HIP HOP

Foundations & Flow

MCing DJing GRAFFITI BREAKING KNOWLEDGE

August 11, 1973

1520 Sedgwick Avenue

In a recreation room in the Bronx, DJ Kool Herc threw a "Back to School Jam." He noticed that people waited for the "break" in the record—the part with just drums—to dance.

The Innovation

"The Merry-Go-Round" technique: Using two turntables to loop that drum break indefinitely.

The result?

Breaking was born.
Dancers who moved during the breaks were called "B-Boys" and "B-Girls."

The 5 Pillars

MCing

The voice. Spoken word, rhyming, and crowd control.

DJing

The sound. Manipulation of records and rhythm.

GRAFFITI

The visual. Writing and art in public spaces.

BREAKING

The movement. Toprock, Downrock, Freezes, and Power moves.

KNOWLEDGE

The 5th Element. Understanding history and social justice.

The Movement Spectrum

Toprock

The upright portion of the dance. Focuses on coordination, flexibility, and "burning" your opponent with style.

The Indian Step

The Kick Step

Downrock

The floor-based work. Using hands and feet to orbit the center of gravity. Ends in a Freeze (a sudden stop in a difficult pose).

6-Step

The CC

The Cypher (The Circle)

In Hip Hop, the dance floor is a Cypher. It's a circle of people where dancers take turns in the middle.

Rule: No Touching

Battling is a war of skill and wit, not physical violence.

Rule: No "Biting"

Never steal someone else's move without giving them credit. Originality is king.

WHY?

Hip Hop was a way to resolve conflict and gain status without the use of weapons.

CULTURAL IMPACT

"Hip hop is not just music or dance. It is a way of existing in the world when the world doesn't want you there."

Hip Hop Foundations

Hip Hop Foundations Slides

The Cypher Map Worksheet

Hip Hop Battle Guide