Even at the beginning of the 21st century, the history, technique and styles of street dances (which are popularly referred to as break dance) were practically not documented. Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that performance styles are usually either transmitted from professionals to beginners in an informal setting, or simply dancers show each other new movements right on the street. However, by 2010, information on the history of street dance began to be officially documented.
Origin
The term hip hop was coined in 1980 by DJ Afrika Bambaataa. He used the term to describe the trend in urban cultural dances and music that arose in the 1970s. The origins of street dancing lie in folk dances, which were mainly performed by dancers from Africa. In the 1920s, performer Earl Tucker used sliding steps in his dances, which later became characteristic of hip-hop. In the 1970s, James Brown created music, which in turn also influenced street dancing.
Engineering Development
Early hip-hop dances were performed standing up and it is worth noting that many sources influenced them, including Afro-Cuban, African and Native American tribal dances. Martial arts also played a role in the development of what is known today as “Top Rockin”, which adopted many of the characteristics of capoeira - a “method of self-defense that looks like a dance”. Due to high competition, Rockin and hip-hop dance began to develop - in addition to standard standing dances, leg work in a horizontal position was also added - lying down. Partially, the dance moved to the floor, and it added the complex work of the legs. In the last few years, two more types of street dances have emerged in Los Angeles that are rapidly gaining in popularity - street clowning and kramp.
Development in recent decades
Street dances became very popular in the 1980s, popular bi-fights and dance groups began to perform even on Broadway. The US media began to popularize street dance. However, in the 1990s, hip hop groups in the United States and other countries began to bring the style of dance closer to what it was like in the beginning.
The number of hip-hop groups that combined dance with theater, modern dance and other forms of performing art has increased. At the beginning of the 20th century, street dances take various forms, and new ones keep appearing all the time.
The name of the style itself Street dance (Street Dance) said it all for itself. Street dance is a mixture of different dance genres and cultures. This cocktail mixes break dance, hip-hop, house, RnB and many more ingredients. The name of this style unites many dance styleswho were born outside dance studios and ballet schools. They were born in free and open spaces such as streets, parks, parties, school yards, nightclubs and raves. Dances, for the most part, are improvisational and mostly always had a social character. This is the interaction between the dancers, as well as the spectator and the dancer. These dances, each at one time and in different forms came to the world from peculiar closed cultures, from the urban and suburban special space, from the black ghettos of American megacities. Street dance can be called "folk dance." And here the geographical coordinates or the name of the people is not important. Each nation has discovered a particular style. For example, breakdance originated in New York (USA), Melbourne Shuffle - Melbourne (Australia), and Tecktonik was born in Paris (France). We live in a vast world where everyone communicates with each other, and in the age of the Internet - this phenomenon generally occurs everywhere and does not constitute any difficulties. Therefore, many styles have long been mixed, supplemented, enriched, and no longer have the original appearance that was at its creation.
Since this dance was born on the street, it was designed for street performance: active participation in battles, improvisation, free interaction with the public. In modern street dance, all directions are based on hip-hop culture. Due to the fact that recently street dancing has been performed at club venues, they are sometimes included in the category of club dances.
Many believe that street dance originated in the 80s of the last century in America. But if you analyze and “dig around” in the past, you can recall that almost all areas of hip-hop originate from African and Latin American “folk” dances. Already in the 70's, street dance provided youth from the black quarters with an alternative to poverty, robbery and bloody showdowns. He helped express his feelings and sort things out not through humiliation and violence, but through creativity. Until today, the dance, like other styles, has been constantly developed, supplemented and improved.
Today, the style has become so popular that it is taught in professional dance schools, studios and clubs around the world. Even serious street dance competitions are held annually. The most famous of them: Jump off, Juste Debout, Hip Hop Crew Championship, iDance UK.
Today's street dance is uniqueness and originality. This is a whole culture where the most important place in it is given to a person who wants to express himself, his feelings, emotions. In street dance there are no special, mandatory, standard movements that professional choreographers came up with - there is a dancer, his personality and virtuoso improvisation. It mixes many different genres, which, it seemed, were not compatible with each other. It is based on a combination of various elements that are executed in a fast rhythm, alternating between smooth and intermittent movements, which are perfectly combined and complemented by fading “locks” and original fixations “friezes”.
Street dance is a special philosophy, it is a way of communication between people. It does not require the consistency and rigor of the execution of movements and standards, thereby opening up limitless possibilities for self-expression and creativity. Today, street dance can be said to be the most widespread of all dance styles, not a single show, not a single party can do without the performance of street dance performers.
In street dance, the looseness and simplicity of movements will not leave anyone indifferent. When the body moves to the beat of the music, the soul receives relaxation. Classes of street dance contribute to the development of endurance, coordination of movements and excellent physical shape. With its help, the accumulated negative energy spills out, letting joy and pure positive into the soul instead.
STREET DANCE (street dance)
This dance style is also called by many. MIX-STYLE (hip hop, house, jazz-funk, c-walk, waving, popping, locking, dubstep-dance and break dance elements), but this is a bit wrong, read on ...
Street Dance is a mixture of different dance genres and styles, from hip hop to break dance. This is the style of the so-called modern street dances. Street Dance was born on city streets, noisy roads and includes elements of jazz and classics. These dances are characterized by fast impulsive movements, unexpected transitions from fast rhythm to smooth movements and unforeseen fading.
For the first time Street Dance as a direction of modern dance appeared in the USA in the early 70s of the last century. At that time in America there were many dance groupsdancing on the street. Gradually, it degenerated into a separate culture. This dance style mixes together the movements of dances of various genres, sometimes seemingly incompatible with each other.
At dance direction Street Dance has its own culture. In these dances in the first place is what a person wants to say about himself, even without certain trick skills. Tricks themselves only complement this dance. The Street Dance style does not have any specific standard steps or tricks that experienced choreographers would come up with. All movements were born on the streets.
Street Dance can be danced either as a pair, or alone, or in a circle of the same lovers of modern dances. Incendiary music and simplicity and looseness of movements will not leave anyone indifferent who came to the festival or Battle Street Dance. Anyone can dance street dances, even without any special training. In this dance, the soul receives relaxation, and the body moves itself to the beat of the music. If you wish, you can learn this type of dance in specialized schools contemporary dance, one of them is JamTown dance school. Experienced teachers in a justified short time will make you a good dancer. You will feel confident in any company, at any dance floor, in any night club ..
These dances are very useful for a person in terms of developing coordination of movements, strengthening the muscles of the arms and legs, developing the respiratory system, developing attention, reaction, and mechanical memory. In addition, you will learn to control your body, gain the correct posture, self-confidence. You will get your own style, incomparable with anything. With the help of the movements of this dance you will get rid of negative energy, throw your emotions out.
The popularity of this dance style among the youth of all countries is huge. They dance it to modern music in the style of hip-hop, funk, pop, disco. Elements of Street Dance are used in staging the stage choreography of the most popular world-famous music artists.
Street dance combines various areas of dance, such as hip hop, break dance, house, jazz funk, c walk, waving, popping, locking, dubstep dance, a characteristic feature of which is that they appeared outside the dance schools - on the streets , in parks, clubs, parties, etc.
The main feature of street dance as a dance style is that it is based on improvisation and interaction with the audience and other performers. We can say that street dance is a modern urban folk dancereflecting the latest trends of modern urban subcultures.
Among the most popular directions of street dance are:
locking / locking - a combination of dynamic movements of the hands, body and fixations that smoothly flow into each other.
popping / popping - rhythmic contraction of all major muscle groups of the body to music, creating the effect of trembling. The change of various poses to the rhythm along with fixation form the basis of this style. The main music for popping is funk.
break dance - a combination of rhythmic steps and power elements on the floor, based on rotation.
tektonik / tecktonik - geometric and active hand movements.
roboting / imitation of the movements of the robot.
jumpstyle - the use of frequent low jumps.
house/ house - It is a compilation of many elements of break-dance, latin, reggae, step, hip-hop, tap dance, etc. And the latest European trends in the house are associated with the use of the lower break, locking, waving and waking.
Floating / Gliding - gliding, active footwork.
Boogie electrician - a combination of waves and fixations.
You can learn the elements of each of these styles in street dance classes.
A typical phenomenon for street dance as a modern dance style and direction of the dance are battles - dance competitions in which individual dancers or teams call each other to battle. This is a fascinating sight, since, on the one hand, each dancer is unique in the combination of the elements and plastic that he uses, and on the other, such a dance is filled with the spirit of competition, the desire to show the best, and overwhelm the opponent with energy. Such battles are regularly held in Moscow and other cities of Russia. We always welcome our students and teachers who decide to take part in battles.
Street dancing is an unusual mix of directions, born in a storm of emotions. At the intersection of styles, the dancer’s desire to be different from others, the world is new dance currents
The term "street dancing" means dancing that is performed not in choreographic studios, but in various public places: in clubs, discos, streets and school yards. There are no strict norms, but the rule is only one - everyone has the right to individuality.
History of occurrence
Street styles, such as locking, pop locking, began their history in the USA in the 70s of the last century. More modern trends - hip-hop, cramp, funk - gained fame in the 80s. Young people, getting together, arranged a kind of dance competition - battles. At first, they were spontaneous, and then began to organize in advance. For such competitions, dancers began to specially prepare, inviting fans and spectators. Now such competitions are held annually both locally and internationally in different places of the globe. The most famous of them are Battle of the Year and Juste Debout.
Usually the performances of street dancers are improvised, but ready-made numbers are also included in the competition. The development of street dancing does not stand still. And now new elements, directions, styles, trends are being created. The process of combining more traditional styles with street styles, which leads to the emergence of new, quite original hybrid forms of dance, such as, for example, street jazz.
What is street dancing?
Under the general name "street dances", dances of different styles and directions are combined. Each of them has its own technique and its own characteristics. These are dances that are performed with pleasure, and not under the pressure of strict norms and standards. The mood of the dancer today and now is the main content of street dances. The main focus of the performer is on individuality and originality. For the sake of creating his own individual style, the dancer is not afraid to mix and interpret the movements of other dance styles in his own way. Improvisation is the main feature of street dancing. Even performances prepared in advance do not have a rigid framework, and can be changed under the influence of a performer’s momentary mood. The dancer's feeling is an important criterion for how much a particular movement is in each case. Changing the emotional state of a dancer can lead to a completely new, original interpretation of the dance number.
Features of street dancing
The original form of demonstration of their choreographic skills by dancers is the so-called fight. This term was originally used when referring to break dance, but now it applies to other forms of street dancing.
The action is as follows. A place for dancers is freed up in the center of the hall or on the street. Spectators stand around and cheer on those performers that they liked. Judges, together with the audience, determine the winners. Usually, dancers demonstrate skill in turn, if this is not a pre-prepared group number. Representatives of one team of hip-hop dancers are called gangs.
Another type of competition is called wall to wall. Performers stand in a straight line facing each other and perform improvised dance moves. This type of competition is used less often, since in this case the possibilities for individuality are limited.
An integral part of the dance battles is a demonstration of respect for the competitors to each other and, especially, to rivals. Aggressive showdown, fights, inappropriate behavior are not welcome.