Hip Hop Old School

Hip hop in the past decade has became extremely popular with younger generations. Another word that is often used instead of hip hop is rap. Hip hop originated in the Bronx in New York. Underdeveloped communities (mostly black)were the ones that created hip hop in the 1970's. It wasn't until the 1980's when hip hop really started spreading all over the United States. Hip hop was accepted into culture (black and white communities).

Hip hop can be controversial today because some people feel that what hip hop artists rap about in their songs is derogatory to women, talks about murders/shootings, rape, and a lack respect to authority figures (primarily police). When hip hop first originated, people primarily rapped about how the judicial system was corrupt and unfair especially to people of color living in poverty.

Some of the popular hip hop artists in the 1980's through 1990's are:

• The Beastie Boys
• LL Cool J
• MC Hammer
• Salt-N-Pepa
• Ice T
• Public Enemy 
• Dr. Dre
• Tupac Shakur 
• Notorious B.I.G.

The first hip hop style of dancing was breakdancing. This started in the streets. There are two moves called uprock and downrock. Uprock is when the dancer is doing dance moves standing up and downrock is where the dancer does moves close to/on the ground. Someone can breakdance with a beat (beatboxing, DJ, boom box, radio, etc).


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This map shows where at in the United States Hip hop was born.

Jazz

Jazz dancing is very popular today. There are actually two different types of jazz. There is traditional jazz and modern jazz.



Traditional
jazz in the United States was a mix between European and African
dancing styles combined in the 1900s. A jazz band usually would have a
jazz dancer of a tap dancer on stage with the band dancing. This
resulted in many new styles of dance such as:

• the Charleston 
• Boogie Woogie
• Jitterbug
• Swing 

Traditional jazz has the traditional leaps and turns
and body movement were important with this type of dance. Traditional
jazz has some movements like ballet, but a person's body "flows" instead
of being precise and "board-like." Jazz was created by primarily the
black community so they could still do their African chants. In the
1920's, white Americans took a liking to it. This lead to jazz being
played/danced everywhere.



Modern jazz uses ballet style
just like traditional jazz. Also, modern jazz uses street dancing.
Modern jazz came about in the 1950's. Some of the "inventors" of modern
jazz are Jake Cole, Katherina Dunham, and Bob Fosse. Modern jazz is a
mix between Caribbean and Latin American dancing. This type of dace
started Broadway dancing.

Ballet

Tonight I am going to be talking about ballet. There are a couple different types of ballet (Classical, Neoclassical, and Contemporary). Classical ballet is the most formal type of ballet. It focuses on traditional techniques. Neoclassical ballet uses some of the technique that classical ballet has, but the tempo is faster and the technical dancing is much more advanced than just regular ballet. Contemporary ballet has elements of classical ballet but with a modern twist to it. Both classical and neoclassical ballet have very strict technique and is very strict on body placement.

My top three favorite ballets are

• Midsummer Night's Dream
• The Nutcracker
• Swan Lake

Even though I have never taken any formal ballet lessons, ballet is very important. When I have a jazz routine, contemporary routine, and even hip-hop routine, ballet is a major component to make these routines work. Ballet's techniques help in all other aspects of dance. To be a ballet dancer it is very hard and most don't make it. You have to have the right measurements for weight, height, chest, torso, buttocks, and thighs. You also have to be accepted into a prestigious dance school at a young age. Ballet schools will turn someone down because they are to old.

Ballet is very difficult and only a few succeed in ballet as a career. This may be harsh, but if you have ever watched a ballet, you can understand why companies and schools only want the best. Ballet's can be breathtaking and spectacular. Enjoy this clip of Midsummer Night's Dream!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja_PCSSoD0E







 

About me

My name is Courtney Sweeney. I live in a small town in Kansas, but originally from Illinois. I am currently a student at Washburn University. I live on a farm and work as a waitress. I have a bubbly personality and love meeting new people.

I have always been in sports all of my life. One sport that I completely fell in love with was dance. I started dancing on my high school dance team and then danced on my college dance team for a couple years. Dance is a way someone can express themselves without words. The best part is everyone can dance! All one has to do is feel the music and move.