Hip-Hop Dance

The style of modern dance referred to as hip-hop covers a range of street dance styles which are primarily performed to hip-hop music or a number of its many derivatives. The term now refers to several highly individual styles, such as breaking, popping, and locking. Although many of the forms are often combined with one another during a particular performance, they are nevertheless individual styles, each requiring their own training and practice to master.

The style originated in the 1970s and was popularised across America by dance crews, which became a common sight on streets across the country at that time. The technique was further popularised by popular culture, and hip-hop dancing was featured in several television shows and films. Soul Train was one of the earliest films to feature hip-hop dancing as a major plot component and went on to spawn an entire genre of films that revolve around the use of dance. One of the common elements that the movies share is their coming of age storylines that feature a protagonist who faces a challenge that he can overcome through his involvement in a dance crew.