Black American and Hip Hop

What happened in the 1700s?

French, Dutch, British, and Spanish influenced African dances in the Caribbean

Tribal dances

Important hybrid dances (calenda), inspired Cakewalk and Charleston in 20th century

African dance

high energy and rhythmic appeal

Hybrid dances

changed social dance, Blackface and caricatures, Charleston, Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, Twist, became its own art form

1830s

Minstrel shows (Blackface, etc.)

1890

Creole show (dignified Black cast)

1920s-30

All Black Broadway shows (merged with Irish jig, English clogging)

1930s-40s

African dance began to influence modern dance and ballet

1900s

talent and innovation in the dance world, African dance influence was paramount

Katherine Dunham

researched anthropology of Caribbean dances and African roots

1931

Alvin Ailey, traditional African dance, ballet, jazz, modern, spirituals, gospel music in his choreo

Hip hop dance styles

Street dancing, breaking, krumping, tutting, locking, popping, etc. (closer to African roots than African-inspired dances that came from slavery)

Hip hop dance

response to rap, mimics storytelling of the griots

Percussive movement

isolations and full-body response to the beat

1700s

tap dance

1880s-1930s

vaudeville

1920s

swing dance

1940s

jazz dance

1970s

hip hop

Where did jazz start?

Originated in AA dance scenes from 1800s to 1900s

Types of swing dance include:

Cakewalk, Charleston, Black Bottom, Jitterbug

What is jazz?

created in U.S. as a fusion of African dance, folk dance, ballet, and modern dance, inspired by jazz music age

Features of jazz

syncopated, energetic, isolation, sharp, dynamic, swinging or kicking movements, sustained and percussive movements

How did Black people influence jazz?

Slaves forced into Americas in 1600s, cut off from language, family, tribal traditions —> mix of African and European elements

Slave Act of 1740 prohibited slaves from playing African drums or performing African dances but his didn’t suppress desire to maintain this part of their culture

Similarities between early jazz dance and contemporary African dance

stamping feet, waving arms, clapping, deeply bent knees, body isolations

Minstrel

white people liking Black song and dance but deciding that Black people couldn’t dance —> Blackface

Vaudeville

short, unrelated acts -—> dancers, actors, singers, comedians, musicians, acrobats, etc.

Charleston

appearing in “Running Wild” on Broadway in 1923, originated from AA’s in 1903 off the coast of Charleston, SC

Jack Cole

one of the first jazz choreographers, choreographed 4 Broadway and movie musicals, gave jazz movements a sense of power and gravity, isolation, and syncopation = integral aspects of jazz today

Bob Fosse

expanded use of isolation and gesture, used physical limitations, lots of props

Foundations of hip hop

Bounce - lower body

Rock - upper body

Slide - traveling (ex. gliding)

Sway - figure 8 of shoulders

Roll - ex. bodyroll

Roots of hip hip

Who: DJ Kool Herc (“Father of Hiphop”) from Jamaica, block parties in the Bronx

What: style of movement characterized by bounces and rocks, A.A. culture, Black communities in 70s NYC, dance part of a whole culture, tap dance, swing, and modern dance

Where: W. Bronx, NYC

When: 1973

Why: Bronx in the 70s - rough and dangerous, drugs, crime, poverty, escape everyday struggles and invented own art forms, became a lifestyle

How: DJ Kool Herc credited with dance bash, toggled between turntables to isolate and extend percussion breaks, most danceable sections, West Coast Hiphop took Hiphop from East Coast, made moves more robotic, where popping and locking was born

5 Pillars of Hiphop

DJing: spinning records, writing music, etc.

MCing: “Masters of Ceremonies” talking or rapping to conduct a party

Graffiti: visual art used as rebellion

Breakdancing/Hiphop dancing: dance that involves hard hitting movements, B Boys and B Girls

Knowledge

Afro-diasporic mix of spiritual and political consciousness to empower members of marginalized groups, must participate in all 5 elements to be apart of Hiphop culture

Characteristics

Technique: bent knees, isolations, bouncing, up and down beats, relaxed vs. accents, gymnastics movements, lots of layering and differences in levels

Culturally: cultural and historic references, dance battles, cyphers (circles), many techniques (uprock, robotics, pop and lock, lyrical, krump)