TikTok videos are blowing up social media feeds and have picked up momentum since we’ve all been quarantining. You may have seen some of the trending videos as you scroll through your social media feed or even seen your child creating a TikTok video. TikTok is a popular social media platform where users post videos, whether it's singing, dancing, or comedy. Users young and old are joining in on the latest TikTok dance challenges, where people create choreography and the dance becomes viral as more people do it. This social media platform gives users a space to be creative with their choreography.
Hip Hop dances are especially popular on TikTok. Although the TikTok dances are just for fun, in our hip hop dance classes at Misako Beats, we train our students to master the art of hip hop dance. Our dance classes not only are fun and expressive but also gives students the ability to develop their skills, build confidence, and explore their creativity.
Misako Beats HIP HOP PERFORMANCE
Hip Hop dance is part of hip hop culture, which originated in the 1970’s. The four elements that comprise hip hop culture are deejaying, rapping, graffiti, and breaking (breakdance). With our classes, we teach our dancers basic hip hop grooves and then progress to more advanced moves such as breakdancing, popping, locking, isolations, and waving. The style encourages dancers to freestyle and do improvisation, which allows them to be vulnerable and tap into their inner creativity to produce the raw movements that are an integral part of hip hop. These moments allow dancers to be true to who they are while the music flows through their bodies.
Breakdancing
Misako Dance is currently offering hip hop dance classes through Zoom rather than in studio due to social distancing guidelines. Regardless, we still begin our classes with a warm-up and then teach hip hop moves along with choreography. Although the classes are virtual, we are not lessening the quality of instruction. Our teachers expect the same level of performance from their students, and the students deliver every time.
Our instructors love teaching hip hop and having the opportunity to share this form of dance with their students.
“It creates an atmosphere allowing students to be themselves, have fun, and perform in captivating ways with a mixture of sharp and fluid movement through cohesive and intuitive choreographies. It’s just an amazing experience to be a part of.” - Seth Ewoo, hip hop teacher
“It's something I had to learn on my own, so I like giving students something I didn't have before to give them a leg up in this world. I also like giving my students room to be themselves, & hip hop, unlike any other concentration, allows for creativity.” - Bethany Bilewu, hip hop teacher
hip hop DANCE summer camp
If your child has been engaging with TikTok to dance, he or she may be the perfect candidate for a more structured hip hop lesson that teaches the whys and the hows of various dance moves. At Misako Dance, we see each class as its own community of dancers, and your child will learn with students of the same age – this enhances and reinforces children’s learning. In this time of social distancing, consider giving your child another outlet for their creativity and expressiveness like a hip hop dance class. For more information on our hip hop classes and other dance classes visit www.misakodance.com.
By: Javonna Walker