 Poppin' Department The art of street dance through powerful muscle contractions, body waving, moonwalking, and electrifying animation. The Poppin' Department will offer three classes: Poppin' - Beginner Students will learn the history of the Poppin and acquire basic fundamental knowledge and experience of what it takes to become a great Popper. Students will also be guided through proper dance techniques and get basic experience with live performance. Poppin' - Intermediate Students will begin to acquire higher levels dance techniques and have a clear sense of their own style as well as their limits in techniques. Students will be exploring many new possibilities in their own art form. Poppin' - Advanced Students will be preparing to master their own style and technique, and they will be given direction in pursuing dance careers. They will also be taught the major differences between what makes someone a good Popper and what makes someone the best of the best. Students will get a chance to learn from the best of the best and students will develop themselves through live performances and Poppin' Competitions. Workshop Specifics
A short History & Description of Poppin' Some of the originators of Poppin' are Boogaloo Sam, Poppin' Pete, Bop n Andre, Poppin' Taco, Stokes, Boogaloo Shrimp, Animation, Tic Tac, Heckle 'n Jeckle, Fernie Fern, the One Arm Bandit, Flat Top and the Siberian Knights. Poppin' can be broken down into many different styles such as "Boogaloo", "Waving", "Hitting","Ticking", "Animating", "Strobe Light", "King Tuts", "Mime","Cartoon Characters", "Robot" and "Moon Walking". Each style is unique and can be identified immediately. It was on the West Coast where Poppin' originally developed in Fresno, Oakland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. All muscles contract and relax in the popper's body, causing a jerk referred to as a "Pop" or a "Hit". This is done to the rhythm of a beat in combination with various movements and poses. Poppin' includes symmetric and asymmetric movements and also movements in which a popper's arms and legs appear to come out of their joint sockets, independent of their bodies. When you "Boogaloo" every part of your body moves simultaneously in different directions with precise control. Even your neck, jaw, eyebrows, and tongue are Poppin'. To many observers, the most talented poppers appear to be cartoon-like or unreal. Poppin' becomes an optical illusion and is an electrifying element of Hip Hop. | |
