As more and more kids become interested in taking dance classes, more and more dance studios are offering Hip Hop as a dance style to learn and study. Hip hop began in the 1960’s as a form of street dancing in NY called “break dancing.” Soon after, the West Coast had its own forms of hip hop, including popping, locking, and the robot. You may see nods to those dance moves in commercials or movies set in the 60’s and 70s. Even though they were different, style-wise, they all originated on the street and had an improvisational nature.
Popular Hip Hop Dance TV Shows
The television shows So You Think You Can Dance, America’s Best Dance Crew, and Dancing with the Stars are prime examples of the popularity of dance, specifically hip-hop dance. As hip hop music came into being, hip hop social dancing found its way into dances like Running Man, The Worm, and the Cabbage Patch, which were performed at high school gym dances, proms, and weddings. Other dances soon followed: The Dougie (Created in Dallas, TX, and made popular by rapper Doug E. Fresh) and The Cha Cha Slide (created to go along with the song of the same name).
Hip Hop Dance Class Gains Popularity
Kids today want to learn hip hop dance. Hip-hop culture may not always be appropriate for children to emulate at such a young age. The culture, the clothes, the dance moves, and the music may not always be appropriate for younger children. Parents who want to expose their children to dance but not the more mature elements of hip hop (bad language, provocative clothing, and moves) may have a hard time finding a dance studio that teaches age-appropriate hip hop dance. Catherine’s Dance Studio in Parkville, MO, takes the best of hip-hop dance and teaches it to children in 3rd grade and up through fun, engaging classes. The kids know they are learning hip-hop techniques, and the parents enjoy that their little girls (and boys) are not made to dress much older than their age. The hip hop costumes are respectful and age-appropriate. The music is fun and energetic and void of any slang or curse words. The music chosen for hip hop class and all recitals is appropriate for any audience, young or old!
Hip Hop dance is a very popular form of social dance today. If you are a parent looking for a hip hop dance class that is fun, teaches age-appropriate dance moves, and uses costumes that are respectful and age-appropriate, come to Catherine’s Dance Studio and take a hip hop class for free! Sign up to take a week of classes for free and see the difference a studio that knows smaller dance classes makes in your child’s dance techniques, and believes that appropriate music and costumes are also an important part of their development as human beings.