Hip Hop Freestyle
FREEDOM TO EXPRESS!
Hip hop started out as a freestyle dance. All the dance styles associated with hip hop dance including locking, popping and breaking were initially improvisational in nature.
Choreographed routines emerged later in response to the need to create performances and for the commercial world and television.
Many hip hop dancers are interested in both choreography and freestyle however many dancers have a preference.
There are many dancers who are very good freestyle dancers but have a lot of difficulty with learning routines. The reverse is also true that some good dancers with routines are not so comfortable when they are not being given set moves to perform.
What Freestyle Dance Is
Freestyle is the improvisational aspect of dance.
As opposed to learning steps and routines to perform in a sequence decided beforehand, in freestyle the dancer uses their current knowledge and skills to dance how they feel in the moment.
Because of this you can never be sure quite what will come out in a freestyle jam.
Many freestyle dancers are also interested in battling where they will have a dance off against another dancer with one person declared the winner at the end.
Due to it being improvisational in nature, the dancer needs to have some knowledge of the dance style they are performing in to begin with...or else be extremely creative.
Freestyle can be a great way to develop a personal style because there are no real limits, the only real ones being to stay within a dance style in battles.
The dancer can also showcase their own moves and ideas, something which they may not have the chance to do with choreography.
Not all freestyle dancers take part in battles. In fact all freestyle is, is dancing on the spot with whatever comes to you as you listen to the music.
Therefore when you go out to a club, you are probably freestyling.
Freestyle circles (also known as ciphers) are also popular amongst experienced dancers with dancers going into the circle of their own choice and freestyling.