Pop dance is a form of street and funk dance that involves rapid contracting and relaxing of the body’s muscles to the rhythm of the music. It is performed on the dance floor or in front of a crowd, and can incorporate many other movements and poses to create a unique performance. Popping is often seen in battles, where participants try to outperform each other in front of an audience. The style originated in the early 1970s, and its practitioners are known as ‘poppers’.
Although popping has been influenced by hip hop dancing and has its own distinct character, it is often considered to be separate from the more stylized styles of breakdancing and locking. Popping was originally conceived as a way of expressing individuality and creativity, and many OG poppers created their own techniques to add an extra flair to their performances. These include ‘animation’, which imitates the motion of an animated character by tensing and releasing the body in sequence. ‘Tutting’, on the other hand, involves making geometric shapes with the arms and legs to impress an audience.
Popular dance acts as a cultural mirror, reflecting societal trends and attitudes and bringing together people of diverse backgrounds in celebration and communal expression. Despite economic adversity, religious prohibitions and the challenges of ephemerality, dance continues to thrive, as it is a powerful medium that can uplift the human spirit.
