DANCE STYLES
Here at FuNK it up we like to practise as many different streetdance styles as possible whether this is through our weekly classes or through workshops taught by special guest teachers that are highly recognised and respected in their field. Below is some information on some streetdance styles, see which one takes your fancy.
STREETDANCE
Streetdance is not a style. Streetdance is an umbrella term for several styles such as Hip Hop, Bboying, Popping, Locking, Waacking, House, Krump etc.
Streetdance is commonly mistaken for choreography and commercial performances and videos, but it isn’t a style on it’s own. Streetdance or vernacular dance stands for social dances, plural, not one style. Every style under this term comes from a social and cultural background whether it be from communities on the streets, the clubs or block parties. With in streetdance styles there will be different techniques, different music, different dynamics but all are social, competitive and a freestyle. All of them can put into choreography too.
HIP HOP
Freestyle Hip Hop dance today is a broad style. There are lots of different styles of Hip Hop that have branched off and formed a whole style on their own, Harlem shake and Litefeet to name a couple.
Hip Hop is comprised with different social steps that either related to a person, a thing or a song. For example the “prep”, the “humpty hump”, and the “Steve Martin”. Today we still see steps from video games, rappers and trending social media videos, for example the “whoa”, “hit dem folks”, “kangsta wok”.
Hip Hop was bought into the music videos and was structured into chorography but ultimately is still a freestyle / social dance style.
BBOYING/ BGIRLING
Also know as Breakdance stands for BronxBoy, BeatBoy or Breakboy and is the first dance style of Hip Hop. The names were given for the dance style for it’s origin and due to the dancer using the “dance breaks” of a song to throwdown to.
Bboying consists of a lot of groundwork, fast footwork, flashy character, freezes & power moves, all of which are unique and challenging movements. The “Stand up” part of the style is called “Top Rocking” which is a whole style on its own.
Some of the most famous moves from Breakin are the headspin, the windmill, and flares. Bboying /Bgirling is the ultimate crowd pleaser.
LOCKIN
Lockin is a funk style that put streetdance on the map. The first streetdance style that hit the screens on a show called “Soul Train”.
It is a fun and energetic dance with lots of character and oozes funk. The style was created by a man called Don “Campbellock” Campbell who was trying to another dance called the “Funky Chicken” and ended up creating a whole new style. Which is why here at FuNK It Up we always say, “we have to crash to create”, so there is no fear to “go wrong” here because we all learn together.
Some of the foundations in Lockin are “the Lock”, “Wrist rolls or twirls”, and “Uncle Sam points”.
POPPIN
Poppin is a funk style from the west side that started in the late 60s and 70s. The whole style is based around creating “hits” all around the body.
Controlling the muscles to tense and release to the music. The most famous moves / styles within Poppin are the Robot (Botting). Animation – this is a technique to show an animated character moving frame by frame.
Another style with in Poppin that is popular is the Boogaloo style, invented by Boogaloo Sam. This style is more fluid and the aim is to make it look like the body doesn't have bones. Contrasting with the hard hits in Popping it makes an impressive show!
HOUSE
House dance was created in NYC but the music came from Chicago from a club called the “Warehouse” hence why the dance style is called House.
Dancing on the “Up Beat” of the music it lends the style to be very uplifting, and freeing. The style was influenced by many dance styles such as Tap, African dance, Latin dance and also Bboying. An element of House is “Lofting” which is all the groundwork in House dance.
One of the most important movements within the style is the “Jack” this is the groove and the heart of the style.
WAACKING
Waacking (formally known as punking) is a disco and funk dance. A dramatic and fierce style which started in the the LGBT clubs of Los Angeles in the disco era.
The dancers who formed this style were all people who had to hide who they really were in public and dancing in these clubs really allowed them to be themselves, or who influenced them such as movie stars. They were able to escape the suppression they felt through day-to-day life.
With strong flicks, swings and poses the dance promoted freedom and ownership.
They werrrrrk the floor!!!!
KRUMP
Krump is a misunderstood dance style, often seen as aggressive and negative, which couldn’t be more further from the truth.
Krump – Kingdom, Radically, Uplifting, Mighty, Praise, is a dance fuelled with passion, an outlet to channel feelings and praise. Dancers feed off each other’s energy and are given the freedom to express in a supportive atmosphere. The dance was created by Tight Eyex and Mijo in the early 2000s in South Central L.A. To avoid gangs and a troubling route in life the dance they created helped them and many others choose a better path.
The dance is powerful, expressive and energetic.
LITEFEET
Litefeet also known as “Getting Lite” came from Harlem in the early 2000’s. Litefeet is an extension of Hip Hop and has now created a whole new movement and style of it’s own separating themselves as a recognised individual style.
This style is fun, energetic and flashy. Like tap, the footwork creates lots of rhythms and the crowd and crews accompany this with chants / hype which feeds energy into the delivery of the dance.
Some of the dances with in Litefeet are the “Tone Wop”, the “Aunt Jackie” and the “Bad One”. Litefeet refers to the technique in most of the foundational steps in which the footwork is pretty weightless.
