Week 6: Hip Hop
Tutor: Jacqui Fenwick
Date: 9th May 2016
The final workshop of the unit focussed on hip hop dance, and was by far one of the most popular workshops that our class was involved with. Hip hop refers to not just dance but an array of many other factors. Hip hop has been described well by PBS (2013), stating 'Since hip-hop emerged from the South Bronx in the 1970s, it has become an international, multi-billion-dollar phenomenon. It has grown to encompass more than just rap music—hip-hop has created a culture that incorporates ethnicity, art, politics, fashion, technology and urban life'.
Hip hop is often extremely urban and gritty, with the use of rapping, beatboxing, and beats. Below is a picture that I feel reflects the hip hop culture:
Hip hop encompasses a wide range of different dance styles including breakdancing, popping, locking, shuffling, stepping, crumping and twerking. The actual origin of hip hop dance is hotly debated, but it is evident that hip hop derives its style from a wide range of dance artists from the early to mid 1900's and adapted to a form that is witnessed today.
Within the workshop we learnt some basic hip hop dance moves such as 'The Smurf', 'The Bart Simpson', 'The Steve Martin' and 'Drops'. Examples of iconic popular hip hop dances can be seen in the clips below with Michael Jackson's 80's hit 'Thriller', MC Hammer's 'Can't Touch This' from the early 90's, Will Smith's 'Men In Black' from the late 90's and the more recent 'Party Rock Anthem' from LMFAO.
After some learning and exploring the basics of hip hop, we were allocated back into our groups from our first assessment presentation and given an outline for our final dance assessment which can be seen here.
REFERENCES
Evolution of Dance: The 80's to Now 2013, YouTube clip, sivARTtv, 6 June, retrieved 1 June 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uubH2ikgJPI.
LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem ft. Lauren Bennett, GoonRock 2011, YouTube clip, LMFAOVEVO, retrieved 1 June 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ6zr6kCPj8.
MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This 2009, YouTube clip, emimusic, 24 Feburary, retrieved 31 May 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otCpCn0l4Wo.
Michael Jackson - Thriller (Short Version) 2009, YouTube clip, michaeljacksonVIVO, 3 October, retrieved 3 June 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V90AmXnguw.
Will Smith - Men In Black 2014, YouTube clip, WillSmithVEVO, 9 May, retrieved 31 May 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiBLgEx6svA.