Street & Hip-Hop
“The street writes its freedom directly into space.”
History & cultural context
Hip-hop dance was born in the Bronx in the 1970s. DJ Kool Herc extended the instrumental breaks of records, and dancers — b-boys and b-girls — answered with breaking: toprock, footwork, freezes and power moves. In California other styles appeared at the same time: locking, created by Don Campbell, and popping, developed by Boogaloo Sam and the Electric Boogaloos.
Later came house dance, krump from South Central Los Angeles in the 2000s and many local styles. The culture is built around the cypher and the battle. In 2024, breaking made its Olympic debut at the Paris Games.
Masters, schools & legacy
Crews such as the Rock Steady Crew, founded in 1977, carried breaking around the world. Major international events include Battle of the Year, held since 1990, Red Bull BC One, since 2004, and Juste Debout in Paris, since 2002. Hip-hop dance is passed on through crews, jams and battles as much as through studios.
Dances of this world
Further reading
Back to the atlas · Community · Ask the atlas · For professionals · Map of dance traditions · Find your dance · Which dance is this? · For partners and experts · Terms and complaints · Privacy policy