weaving their own personal signature into the dance. It may be a step or
move that has already been performed, but adding ones own personal touch makes it
hip hop. Personal style gives the movements a depth and life each and every time
they are performed. "You strive to take your move to the next level. ..keeping it
flavor and stylized and making it yours." (Chang 2005)
The third essential characteristic of hip hop dance is competition. The
competitive element has also been a part of hip hop dance since the beginning. The
history of hip hop dance can be traced back to gang culture. Originally gangs would
settle disputes with violence. At a certain point in the late 1960's and early 1970's
gangs grew tired of the violence and began to challenge each other with dance battles
instead of actually fighting. "Battle dances were refined as an alternative to
violence." (Fricke and Ahearn 2002) The dances that they would perform emulated
fight movements, but the goal was to see who had more style and finesse in the way
that they moved.
Competition takes on several definitions in the context of hip hop dance.
Early competitions, or battles as they were called, were usually one on one. While in
11
the cypher, one dancer would instigate a battle with another dancer to test his skills.
This format was an impromptu challenge and without any verbal discussion, the
dancers would battle. "The winner was the one who could bust out moves that hadn't
been witnessed before; who could do something the other guy couldn't match." (del
Barco 2002)
Although many battles were spontaneous, sometimes they were also planned
and organized. Events that were centered on battles were produced, and crews would
practice together in preparation. Many times a cash prize would be advertised for the
winners along with the respect and bragging rights that comes with winning a battle.
Today hip hop crews compete in a newer version of the battle. They perform
pieces of choreography and they are judged against another crew's choreography. In
this format the dancers don't face each other while dancing as they would in a cypher
battle. Each crew or team, one at a time, performs their routine and they are judged
based on predetermined criteria such as technical ability, diffIculty, and overall
impression. Examples of this format are the USA and World Hip Hop Dance
Championships, and MTV's America's Best Dance Crew.
Included in this thesis is a general introduction to this study. In chapter I, I
have defined some ofthe terms that are crucial to this topic. Chapter II is a review of
related works. I have divided this chapter into three parts: published literature, video
documentaries, and my own personal experiences. Following the review of related
works in chapter III is an article that I will be submitting to WORDS.BEATS.LIFE.
The Global Journal ofHip Hop: Culture from the Streets to the University, with the
approval ofmy thesis committee. My goal to contribute to the new field of hip hop
dance scholarship will be fulfilled with publication of this article. Research article
submissions for this journal must be limited to 3000 words. Following the article in
chapter IV, is the conclusion and some suggestions of how this study can be used in
the field of hip hop dance.
12
13
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED WORKS
Published Literature
Sally Banes, dance historian and journalist, has written several articles on hip
hop culture, especially the dance element. As a dance scholar, Banes' coverage of
this topic lends some early, unexpected legitimacy to this dance form. One ofher
articles on this subject, "To the Beat Y'all: Breaking is Hard to do," was published in
the Village Voice on April 10th, 1981. In this article she describes breaking by saying
"But most of all, breaking is a competitive display ofphysical and imaginative
virtuosity, a codified dance form cum warfare that cracks open to flaunt personal
inventiveness." (Banes 1981) In this one sentence alone Banes references the same
three aesthetic characteristics that I have defined in this study as the essentials in hip
hop dance. The vocabulary that she uses is slightly different from what I have used
but the main ideas seem to be the same. She writes "display" and "flaunt," words that
seem to be references to this dance style as a specific mode of performance. When
she writes "physical and imaginative virtuosity" and "personal inventiveness," she
seems to be making a reference to what I have called expression ofpersonal style.
Thirdly, she actually uses the word "competitive."
In this same article, Banes describes a typical sequence of breakdance
moves, "A dancer in the center ofa ring ofonlookers drops to the floor, circles
around his own axis with a flurry of slashing steps, then spins, flips, gesticulates,
and poses in a flood of rhythmic motion and fleeting imagery that prompts the
next guy to top him." (Banes 1981) The vocabulary is slightly different from
what I am using but she makes reference to this dance as a performance with "A
dancer in the center of a ring ofonlookers." Personal style surfaces in Banes'
description ofwhat the dancer is physically doing, "slashing steps, then flips,
gesticulates, and poses in a flood ofrhythmic motion and fleeting imagery." And
finally, she makes another reference to the element ofcompetition with "prompts
the next guy to top him." In these two sentences Banes foreshadows my
discovery of the three core characteristics ofhip hop dance.
Michael Holman, owner ofone of the first hip hop night clubs in
downtown Manhattan in the early 80's called Negri!, was a well respected figure
in the hip hop community in New York City. He wrote a book that was published
in 1984 titled Breaking and the New York City Breakers. One of the chapters
"Breaking: The History" was later published in 2004 in That's the Joint!: The
Hip Hop Studies Reader. In this chapter Holman references steps of other
vernacular dances throughout history that have similarities to breaking. The
breadth of cultural dances that he discusses is impressive, but what is central to
14
this study is a parallel that he draws between Colonial American and pre-Civil
War American dance and breaking. He lists them like this:
1. Dancers standing in circles while somebody in the middle does his
thing.
2. A little electric boogie action.
3. The beginning ofcompetition in American subculture dance.
These three similarities are intriguing to me because they are almost
exactly the same as the three characteristics that I have been discussing. The first
is a reference to the dance as a performance with the audience surrounding the
dancer. The second is a reference to a specific style of hip hop dance, the electric
boogie, which is an expressive style performed with personal inventiveness that
is known for its popping techniques and body waves. Finally, the third
acknowledges the competitive element.
Dance Research Journal published an article in the Winter 2001/02 issue that
was written by a senior at Duke University, Sara LaBoskey. LaBoskey has been a
performer and student of hip hop dance for many years. She wrote "Getting Off:
Portrayals of Masculinity in Hip Hop Dance in Film" as an assignment for a course
she took at Duke titled Dancing in the Movies. In this article LaBoskey pinpoints
hip hop dance as an "expression and affirmation ofmasculinity." (LaBoskey 2001)
She has supporting evidence for her case and it is true that it was created mostly by
male adolescent youth, but its development has definitely included the female
population. We have seen more of this in recent years with the inclusion of
instruction of this dance in public and private dance studios.
15
LaBoskey concludes her article with this summary, "Preserved like oral
history, the stories are perfonned over and over, each time with a different twist,
reflecting the individuality of each narrator. It is the story of battles, ofa struggle to
be heard, seen, and remembered." (LaBoskey 2001) LaBoskey is stating that this
dance is shared through perfonnance. She calls the dancers "narrators" when
describing the element ofpersonal style which she calls "individuality." Again we
also get the idea of this dance as a competition with the inclusion of the word
"battles." These three ideas of perfonnance, personal expression of style, and
competition, seem prevalent in the descriptions of this dance no matter what the
intent ofthe author.
Hip Hop Dance: Meanings and Messages, published in 2007, is the only
book I have found which actually focuses entirely on the subject of hip hop dance.
It was written by Carla Stalling Huntington, an Assistant Professor at Missouri
Southern State University, where she teaches marketing and management. As a
African American Feminist she makes it clear that she feels that hip hop dance is
the feminine expression ofhip hop culture, quite the opposite to that of Sara
LaBoskey's conclusions. Huntington says that hip hop music is the "masculine,"
and that hip hop dance is the "feminine." (Huntington 2007)
Huntington describes hip hop dance as a social text. She says that it is "cool,
rowdy, defiant, sexy, athletic, smooth, creative." (Huntington 2007) She also says
that it is full ofmeaning. "Meanings metabolize in the distribution channel and at
points ofconsumption, when the dance is codified and made into a commodity,
16
used as a medium of value." (Huntington, 2007) One of her main points in this
book is that hip hop dance theory, interpretation, and communication are lost when
hip hop dance becomes a commodity through ''television commercials and
programs, commercial films, music videos, at concerts, in commercial dance
studios, at cheerleading and marching band locales, online, in graphic and cartoon
form, and in private consumption spaces." (Huntington 2007) Hip hop dance brings
up many interesting questions because of its overwhelming global reach, but the
scholarship thus far does not discuss its aesthetics.
Jorge "Popmaster Fabel" Pabon is a legendary New York street dancer, and
one ofthe few who writes first hand accounts about the subject. He is currently
the Senior Vice-President of the world famous Rock Steady Crew and the
cofounder of GhettoOriginal Productions, Inc. He was a featured dancer in the
movie Beat Street and he helped choreograph two of the first hip hop musicals
that were staged in the 1990's, So! What Happens Now? and Jam on the Groove.
Pabon wrote an article titled "Physical Graffiti: The History ofHip Hop Dance"
which was published in 2006 in Jeff Chang's book Total Chaos: The Art and
Aesthetics ofHip Hop. Pabon gives a very clear and concise account ofthe
various people and events that helped shape the hip hop dance cultural
movement.
In describing a particular facet ofb-boying, the ''top rock," which is the
fancy footwork done by a dancer standing upright as s/he enters and exits the
circle; Pabon alludes to the same three characteristics that have emerged through
17
this study. He writes, "Although top rockin' has developed an identifiable
structure, there is always space for individual creativity, often expressed through
the competitive nature ofthe dance." (Pabon 2006) He suggests here that it is
simply the nature of the dance to be competitive. "Individual creativity" is what I
have been describing as personal style, and again the performance is the vehicle
in which the dance is "expressed."
Video Documentaries
The Freshest Kids: A History ofthe B-boy, is a video documentary that was
produced in 2002 by QD3 Entertainment. The Freshest Kids is the most
comprehensive account of the history and evolution of hip hop dance that I have
found in my research. It includes video footage of early hip hop dancers, and it
covers the evolution of the dance from its birth in the South Bronx to its more
current worldwide popularity.
The intent of this documentary is to trace the history of the art ofb-boying
through the voices and experiences of the pioneers. Most of the story is told by
early b-boys discussing their experiences at hip hop jams and events. It highlights
interviews with hip hop pioneers such as DJ Kool Here, Afrika Bambaattaa, Crazy
Legs, Ken swift, and many more. This is a great example of how the history and
culture of hip hop is passed down by word of mouth tradition. This is a virtue that
video documentation has over written scholarship, because we are able to see and
18
hear the pioneers as they discuss the formative years. Their character and passion is
tangible through this medium of scholarship.
In the Freshest Kids, Crazy Legs, who is an iconic figure in the global b-boy
community and the current president of the Rock Steady Crew, describes his early
years as a member ofthe Rock Steady Crew and he quotes an early martial arts film
from the 70's when he says (mimicking the accent of old kung-fu movies) "I heard
your style is good, but mine is better"! (Watson 2002) He says that he used this
mentality to battle other b-boys around New York as his way of recruiting for the
Rock Steady Crew. "That's basically how I met everyone else that ended up being
in Rock Steady." (Watson 2002) Ken Swift, another early member ofRock Steady
Crew, adds "I got down with Rock Steady when I battled Legs, and that's how a lot
of my crew got down with Rock Steady." (Watson 2002) Frosty Freeze, another
member of the Rock Steady Crew, says that after he outgrew b-boying, he told his
younger cousin, Ty Fly, who still practiced b-boying, "Anytime you all got any
battles coming up I'll take your side." (Watson 2002) Clearly the element of
battling is at the root of this dance. Like the oral traditions being passed down
through stories, these dancers were passing the b-boy legacy on through their
battles.
Later in this documentary, Crazy Legs discusses the importance of personal
expression within this dance. "There is a beat and there is a rhythm to this music. It
isn't about how dynamic your move is, but it's about the feeling that you can
19
express with the dance. The dance is about expression, and a lot of people seem to
have forgotten that." (Watson 2002)
Another video documentary that focuses on b-boying was released in 2005
as a supplement to The Brealdn' DVD Collection, which was Beat Street, Brealdn',
and Brealdn' 2: Electric Boogaloo, sold together as a boxed set. These are three of
the first hip hop movies that were originally released in the early 80's. The bonus
DVD that comes with the box set has two mini-documentaries and footage of an
old Rock Steady Crew battle against the New York City Breakers. In one of the
mini-documentaries titled The Elements ofHip Hop, Zulu Gremlin, a well
respected b-boy, talks about hip hop dance. He says, "It's an interpretation of
rhythms with your dance, and it's a self-expression done for your own personal
intent, really just to feel and dance. Dance is a celebration of life, and there's
nothing better than celebrating life." (Carson 2005). He goes on to validate my
assertion that all the dance styles associated with hip hop are similar in aesthetic
when he references lockers, poppers, and breakers, "It all comes from the same
hunger for self expression." (Carson 2005)
Ken Swift, also interviewed in this documentary, shares some insight into the
art of battling, "When I'm in the trenches and in the circles, it's the same school, if
dudes want to go for it, I have no problem with them taking it to me and battling
me. That's part of the game, and that's the golden rule. If you're gonna be in the
circle you gotta be ready to hold it down." (Carson 2005) Another well respected b-
boy from more recent years, Rox Rite, says "Battling keeps pushing people to new
20
limits, that's how you get your name out, that's how you get recognized; Battling."
(Carson 2005) The element of competition keeps this dance new and exciting, and
it challenges the dancers to keep creating and innovating new dance moves to add
to their repertoire.
Personal Experience
In my pursuit of learning everything I can about hip hop dance, I have
developed a broad base of knowledge. I have read all that I could find that focuses
on the history. Through summer scholarship grants I received as a student at the
University of Oregon, I have been able to speak and dance with many pioneers of
this dance form. I was able to meet the famous DJ Kool Herc and spaek with him
about hip hop dance in academia. I have been to some of the biggest worldwide
dance competitions that are held on the West Coast. I have followed current trends
through battles, internet sites, and real live hip hop dance companies. I have
learned, practiced, and performed many styles as a member of a hip hop crew. I
have founded, organized, and directed my own performance/competition crew. I
have also taught various hip hop dance classes in every age range and skill level.
Through all my past experiences, my recent MFA movement project
production, and my present knowledge on hip hop dance, I have noticed the
importance of this triad of essential characteristics: performance, personal style,
21
and competition. In my studies ofhip hop dance I have been interested in the role
these three aesthetic characteristics play.
For my movement project, which is one oftwo terminal projects I have to
complete to satisfy my MFA requirements, I wanted to see if it was possible to
isolate each ofthese characteristics. My questions were, "Is it possible to isolate
these three aesthetics and study them individually? Can they be separated from
each other? Or are they always working in unison when we experience hip hop
dance"?
I set out to produce a dance concert in Dougherty Dance Theatre that would
attempt to isolate each of the three characteristics that I have defined. I decided to
choreograph three dances, trying in each to distill the ideas of personal style,
performance, and competition respectively. I created a solo for myself that was an
amalgamation ofmy own style. I choreographed a large group piece that was based
on performing for the crowd. And the final piece was a live improvised battle
between two crews ofdancers.
The show was a collaborative effort between me and Valerie Ifill, another
graduate student in the same graduate program. Valerie choreographed the first half
ofthe concert titled Kinesthetic Sense, and I choreographed the second half ofthe
show titled RAWK. Together we called our show "Something for Everyone."
Although I created three separate dances trying in each to isolate one
aesthetic ofhip hop dance, what I found was that all three aesthetic characteristics
are present no matter what shape the dancing takes. My solo was made to just be a
22
23
showcase ofmy personal style and skill, but it definitely had a competitive edge, and
because it was a show in a theater I was aware of the audience and I was performing
for them as well as the onstage dancers.
The second piece in RAWK was created to be a performance based piece. I
took all the composition training I had gained as a dance student and choreographer
and put it to use, using hip hop as the movement vocabulary. The dancers performed
in unison most of the time with breaks where soloists would emerge. Although I was
trying to isolate the mode of performance, in retrospect, this piece was just as much
about style as it was about performance. Each dancer even had a specific solo part
where they showed off their individuality and personal style. They weren't
necessarily competing in this piece, but referring to a structure ofhip hop dance
competition that is popular today, crew choreography, this piece could have been put
up against others like it to be judged and it would have had integrity.
Lastly, the live battle onstage was just that, a hip hop dance battle. It was
improvised, the music was provided by a live DJ, and the dancers created it on the
spot. I invited the audience to come out into the performance space and sit on the
floor making a circle around the dancers. This made a more intimate experience for
the dancers and the audience, and it followed the same cypher format as traditional
hip hop dance battles. And most importantly, as each dancer entered the battle, they
came in with a flood of individual style and creativity.
So although I intended to isolate each aesthetic that I had identified, each is
ever present no matter the form, shape, intent, or format of hip hop dance. This is an
interesting conclusion and could be the basis for a new approach to creating or
teaching hip hop dance. It uses performance formats to transmit its message, there is
always an expression of creative and personal style, and with its competitive edge it
is always ready for battle.
Through all of my personal experience and my review of the existing
scholarship, I have found numerous descriptions of what hip hop dance is. Many
scholars and hip hop dancers themselves have discussed the history and various
dance styles associated with hip hop culture. Through this research I have
defined performance, style, and competition to be the three most essential and
vital characteristics of hip hop dance. Some ofthe vocabulary in the existing
scholarship is slightly different from these terms, but the main ideas remain the
same. Furthermore, no one has isolated these three ideas when discussing the
positive values of hip hop dance. I have found that these characteristics seem to
work in conjunction with each other and they are the basis for many life lessons
that can be learned through hip hop dance. We can derme each individually, and
study how each is important, but they all work together in the phenomenon ofhip
hop dance.
24
25
CHAPTER III
DON'T STOP THE BODY ROCK: THE POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES OF HIP HOP
CULTURE THROUGH THE ELEMENT OF DANCE
In a recently published article in Words.Beats.Life: The Global Journal of
Hip Hop Culture, Dr. James G. White declared a "call-to-action for organizational
and activist elements within the hip-hop community to launch a hip-hop world
revolution." (White 2009) He claims that the corporate rap music industry (CRMI) is
responsible for" ...encouraging the glorification of pimping, drug dealing, violence,
and exploitation of women in the lyrics and videos oftheir signed artists." (White
2009) Needless to say, hip hop has developed a bad rap. I am a hip hop scholar,
activist, motivational mover, and I am inspired by Dr. White's call-to-action. I am
ready to join in on this fight against the New World Order, and my weapon is dance.
Hip hop culture has reached a crossroads. The music, culture, and politics of
hip hop seem to have all gone their separate ways. What happened to the times when
hip hop was about coming together at DJ Kool Here's parties and getting down?
Through the 35+ years of hip hop culture's existence it has been the catalyst for
many movements. Looking back at the history of hip hop, the original catalyst was
simply for movement: movement in the form ofdancing. Somewhere along the way,
26
as hip hop developed, the focus of the culture was turned away from the centrality of
the dancing, but this is where the positive attributes that Dr. White is calling for have
always lived. The b-boy/b-girl is the silent hero. The b-boy/b-girl has always carried
the positive ideas, attitudes, and messages through the hip hop body. Let's go back to
our roots.
"Dancing was the essence of early hip hop culture." (Price 2006) DJ Kool
Herc, who termed the early hip hop dance style b-boying, developed a turntable
technique that allowed him to play certain sections of songs over and over again
without a pause in the music (Watson 2002). This was the birth of the element of hip
hop known as DJing. He noticed that when the break section ofa song was played,
which is the part where the vocals and melody usually drop out and the percussion
picks up, the dancers would hit the floor, literally. The dancing that was performed
during these break sections of songs was much different from the normal dance floor
activity. The energy and athleticism was elevated. "Breaking is a competitive display
of physical and imaginative prowess, a highly codified dance form that in its early
stages served as an arena for both battles and artistic invention and that allowed for
cracking open the code to flaunt personal inventiveness." (Banes 1985) There was a
creative new form ofcommunication and expression being developed. "B-boying is
the ultimate body manifestation of hip hop." (Watson 2002)
Kool Herc noticed this phenomenon and he began to isolate only the break
sections of songs using his new mixing techniques. He had two turntables set up
side-by-side so that he could switch the audible sound from one record to another
27
with the flick of a switch right in beat with the music, a technique he called the
"Merry-go-round." (Watson 2002) This gave the dancers a chance to showcase their
moves for extended periods of time. This was the birth of hip hop culture. "Hip hop
music and b-boying were born as twins, and their mother was the break." (Schloss
2009) Following this lineage, hip hop music was originally the product of the DJ
cutting and mixing breaks, and the culture that arose with it was centered around the
dancing.
Hip hop culture spread and developed through the 1970's, and by the end of
the decade it began to produce a marketable product, the rap record. "Rap music was
pressed on wax for the first time in the spring of 1979 with the limited release of
King Tim Ill's 'Personality Jock' on Fatback Records." (White 2009) Shortly
thereafter "Rapper's Delight" was released by Sugarhill records; hip hop music took
off and never looked back. You no longer had to go to a jam to be involved in hip
hop culture. You could buy it at a record store and enjoy it in the privacy of your
own home. This was a pivotal moment in time for hip hop as the culture became
more centered on the music. Eventually, the unique social aspects of the culture and
the face-to-face interactions that were created by the dancing fell by the wayside. At
this point in the early 80's the popularity and recognition that hip hop dancing had
gained, partially due to mainstream coverage in movies like Beat Street, Breakin,
and Breakin II: Electric Boogaloo, was beginning to diminish.
By the mid 80's the dances that were associated with early hip hop culture,
particularly up-rocking, breaking, popping, and locking, had nearly disappeared.
28
They didn't die though; they just went underground for awhile. The culture was no
longer about the dancing and interaction that went along with it. Hip Hop became a
commodity based culture and there was a turn toward materialism. At this point the
dancing was treated as a pop culture fad, and it fell out of style.
In the past decade or so we have seen a huge resurgence of the dance element
of hip hop culture. It is becoming popular again. It seems that the CRNII has
marketed hip hop as a thug lifestyle for too long and people are beginning to get tired
of the negativity. As was the case in early hip hop when the Bronx gangs finally
turned to dance battles to settle disputes rather than gang violence, once again there
has been a tum from these negative images of the hip hop body to a more positive
release of energy through hip hop dance. This phenomenon has spread into a
worldwide culture that now has youth across the globe practicing top rocks and body
pops.
With this resurgence of the dancing comes an opportunity. This culturally
rich and traditional form of hip hop can be used to showcase the power and positivity
that hip hop has always garnered. Taking the original forms ofhip hop dance and
looking at its vital characteristics as a dance form can give us a new platform to
stand on. The hip hop revolution is coming in the form of a movement alright,
movement known as hip hop dance.
I have been studying this dance form for close to ten years. I have studied and
practiced the dance styles that fall under the umbrella of traditional hip hop dance:
up-rocking, b-boying, popping, and locking. I have attended and performed in many
29
showcases and battles. As a graduate student at the University of Oregon I have also
been able to extend my studies in the areas ofpedagogy and academic scholarship.
Through this research ofpersonal experience and academic scholarship I
have found three essential characteristics of hip hop dance that seem to be vital to its
existence: performance, personal style, and competition. I have found it necessary to
be a strong performer, have a unique personal style, and have a competitive edge to
execute this dance style properly. Embedded in these characteristics are the valuable
life lessons that hip hop teaches.
I have chosen three quotes from the existing field ofscholarship on the
subject of hip hop dance to exemplify the three characteristics that I have identified.
One is from a well respected dance historian and scholar, one is from a young
scholar from Duke University, and one is from a famous hip hop dance pioneer.
These aren't meant to represent all the research on this topic, but they are a cross-
section from the field of research on hip hop dance. Each of these gives great
descriptions of hip hop dance, and the three essential characteristics that I have
identified are embedded in them.
Sally Banes, who is a long time dance historian and journalist, has written
several articles on hip hop culture, specifically the dance element. Her article
Physical Graffiti: Breaking is Hard to do was published in the Village Voice in
March of 1981. In the summary of this article Banes states, "But most ofall,
breaking is a competitive display ofphysical and imaginative virtuosity, codified
30
dance form cum warfare that cracks open to flaunt personal inventiveness." (Banes
1981)
Sara LaBoskey, a young hip hop scholar, was published in the Dance
Research Journal in the Winter 200112002 issue. She wrote an article while at Duke
University in which she discussed the role of masculinity in hip hop dance. In the
conclusion she wrote, "Preserved like oral history, the stories are performed over and
over, each time with a different twist, reflecting the individuality ofeach narrator. It
is the story of battles, of a struggle to be heard, seen, and remembered." (LaBoskey
2001)
The third quote was written by hip hop dance legend Jorge "Popmaster
Fabel" Pabon. Fabel is a member of the famous Rock Steady Crew, and a notable hip
hop culture historian. In describing part of the b-boy dance vocabulary he writes,
"Although top rockin' has developed an identifiable structure, there is always space
for individual creativity, often expressed through the competitive nature of the
dance." (Pabon 2006)
These three short descriptions ofhip hop dance reference the same three
ideas that I have identified. Performance, style, and competition are the ingredients
that make up hip hop dance, and each of these characteristics bridges the gap
between the individual and learned values in hip hop culture. So how have they
developed as parts of hip hop dance and how have they contributed to the positive
image of the hip hop body?
31
Performance in the Hip Hop Context
Originally hip hop dance was performed at hip hop parties. DJ Kool Herc
would isolate a break section ofa song and loop it back and forth between his two
turntables and the b-boys and b-girls would drop down and perform their best moves.
"The format of the dance was at first quite fixed. The dancers and onlookers formed
an impromptu circle. Each person's turn in the ring was very brief-ten to thirty
seconds-but packed with action and meaning." (Banes 1985) This structure became
known as "the cypher" and is still used today at hip hop events.
In more recent years there has been another structure that hip hop dance has
used to present itself: the stage. Originally hip hop dancers performed their dance as
a solo endeavor, almost always through improvisation. As time has progressed
dancers have formed crews and choreographed routines that are performed,
sometimes in battles to compete with other crews, sometimes on a stage as a
performance. There are even competitions now that use the stage as a performance
structure. Crews perform choreographed routines on a stage, and they are judged
against other crews.
The point I wish to discuss has to do with the values associated with
performance. Like other performance arts, hip hop dance teaches its participants
valuable lessons in the organization and expression of thoughts, not to mention the
physical fitness that comes as a by product of dancing in general. Performing builds
confidence and self esteem. Also, "performance has urgent social significance for the
32
dancers." (Banes 1985) It is their chance to be seen, heard, and respected in a society
that often times doesn't offer this opportunity. "And if some ofthe most appealing
aspects ofb-boying are the lessons it teaches about how to tum your own life
experiences into the raw material of artistic expression, it must also be noted that that
itself is a kind of ethnography." (Schloss 2009)
Personal Style in the Hip Hop Context
Individuality and creativity have always been celebrated in hip hop culture.
Other dance fonns have codified techniques and/or prescribed body placement, and
although hip hop has specific techniques associated with it, " ...there is always space
for individual creativity." (pabon 2006) Personal style in this dance means having a
unique way that you do the same things other people are doing. "It means making a
style for yourself." (Banes 1985) Expression ofpersonal style through hip hop dance
has laid the foundation for the creativity of the culture. It has opened the door for
many dancers who didn't grow up with technical dance training. Its improvisational
structure and creative nature have been the welcoming committee for many urban
youths to create identity for themselves.
The characteristic ofpersonal style is actually responsible for the different
hip hop dance styles that have emerged and become prominent through the years.
Early hip hop dancers would practice and develop certain skills and moves over and
over again until a whole vocabulary was created. These vocabularies became the
33
foundation for styles like up-rocking, breaking, popping, and locking. These styles of
hip hop can be traced back to individuals who had such a distinct and unique way of
moving that entire cultures were based around them.
There is a sense of self-worth that is built through this process. As dancers
practice and perfect their own moves they begin to understand themselves and they
are able to express something meaningful through their movement. A sense of pride
is established and they are able to represent that with their dancing. "Some ofthe
most powerful lessons I have learned concern the way one is to carry oneself in life,
particularly with regard to the relationship between creativity and self-confidence."
(Schloss 2009) Schloss goes on to say"...this is a valuable life skill for anyone to
learn. The b-boy attitude is not false bravado: it is the intellectual confidence of a
master strategist who believes that he has every possibility covered."
Competition in the Hip Hop Context
Many elements ofhip hop dance were derived from gang culture, the
competitive element being one of them. "Battle dances were refined as an alternative
to violence, though they were sometimes only a prelude to it." (Fricke and Ahearn
2002) Hip hop dance was founded on the idea of one-up-man-ship. As early b-boys
would hit the floor at Kool Herc' s parties, each dancer that got down was trying to
out-do the dancer before him. This mentality of competition has pushed hip hop
dance to unimaginable feats in a short amount of time.
34
The competitive element has been there since the beginning of the dancing.
There are three main formats of competition that have developed through the years
of hip hop dance: cypher battles, crew battles, and performance competitions.
The cypher has always been used as a structure for this dance to be
performed. It is also the structure in which improvised battles happen. Many times in
a cypher, one dancer will challenge another dancer and instigate an impromptu
battle. Sometimes this structure is used to get a dancer to show off his or her best
moves, and other times it is used to settle long standing rivalries. These types of
battles are rarely planned; they happen spontaneously and there are no rules. Usually
the two dancers battling will go a couple of rounds each and then the cypher will
return to its open structure. Also, these types of battles were sometimes used for
recruitment. A crew member would see potential in another dancer and they would
call them out into a battle to test their skill. It was sort ofan improvised mini-
audition. If the dancer being called out could hold his own in the battle, meaning his
moves were solid enough to beat the challenger, then he would be accepted into the
crew.
Crew battles are another structure and they are usually planned. These range
in size from community events bringing together local dancers to world-wide
competitions held annually, like the International Battle of the Year (IBOTY) held in
Germany every fall. Usually in this format two crews will face off and battle as a DJ
supplies music. There is a specified amount of time given for the battle and when the
time is up a panel ofjudges, usually three to five, will determine the winner. Crew
35
battles will often times have a cash prize along with the respect and bragging rights
that accompany victory. Most of the dancing is performed by individuals with the
occasional crew routine to show their group harmony and cohesiveness.
The third most prominent structure used for hip hop dance competition is a
performance based one. With the newer form of contemporary hip hop dance
choreography as the medium, crews create perfonnance pieces that are showcased
one at a time. These are almost always choreographed and many times there are
guidelines to follow such as crew size, age range, and piece length. This structure of
competition has become increasingly popular in the past few years as more
technically trained dancers enter into the hip hop dance world. The pressure on the
individual is slightly less than that ofa b-boy battle. Still though, the vital
characteristic of competition is present.
There are many positive attributes that are learned through hip hop dance
competitions. When entering a battle as a crew there is a sense of teamwork and
camaraderie built. Whether it is a crew battle or a solo battle, the dancer leams that
slhe must be held responsible for hislher actions, for that is what they are being
judged upon. Once again, self-confidence is built whether they win or lose simply
because they know that they represented for themselves and their crew. Finally, and
probably most importantly, hip hop battles have always been the non-violent means
to resolve conflict within hip hop culture.
Kool Herc used to get on the microphone at his parties as he would cue up a
break, and he would call out "B-boys are you ready? B-girls are you ready?" (Carson
36
2005) Following DJ Kool Herc and Dr. White's call-to-action, I think we are ready. I
propose that we all get up and dance. The positive physical and mental attributes of
dancing are what we are lacking in hip hop culture today. There may be many
political actions taken within hip hop but it is time that we go back to our roots and
look at where hip hop came from. Hip hop, as a cultural movement, really is about
movement. Ifwe can get back to the centrality of the dance element we will once
again find a creative, positive way to express ourselves within this context. Let's get
up and dance, and don't stop the body rock!
----------------
37
CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSIONS
From its birth on the streets ofNew York in the early 1970's, hip hop dance
has reached almost every comer of the globe. What began as an alternative to gang
violence and a response to rhythmic breakdowns has transformed into a worldwide
dance culture. Children and adults alike are partaking in this dance style by
practicing moves in their homes, at neighborhood studios, and on the streets. There
was a time period where it seemed as though hip hop dance was going to fade away
with acid washed jeans and trucker hats, but it has come back with more momentum
than it started with.
With the move toward materialism in hip hop culture and commoditization of
the music, some of the cultural elements that were once central to hip hop almost
became extinct. The social aspects and the community involvement all but
disappeared. There was a period during the 80's and 90's when the dancing in hip
hop had taken a back seat to the music. In the past several years there has been huge
resurgence of hip hop dance, and it seems to be growing in popularity with no signs
of slowing down. With this renewed interest, a door has opened for a field of hip hop
38
dance scholarship. Hip hop dance is being accepted as a legitimate art form, and the
academy is supporting it.
As a hip hop dancer, scholar, and educator I have been interested in hip hop
dance for a number of years. With this research and my personal experiences I have
been able to define hip hop dance's three most essential characteristics: performance,
personal style, and competition. Performance is where the dance lives, and how it is
shared. Personal style is the creative signature that each and every individual puts
onto the dancing. Competition has pushed this dance form and its dancers to achieve
incredible physical virtuosity, and amazing precision. The challenge to out perform
each other has provided a battle ground for dancers to test their skill and bodily wit.
Deeply embedded in these characteristics are some important values. Hip hop
culture has been an outlet ofexpression for youth around the nation, and world, for
many years and the dance element is filled with positive messages and ideas. As we
continue to study and learn about hip hop dance these three characteristics can give
us a framework and context to work within. As a hip hop dance educator, I have
implemented these ideas into my courses' curriculum. I teach the importance of
being a strong performer and the aesthetics that support this. I encourage personal
style, and individual creativity. I often times set up mini-battles in the classroom to
push my students to perform the best they can. As a pedagogic model this teaches
students the importance of the values associated with hip hop culture through dance,
which are just as important if not more so, than the actual dance steps and
techniques. There is a sense of community built in the classroom, and the students'
39
confidence in themselves shows through in their dancing as they learn and practice
the steps of the original hip hop styles. They learn how to have a voice, through
movement, how to express it, and also how to listen and respect each other. They are
learning how to live life through the language ofhip hop.
It has been exciting to see hip hop dance grow in popularity over the last few
years. It has turned into a global language spoken through movement by dancers all
over the world. It is interesting to watch new styles develop and to see if they will
catch on like the original styles ofhip hop did. The spread ofhip hop dance also
means that it may get watered down or oversaturated, but I believe that as long as
these three essential characteristics are present, and the traditional styles are honored,
it will remain a rich cultural expression.
Hip hop dance is an amazing positive release of energy. From the beginning
ofhip hop culture the dance element has been central to dancers finding a way to
create an identity for themselves. The dynamics ofthe dancing provide a productive
physicality while the freedom ofexpression challenges the creative intelligence.
Thank you hip hop, for this amazing dance.
REFERENCES
Banes, Sally. 1981. To the Beat Y'all: Breaking is Hard to Do. In Writing Dance
in the Age ofPostmodernism. University Press ofNew England.
Carson, Greg. 2005. The Elements ofHip Hop, on The Breakin' DVD Collection
Bonus Disc. Produced and Directed by Greg Carson. 21 min. MGM Home
Entertainment. DVD.
Chang, Jeff. 2005. Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History ofthe Hip Hop Generation.
New York: St. Martin's Press.
Del Barco, Mandalit. 2002. NPR: Breakdancing,. Present at the Creation.
www.npr.org/programs/mominglfeatures/patc/breakdancing/. 8/3/2007.
Dimitriadis, Greg. 1996. Hip Hop: From Live Performance to Mediated
Narrative. Popular Music, Vol. 15, No.2 (May, 1996): 179-94.
Esaak, Shelley. 2003. Performance Art-Art History 101 Basics.
http://arthistory.about.com/cs/arthistoryl00ne/a/performance.htm. 5/3/2009
Fricke, Jim and Charlie Aheam. 2002. Yes Yes Y'all. Seattle: Experience Music
Project.
Hoffler, Janae. 2004. "Festival focuses on hip-hop dance", Philadelphia Tribune,
Aug. 3,2004, 10C.
Holman, Michael. 1984. Breaking: The History. In That's the Joint: The Hip
Hop Studies Reader. ed. Murray Forman and Mark Anthony Neal. New
York: Routledge.
Huntington, Carla Stalling. 2007. Hip Hop Dance: Meanings and Messages.
Jeffeson, North Carolina: McFarland and Company, Inc. Publishers.
LaBoskey, Sara. 2001. Getting Off: Portrayals of Masculinity in Hip Hop Dance
in Film. Dance Research Journal 33/2. (Winter 2001/02): 112-20.
Mish, Frederick C. ed. 1997. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Springfield,
Massachusetts, U.S.A.
40
--------------~---
Pabon, Jorge. 2006. Physical Graffiti: This History of Hip Hop Dance, in Total
Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics ofHip Hop, ed. Jeff Chang. New York:
BasicCivitas.
Price III, Emmett G. 2006. Hip Hop Culture. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Clio,
Inc.
Schloss, Joseph G. 2009. Foundation: B-boys, B-girls, and Hip Hop Culture in New
York. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.
Watson, Joel, ed. 2002. The Freshest Kids: A History ofthe B-boy. Produced
and Directed by Israel. 97 min. QD3 Entertainment.
Westbrook, Alonzo. 2002. Hip Hoptionary: The Dictionary ofHip Hop
Terminology. New York: Harlem Moon Broadway Books.
41