I am trying to develop a hip hop dance curriculum for my studio and I am coming up short. Hip hop is what I do and know best, but from what I have found it doesn't have a lot of certain names for steps such as ballet, jazz, and tap. Breaking has set names for movements but I'm focusing on more than that. Anyone have any ideas on where I can find good info to help with my curriculum?

Any info is much appreciated.

Hey Tiffany!

Are you creating it for other teachers? Or for yourself?

I think that outside of true hip-hop (popping/locking/whacking) there is no contemporary vocabulary for what is involved.

If you are teaching it in it's most current form, it has evolved so much, there are 50 zillion variations. You can go to any large metropolitan dance studio and take a "hip-hop" class and have an endless variety if interpretations.

Maybe you want to include a class structure and some key things you want accomplished, but it is so different than the other genres.

Even levels are tricky, because the difference is usually in the amount of material given and how intricate the movement is. Generally a beginner class is a watered down version of a more advanced class. It's not clear where to distinguish by an actual skill (ie a beginner in jazz is working on placement for turns and an advanced students is doing 3 + pirouettes)

Usually, the base technique of jazz class provides a through line for other classes. You may have a different style introduced, but your core tech is the same.

Not so for hip-hop. You may thrive in one style and look amazing and then go take another style and look ridiculous until you absorb the new movement quality.

Sorry for the long explanation, but I'm not sure that it's possible to write a curriculum unless it's for old school.

Oh my goodness! I have asked this question before, but I now actually have a slight answer for you. Although I've NEVER seen a hip hop curriculum ANYWHERE, I chose for my senior project for my dance B.A. to create one. So, it's a little slim, and could definitely get bulked up, I used lots of different resources, and kinda followed the DMA Jazz Curr. as a guide. PM me if you want more info.. maybe our two brains could bulk it up, and actually make something good!

i_am_me wrote:

Hey Tiffany!

Are you creating it for other teachers? Or for yourself?

I think that outside of true hip-hop (popping/locking/whacking) there is no contemporary vocabulary for what is involved.

If you are teaching it in it's most current form, it has evolved so much, there are 50 zillion variations. You can go to any large metropolitan dance studio and take a "hip-hop" class and have an endless variety if interpretations.

Maybe you want to include a class structure and some key things you want accomplished, but it is so different than the other genres.

Even levels are tricky, because the difference is usually in the amount of material given and how intricate the movement is. Generally a beginner class is a watered down version of a more advanced class. It's not clear where to distinguish by an actual skill (ie a beginner in jazz is working on placement for turns and an advanced students is doing 3 + pirouettes)

Usually, the base technique of jazz class provides a through line for other classes. You may have a different style introduced, but your core tech is the same.

Not so for hip-hop. You may thrive in one style and look amazing and then go take another style and look ridiculous until you absorb the new movement quality.

Sorry for the long explanation, but I'm not sure that it's possible to write a curriculum unless it's for old school.

hey meezy!!!! missed you girl!

anyway, you hit it right on the head. it's constantly evolving which makes it hard to put a name on things. i used to teach the "heel toe," but that is no longer something current so i have taken it out of my classes. that would almost be like teaching "the running man" which is serious old school.

dancebear, i will be pming you as soon as i finish this reply! maybe we can come up with some things together.

thanks guys!!

I do think it is important to have a curriculum when you teach dance and have levels. This idea that everything is " new" is just crazy. You can use cross over names for steps from, jazz, ballet , and other forms of dance. Not learning names and technique is just a bad excuse for bad teaching. I admire you for understanding that you need to be a good teacher.
An idea for class:
Warm up
Stretch
Steps that move across the floor
Steps that stay in place
free dance
Set choreographed routines
Good luck

ms_tiffy wrote:

that would almost be like teaching "the running man" which is serious old school.

Yes love...that dates back to MY prime. hehehe. I can bust me a running man...and the smurf...AND the roger rabbit. HA!

Let me know if you come up with a base of ideas.

BalletLI wrote:

You can use cross over names for steps from, jazz, ballet , and other forms of dance. Not learning names and technique is just a bad excuse for bad teaching.

If you are teaching b-boying and Campbell Locking, animation, freezing, and the six-step...yes..then it's in it's original form and there are names. HOWEVER, there are NO names for many of today's hip-hop steps.

And while a hip hop class generally begins with a warm-up, isolations, stretching, it generally does not involve the use of much ballet or jazz vocabulary.

Ahhhh !!!!! Okay you can hate me for this if you'd like, but the running man isn't just old school!!! Alot of new-style hip-hop groups incorporate the running man, as well as alot of other old-school moves. I can send you a few links if you'd like.

I've got a very basic hip-hop syllabus that I had to create while I was teaching at my old studio. The other teachers weren't very hip-hop friendly (they were jazz teachers teaching studio hip-hop) so the owner asked me to create a syllabus. It isn't much and some of it is probably a little outdated but I can totally e-mail it to you if you'd like. Goes for anyone. I've sent it to a few teachers before on here and from what they wrote back it helped them alot. Let me know!! It's got stuff for b-boying, popping, locking, and basics for different levels of skill.

tappingangel wrote:

Ahhhh !!!!! Okay you can hate me for this if you'd like, but the running man isn't just old school!!!

How funny. Well I'll have to bust my running man out again.

tappingangel,
I would love a copy of your hip hop curriculum. I just started teaching and am trying to gather some basics together.

Thanks!

Okay so just to show you what I meant I went back to find links. I'm so sorry for jacking the thread so this will be my last post about this.

tappingangel, i would love a copy...e-mail, dance76jul@aol.com

I am running a new studio going into our 2nd year, I am hoping to hire a hiphop teacher next year...so, for now I am teaching all of the hiphop!!!

can you also send it to me too? jlfreeburn@yahoo.com. Thanks!!

I would love a copy as well!!
misskris@shaw.ca

Thanks so much! It is greatly appreciated!

Me too! I took a year off from teaching hip hop and I really need some fresh ideas.

AshleeD2X@aol.com

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

Me too! Me too! I'll pm you my email address. ThANKS!!!

tappingangel i will pm you. my problem is mainly distinguishing what is most important to put in a basic curriculum.

I would love a copy too!! bambooslinkeygirl (at) yahoo (dot) com

THANKS!!

I have a Hip Hop curriculum created by Regan Marie which I purchased from musicworksunlimited.com. I use this as a basis and have teachers expand/add their own stuff. I also have a DVD called "Hip Hop For Kids" that I purchased from Cathy Roe Productions.

Yes, there is so much variance and change in Hip Hop, but I've found it helpful to have a curriculum in place for some basics. BTW, we still teach the old school stuff like Running Man and Roger Rabbit. The younger kids love it and the older ones think these steps are hilarious.

I would love a copy as well. Thanks so much. suebruce@frontiernet.net

tappingangel, I would love a copy, too. My email is dancejem (at) gmail (dot) com. Thank you so much!

I would LOVE a copy of the syllabus too! I find it so hard to get started and back in the swing of things after summer vacation so it would be amazing for something to get the juices flowing!

ltapply19@hotmail.com

Thanks!!!

tapping angel

your curriculum is awesome!!! thank you so much for sharing it!

HI. Can I please get a copy of the hip hop syllabus. Email is lilmo3k@aol.com. Thanks!!!

I would also love a copy of your hip hop syllabus if you are still sending it out. Email: Marisa@ballarddance.com
Thanks!!

we're gonna have to start a tip jar for tappingangel! lol!!!