Street dance
Umbrella term for social dance styles born in urban spaces.
Street dance is an umbrella term for a large number of social dance styles, including breakdancing, popping, locking, house dance, waacking, voguing, and hip-hop dance. These vernacular dances are improvisational and social in nature, created organically from a culture, a moment in time, and a way of life, influenced by natural social interaction in an urban context. The style is defined by its origins outside formal dance studios, emerging during the 1970s in any available open space such as streets, dance parties, block parties, parks, school yards, raves, and nightclubs. This development was partly driven by the exclusion of African Americans from dance studios due to racial discrimination, making public spaces the primary venues for creative expression. Historically, street dance has served as a dance of young people, offering a sense of freedom and providing a voice to unrepresented communities. Because it encompasses a mix of styles, its precise geographic origin cannot be pinpointed, though America is the birthplace of most major street styles. Breakdance originated in the Bronx, and Lite Feet emerged in Harlem, both in New York City, while popping and locking developed during the 1970s funk era in California. An earlier form of street dance is clogging, which evolved in the streets and factories of Northern England in the mid-19th century. Each style within street dance has its own accompanying steps and foundations, shaped by the vernacular culture of its geographical area, and the dances are inherently improvisational, encouraging interaction and contact with spectators and other dancers.
- field
- Social dance styles
- known_for
- Originating outside dance studios in streets, parks, and clubs; giving voice to unrepresented communities
Lore & Background
Street dance is an umbrella term encompassing numerous social dance styles, including breakdancing, popping, locking, house dance, waacking, voguing, and hip-hop dance. These styles are vernacular dances, meaning they are improvisational and social by nature, arising organically from the culture, moment, and way of life of a community. They are performed in urban contexts and encourage interaction with spectators and other dancers. The appearance of street dance varies widely by style, but all share a foundation of steps created through natural social interaction rather than formal studio training. The range of street dance is global, though its most influential styles originated in the United States: breakdance emerged in the Bronx, Lite Feet in Harlem, and popping and locking developed in California during the 1970s funk era. An earlier form, clogging, evolved in the streets and factories of Northern England in the mid-19th century. The habitat of street dance is any available open space outside of dance studios—streets, dance parties, block parties, parks, school yards, raves, and nightclubs. This setting was partly a result of racial exclusion, as African Americans who created many of these styles were historically not accepted into dance studios. A defining characteristic of street dance is its role as a dance of young people, offering a sense of freedom and providing a voice to unrepresented communities. It is a vernacular part of the geographical area from which it comes, reflecting the culture and social interactions of its practitioners.
Reader's Guide
Due to the mix of styles within street dance, its origin cannot be traced to one precise area, but America is the birthplace of most street styles. Breakdance originated in the Bronx and Lite Feet emerged in Harlem, both in New York City, while popping and locking developed during the 1970s funk era in California. Clogging, which evolved in the streets and factories of Northern England in the mid-19th century, is an early form of street dance. These dances are a part of the vernacular culture of the geographical area that they come from, encouraging interaction and contact with spectators and other dancers.
Did You Know?
- Street dance evolved during the 1970s outside dance studios in any available open space.
- African Americans who created street dance were generally not accepted into dance studios because of their race.
- Breakdance originated in the Bronx, while popping and locking developed during the 1970s funk era in California.
- Clogging, which evolved in the streets and factories of Northern England in the mid-19th century, is an early form of street dance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Street dance?
Street dance is a broad umbrella term for a family of social dance styles that developed organically in urban settings rather than in formal training environments. It covers forms such as breakdancing, popping, locking, house, waacking, voguing, and hip-hop dance.
What styles fall under the Street dance umbrella?
The category groups together several distinct social dances, including breakdancing, popping, locking, house dance, waacking, voguing, and hip-hop dance. Each grew out of a particular community and moment in time but shares a common improvisational, urban heritage.
Where did Street dance originate?
These styles were born in streets, parks, and clubs rather than in choreography studios. They were shaped by everyday social interaction and the rhythms of urban life, making them deeply tied to a specific place and culture.
What makes Street dance different from studio-based dance?
Street dance is inherently improvisational and social, emerging from a living culture and a particular moment rather than from a fixed repertory. Its roots in unrepresented communities give it a raw, organic quality that formal studio traditions typically lack.
Why is Street dance culturally significant?
It provided a creative voice to communities that were often excluded from mainstream artistic institutions. By turning ordinary urban spaces into stages, it transformed lived experience into a shared, expressive language for entire neighborhoods.
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