History Of Hip-Hop Dance
What is meant by Hip-Hop? It refers to a culture. In a broad sense it is used to mean commercial rap music. But Hip-Hop is not just about music. It is the very core and heart beat of American youth who belongs to the ghettos. They used this as a form of self-expression to overcome their stifling physical environment. Through this form they aimed to bring out their feelings of self-respect, pride, courage, honesty and grit. It is little wonder that Hip-Hop has successfully been able to establish its sway over all corners of the globe.
The elements of the culture can be divided into four groups. Firstly there is the dance which is generally known as break-dancing or breaking. Secondly it is about graffiti or writing, thirdly DJ and lastly rapping. These four did not develop at the same time but started from different points of time. But all come under the genre of Hip-Hop culture.
As regards dates - the early 70’s can be considered to be the take off years in New York. From then on it became a distinct culture. But its other elements like graffiti and break-dancing goes back to the latter half of the 60’s. However - there are differences of opinion. Some opine that it all started in the world of poetry of this period. But others say that its roots go back to ancient Africa and its griots. Men and Women were mobile carriers of their own tradition and history. By word of mouth they told and re-told stories and happenings of the past. In this way they kept alive the flame of their culture.
Many are the names associated with this culture - many unsung heroes whose names have been lost in time but whose influence continues to abide. It is impossible to make a full list of the exponents - they are innumerable. Among the pioneers mention may be made of AFRIKA BAMBAATA, TAKI 183, KOOL HERC, GRANDMASTER FLASH, VIC 156, PETE DJ JONES, KOOL KJ HERC, DJ HOLLYWOOD, EDDIE CHEEBA, LOVE BUG, STARSKI, KURTIS BLOW, CORNBREAD, COOL EARL, COLD CRUSH BROTHERS, THE LAST POETS, RUN DMA, THE FAT BOYS, ROCK STEADY CREW etc.
Afrika Bambaataa or Aka the “Godfather of Hip Hop” culture is said to have been the founder father. In the first half of the 70’s he started to DJ using wax records. He mixed all the types - famous funk with European electronic music. He later founded the Universal Zulu Nation. The name of Grandmaster Flash is associated with the turntable technique - which is known all over the world as “scratch”.
Crowds in parks, groups at block parties and whole sections would suddenly break down to the tune of the DJ’s. Funk songs and an admixture of many on the turntables started off a non-stop gyrating carnival of fun fiesta. It had so much power. The MC or master of ceremonies would accompany the DJ. He would use the spoken word as a weapon to whip up the frenzy of the crowd and then go on to praise the DJ.
Initially the DJ was the most important figure on the scene. But once the dollar crept into the picture and the whole thing began to get commercialised the MC, with his creative efforts took over. Numbers like Love Bug, Starski, Kurtis Blow and the like soon hit the stands and came to be known as rap music - the exponents as the rappers. The public forgot the DJ“ing and rappers became the monarchs of the day.
Break-Dance is one popularised version of Hip Hop dance. The young wanted to express themselves. They wanted to do so in an imaginative way without leading to violence and self-destruction. Thus many who would have been otherwise swallowed up by gang warfare were able to make better use of their bottled up emotions into a constructive form. It can be labelled as an aggressive form of poetry.
The style of Break dancing took in bits and pieces from many elements and came out to produce something entirely new. They were inspired by Brazil’s Capoeira, martial arts and other forms of popping and locking. On the dance floor on group challenged another. These were termed as “battles”. The Rock Steady Crew transformed the ordinary dance floor gyrations into an art with classic steps like the 2 steps, the airtrack, the headspin, the glide and others. The new millennium saw Krump come in from clown dancing.
Graffiti is a form of writing - a type of bold and brazen underground urban art displayed in public places like the walls of buildings. Citizens used it to make political and social views known. It was also a method by which gangs marked their beats. Some of them were like this -TAKI 183, FRANK 207 etc. In course of time a change came and this crude display blossomed into an art form involving intricate murals. Trains, buses, buildings - all came to be covered and adorned. The entire New York Transit System came to be the victim!
