How would you describe modern dance?

Modern dance is a creative type of dance that is contemporary in form and uses abstract movements to
portray ideas, feelings, and emotions. Modern dance uses a variety of movements, such as no
boundaries and the use of space to formulate a unique style.

What are the types of modern dances?

There are different types of modern dances. Jazz, modern, and ballet are all types of dances, but
modern dance combines these forms. Types of modern dances include lyrical or contemporary dance.

What are examples of modern dance?

Some examples of modern dance include hip hop, lyrical, style and fusion. Modern dance can sometimes
be confused with contemporary dance or jazz dance.

What is the history of modern dance?

Three historical waves can summarize the history of modern dance from the 19th century to the 20th
century. It evolved and revolutionized away from ballet dance from the founder of modern dance,
Isadora Duncan.

Who started modern dance?

There are many important contributors to modern dance. The founder of modern dance is Isadora
Duncan. Ruth St. Dennis is also one of the first pioneers of modern dance.

What Is Contemporary Dance?

Contemporary dance is a style of interpretive dance that embraces innovation, blending techniques
from various genres, including classical ballet, jazz, modern dance, and lyrical dance. This genre of
dance, which focuses more on floor work over leg work and pointe, isn’t restricted by the rules that
govern traditional dance forms. Instead, it relies on improvisation and versatility and is characterized by
freedom of movement and fluidity, letting dancers explore the mind-body connection and ideally
evoking emotion in the audience.

Contemporary dance is sometimes considered a form of storytelling, and dancers may use the medium
to portray characters, replay events, or convey personal stories. Its routines may also communicate
abstract ideas, such as ethical values, acceptance of self, and timely social issues. Costumes typically
reflect the topic or tone of the accompanying music, and dancers often perform with bare feet.
Performers may perform this type of dance to various musical styles, spoken word poems and songs, or
silence.

Contemporary dance is a specific genre of concert dance that concerns non-choreographic movements
influenced by compositional philosophy. Modern dance was born before contemporary dance and
focuses mainly on the emotions of dancers, while the second, focuses on creating new techniques and
styles.

What Is Hip Hop Dance?

Hip hop dance is a style of street dance form that evolved from hip hop culture and hip hop music. It
borrows elements from a number of different styles like African dance, tap, and ballet. Hip hop dance
began as a freestyle dance performed in the streets by dance crews, mostly to hip hop music. Today, hip
hop dance may involve choreography, along with various points of improvisation, especially during
dance battles or freestyle competitions. Some classic hip hop dance moves include the running man, the
humpty dance, and the cabbage patch, and techniques often involve body isolations and other unique
movements, like popping, locking, and krumping.

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Understanding Hip Hop Dance: 5 Types of Hip Hop Dance

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Dec 8, 2021 • 3 min read

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

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What Is Hip Hop Dance?

A Brief History of Hip Hop Dance

4 Characteristics of Hip Hop Dance

5 Hip Hop Dance Styles

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Usher Teaches The Art of Performance

What Is Hip Hop Dance?

Hip hop dance is a style of street dance form that evolved from hip hop culture and hip hop music. It
borrows elements from a number of different styles like African dance, tap, and ballet. Hip hop dance
began as a freestyle dance performed in the streets by dance crews, mostly to hip hop music. Today, hip
hop dance may involve choreography, along with various points of improvisation, especially during
dance battles or freestyle competitions. Some classic hip hop dance moves include the running man, the
humpty dance, and the cabbage patch, and techniques often involve body isolations and other unique
movements, like popping, locking, and krumping.

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A Brief History of Hip Hop Dance

Hip hop is a style of dance that originated on the East Coast in the late 1970s in the Bronx, New York
City. Groups of people would often perform the dances in the streets, clubs, and underground venues of
New York. It evolved closely with many other elements of hip hop—like DJing, graffiti writing, and MCing
—and borrowed certain signature elements from the funk styles of the 1960s.

Television shows like Soul Train (1971) thrust funk and hip hop into the mainstream, showcasing dance
crews in their earliest forms. Jamaican artist DJ Kool Herc was one of the first DJs to incorporate dance
breaks into his mixes, which allowed hip hop dancers to get creative. Eventually, West Coast dancers
took the basics of East Coast hip hop dance and crafted their own signature movements, like popping
and locking. Hip hop dance became so popular that the dance industry developed its own style of hip
hop dance called “new style”—which is choreographed instead of improvisational—that would
accompany many musical artist performances in music videos or on stage. Hip hop dance classes often
teach “new style” hip hop.

Hip hop dance still continues to be commercially popular to this day. New hip hop dances also
frequently find their way into popular media, like “the Dougie,” “the wobble,” and the Cupid shuffle.

4 Characteristics of Hip Hop Dance

Hip hop dance is a recognizable style with a few defining characteristics, which include:

1. High energy: Hip hop music provides a heavy beat for quick-paced movements requiring high
endurance and stamina.

2. Complex footwork: Hip hop dance puts emphasis on the footwork, pulling off special moves that often
look effortless. Choreographers will often push the boundaries of their routines, finding new and
innovative ways to create pictures with their body.

3. Versatility: Hip hop dance can be performed at a venue with friends or alone in a studio. It contains a
diverse range of movements that can be fitting for any age or level of experience.

4. Attitude: Hip hop dance reflects the attitude of the music that is being danced to, which is often full of
confidence, boldness, and irreverence.

5 Hip Hop Dance Styles

Hip hop dance contains a variety of elements borrowed from other dance genres. As such, there are
different styles of hip hop dance that exist:

1. Freestyle: Freestyle hip hop dancers improvise their movements in the moment, using their skills and
techniques to create a flow of dance that requires little to no choreography. Experienced freestylers
already have an idea of certain movements that work well together, which can make it easier to
spontaneously create fluid movements.

2. Krumping: This African American form of dance is driven by pure emotion and force. Krumping is
defined by energetic and powerful movements like chest bumping, often expressing strong feelings in a
lyrical way.
3. Popping: This dance style is marked by a quick contraction of muscles to create a jerking effect in the
dancer’s body. Nearly every part of the body can be popped, which can create a surreal and robotic
effect.

4. Locking: In this style of hip hop dance, the dancer quickly and frequently moves their body and
freezes it in place. It is similar to popping, but holding positions longer than with popping.

5. Breakdancing: Breakdancing is very closely associated with hip hop, though it’s often seen as its own
distinct style of dance. This acrobatic style popularized by B-boys and B-girls is marked by complicated
floor-work, often involving spinning and contorting.

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