Hip Hop Dancing 101

By: Shalwah Evans

All too often in the club, you see a reenactment of the latest hip-hop dance video, and it's usually performed by someone who clearly doesn't "get it." Dancing to hip-hop takes a certain swagger. And before you can properly pull it off, you should learn a little history about the dance. Now up in Nightlife 101: hip-hop dancing.

The Chickenhead

In the Northeast “chickenhead” originally was an insult for women. To call a woman a chickenhead was to devalue her. Now, you will see various people, men and women, doing the chickenhead on the dance floor. The South, and St. Louis particularly, have transformed chickenhead into a popular dance. Ever wondered why it goes so well to most Nelly songs? Nelly and the St. Lunatics, and Chingy have displayed it in some of their most famous videos. It’s an easy dance to do if you have the ability to jerk your arms and shoulders, and if you don’t mind looking a bit crazy in public.

C-Walking

Originally called Crip Walking, the dance was abbreviated to take the gang relation out of something now widely known in all corners of the U.S. C-Walking usually accompanies West Coast hard bass beats. It originated on the West, where gang members would spell out the name “Crips.” Now, the dance is done from Boston, to Miami to Colorado, with no Crip affiliation. Although some school officials in LA still ban C-Walking, it has remained a popular dance at clubs. So when you hear Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode,” feel free to practice your C-Walking skills.

Hussle (aka Ballroom Dancing)

This isn’t the type of ballroom dancing you would do to Old Blue Eyes. Instead, we got a taste of this Midwestern step in the R. Kelly videos “Step in the Name of Love,” and “Happy People.” This is a variation of the legendary two-step. You simply do a sequence of two-steps in a funky pattern, somewhat resembling a ballroom dance. You might catch this dance at African American weddings, barbecues and showers. It hasn’t quite spread outside of the Midwest, but it should be well on its way.

Krumping

Krump dancing or krumping originated in the early nineties by a dancer named Tommy the Clown. Krumping is an evolution of clown dancing, which has its roots in traditional African dance. If you check out the film “Rize” you can catch a variety of Krump dancers performing their art. While it originated on the West Coast, krumping has moved into parts of the South, Midwest and even the Northeast. Don’t be surprised to catch krumping in a hip hop routine on the latest mainstream dance show “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Whining

From the Caribbean islands of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and many more, whining has become more than a dancehall phenomenon. With Patra and Yo-Yo collaborating in the early nineties, and Beyonce and Sean Paul completing the cycle, moving your waist to a hip hop/reggae beat isn’t unfamiliar. The movement seems simple enough, but takes a lot of control of your torso and hips. Aside from being fun, sexy and sensual, the dance itself is an abdominal workout. So whine, whine and move your body.

Article by Club Planet