World Dance Investigation

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World Dance Investigation Paper | IB Dance SL

An Tran
Introduction: Dance is the movement of the body in a rhythmic way, usually to music and
within a given space. Dance serves as a way of expressing different ideas or emotions, releasing
energy, or simply taking delight in the movement itself. In this investigation, I will clarify and
compare two styles of dance. One is Hip-hop, which I am familiar with. The other one is
Flamenco, which is very new to my knowledge. My interest on this topic stemmed from the fact
that I wanted to know how are other dance styles similar and different from Hip-hop, which I
have been following for more than 4 years. I will explain the origin, the evolution, the purposes
of Hip-hop and Flamenco as two different dance styles. Then, compare the differences and
similarity of the two styles. Also, I will elucidate their origins, evolution, purposes, and how they
evolved into modern day society.

What is Hip-hop Dance?


Hip hop dancing is thought to have officially begun in New York City during the late 1960s and
early 70s. Individuals without professional dance training but with a natural instinct for
movement brought dancing to the streets. Hip-hop moves were inspired by complex rhythms and
the movement style of African dancing. Vestiges of modern, tap, swing, and African dancing can
all be found in hip hop. Though, Hip-hop dance is in its own class when it comes to
improvisation and an edge of competition. Some early Hip-hop dance moves are: uprock,
breaking, locking, roboting, boogaloo, and popping. Black Americans and Latino Americans
created uprock and breaking in New York City. Black Americans in California created locking,
roboting, boogaloo, and popping (Funky Styles)
The evolution of Hip-hop dance:
Hip-hop dancing began as early as 1970s with James Brown. Some popular moves at the time
were the Charleston, Get on the Good Foot, and Mashed Potato. In the 1980s-1990s, the Two
Step, the Wob, and the Hammer Dance are some of the most popular dance moves. During the
2000s, there were a lot of modern moves being created, some of them are the Dougie, the Harlem
Shake, the Bernie, Twerking, etc. Finally, coming back to the present, current popular Hip-hop
moves are the Whip, the Shoot, the Nae Nae. With the creation of the new moves, old ones such
as popping, robotic, breaking do not go away, but instead evolved and were modified by creative
dancers. That made up Hip-hop dance's diversity.

The purpose of Hip-hop dance:


Hip-hop dances throughout the years serve 1 main purpose: social. It came from the street, so it
is for the street. Sometimes Hip-hop is a medium for protesting or expressing personal desires.
For example: “We Are Not For Sale” by The Mob (Step Up Revolution).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjECDVfdXLQ. This Hip-hop group used Hip-hop dances
in there choreography as their voice to speak against a company when they tried to buy the
dancers' crib. Comparing to Old-school Hip-hop dance which was mainly for having fun, it was a
huge step in the usage of Hip-hop dancing.

What is Flamenco dance?


Flamenco dance (baile) is the traditional dance of the Gypsies (Flamencos) of Andalucia. The
dance style was culturally influenced by the regions of North Africa, Southern Europe and the
Near and Far East. It was developed over several centuries from Gypsy, Moorish, Andalusian,
and other roots. Flamenco music and dance became popular in the early 19th century as café
entertainment.
The evolution of Flamenco dance:
Flamenco dancing was created by the Gypsies in the 15th century. They adopted the style from
various folk dances and culturally made it their own. During the “Romantic Era" (late 18th and
19th century), flamenco started to gain important status in literature and the arts. During the
years of Franco’s Dictatorial Years (1939-1975), Flamenco dancing was adopted as a National
dance by the Spanish Dictator Francisco Franco. Nearly 40 years later, it was named as a World
Heritage Treasure.

The purpose of Flamenco dance:


Flamenco dancing serves as the freedom and pride of the posture, flirtatious movements by the
female, desplantes and the richness of bodily expression, sensitivity and profoundness of the
movements. Although it started out as a traditional dance of the Gypsies, over the years the style
has gained its popularity and became a World's well-known dance.

Similarities between the two styles:


Although Hip-hop and Flamenco are two different styles of dancing, there are some similarities
between the two. For instance we can find pretty much every element of dancing in the two
styles. Those elements are: Strong, light, fast, slow, sudden, sustained, both direct and indirect at
different parts of the song throughout the whole performance.
Differences between Hip-hop and Flamenco:
Both dances are forms of performing art, but they serves different purposes. Hip-hop dancing
started and got popular from the street in the 1970s, while Flamenco was created as a traditional
and cultural dance by the Gypsies in the 15th century. For the clothes, Hip-hop dances usually
prefer baggy, comfortable clothes because it would be easier for the to move around while
performing. Also, Hip-hop dancers generally wear sporty sneakers because they tend to be
lighter and more comfortable. On the other hand, Flamenco dancers usually wear formal,
traditional clothes to perform since the dance represents their culture. They usually wear dress
shoes with nails on the bottoms so they can perform tap dances.

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