Street + Commercial
Hip-hop dance
A street dance form that emerged from African American and Latino communities in the Bronx in the 1970s, alongside hip-hop music. Includes many sub-styles. What's typically taught in studios is often 'commercial hip-hop' — a choreographic style influenced by but distinct from street/social hip-hop.
A note on cultural origins
Hip-hop dance is rooted in Black and Latino American culture. Coverage should respect this lineage and not whitewash it. Studios that teach hip-hop should credit the cultural roots and the pioneers honestly.
Brief history
Originated in 1970s Bronx, NY. Pioneers include the Rock Steady Crew, the Electric Boogaloos, Don Campbell (locking), Boogaloo Sam (popping), Tina Landon (commercial). Has spread globally and developed dozens of sub-styles.
Sub-styles
Breaking (B-boying/B-girling)
Floor work, footwork, freezes, power moves. The original "breakdancing."
Popping
Sudden muscle contractions creating "pops." Originated in California.
Locking
Characterized by "locking" the body in position briefly between movements.
Krumping
High-energy, aggressive freestyle. Cathartic expression.
House
Fast footwork. Originated in Chicago house music clubs.
Voguing
Emerged from Harlem ballroom culture. Posed, theatrical.
Whacking / Punking
Fast arm movements, theatrical posing.
Tutting
Geometric arm and hand shapes.
Commercial hip-hop technique
- Groundedness (weight low, often in plié)
- Isolations (sharp, percussive)
- Body waves and ripples
- Specific styling (sharp head movements, attitude)
- Musicality with hip-hop and R&B music
- Performance face / attitude
Famous practitioners
Rock Steady Crew. Mr. Wiggles. Tina Landon. Wade Robson. Travis Payne. Brian Friedman. Twitch (the late Stephen "tWitch" Boss). Parris Goebel. Current: Phil Wright, Brian Esperon, Bailey Sok.
Career paths
- Commercial work (music videos, tours, films)
- Convention faculty (Monsters of Hip-Hop is the leading hip-hop convention)
- Battling (competitive freestyle)
- Crew membership (Jabbawockeez, Kinjaz, etc.)
- Teaching
How it's judged
On the studio circuit, hip-hop is judged on groove and musicality, the cleanliness and texture of isolations and grooves, attitude and performance, and choreographic creativity — not on the same line as ballet technique. Studio entries earn the usual adjudication tier plus an Overall placement. The street/battle world (which most hip-hop authentically lives in) scores differently: head-to-head freestyle judged on foundation, musicality, originality, and execution.
Who it's for
Dancers with rhythm, attitude, and a love of music who want a path toward commercial work, crews, conventions like Monsters of Hip-Hop, or the battle scene. It rewards individuality more than uniformity — and dancers who learn its real foundations and history go furthest.
Common misconceptions
- "Hip-hop is just freestyle" — false; there are formal techniques
- "Studio hip-hop is real hip-hop" — complicated; commercial hip-hop is real but distinct from street
- "Anyone can do hip-hop without training" — false; high-level hip-hop requires significant skill
Go deeper
Studio hip-hop runs on the standard adjudication-plus-overalls system — see how dance scoring works and which events feature it on our competitions directory.
Find Hip-Hop Studios
Browse studios near you with strong hip-hop programs, pre-filtered to the Hip Hop genre.
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