4 Hip Hop Moves to Keep You in Shape

However, Hip Hop is a fun way to get in exercise and get your body fit. Yes, it does count as exercise. Just because it is done to music and the dancer is happy while he is working does not mean that it is not work.  Hip Hop dance burns more calories than jogging (400 per hour). Many celebrities use Hip Hop in their fitness routines.

It takes a little practice to get good at Hip Hop, but you are working out and dancing from the moment you begin. There is no wrong way to dance, unless you try something crazy and hurt yourself. Short of that, Hip Hop was created by dancers who wanted to perfect a form they had in their own minds. Some of the steps were so good that others adopted them and they became part of the standards of Hip Hop. We are going to show you four beginner Hip Hop steps that will allow you to join the Hip Hop craze today!

Before You Begin

The first thing you want to do is wear the proper clothing. We all know jeans are not comfortable to dance in unless you are a seasoned pro and many of us do not feel comfortable in wearing a leotard. The solution is harem pants. They are gathered in the right places to keep them out of your way, with plenty of room to move. Once you are dressed right, your brain will be signaled that is time to have some fun. It will produce and distribute the right chemicals to keep you going. You can get your dance pants and dance shoes online at Move U.

The Step and Slide

This is an easy step, though it does take a little practice. To do this, you need to stand with legs apart, on your toes, and a loose upper body. You are going to do a series of steps, left to right while moving your arms. Most beginners clap on step to keep their time. You can clap on step if it will make it easier. Soon you will be moving your hands to the body as you step. First, you will step left and step right twice. Keep your knees bent. Then you will do a double step left and a double step right. Finally, you will take a wide step and slide to the direction of your step. For a tutorial, click here.

This is a very basic step that you will see often. It is a good base move to keep in your routines.

The Bounce and Cross

Standing with your feet apart, bend the knees.You are going to bounce left to right to a count of 8. As you go out you will make a cross in front of your body and when you return to your center, uncross them. You need to use a lot of bounce and movement.  If you are Hip Hop dancing to get in shape, this is your dance move. Just exaggerate your move. This is a simple, yet high-energy step. Here is a tutorial to help you.

The Bend and Point

Still staying with the theme of dancing with the bounce, we are changing the basic move a bit for this, more sophisticated step. With each step, you will stand centered with your knees bent, heels on the ground. You will bounce your body left to right with a bounce but do not move your feet. As you bounce out, push your arms in front of you and as you bounce in, pull them back to you. Use a lot of movement in your upper body and a lot of bounce in the legs. Here is an example of the step.

Again, this is a high-energy move that will get your heart rate up and help you get in shape fast. But it is not difficult. Check out the video attached.

Floating

When a Hip Hop dancer is “Floating” they are creating the illusion that they are dancing in the air. The position of the foot as you are in motion blocks the contact spot from vision. It sounds harder than it is. This is one of the original Hip Hop moves.

The three main moves are:

• The float
• The glide
• Sliding

These are very basic moves that dancers are taught early on in their training.

The entire purpose to make it appear that there is no friction between the floor and the dancer’s shoes. As you progress, you will learn to “knee-float”. This is a variation that looks awesome in action.

Here is a step-by-step video. This is as basic as it gets. If you are going to Hip Hop dance, you have to master this one.

Warning

Hip Hop is fun and you will master these basics in no time. You will see dancers that just defy gravity. Be smart. Do not try any moves that you have not researched and rehearsed. You will get there with time. But you have to do the work. If you start trying hand spins and head spins and you don’t know how to do them, you will find yourself at an emergency room. Your neck and wrists have the last word on your readiness for these moves. So go slow and let those who know how to do it, show you. 

There are plenty of Hip Hop videos on the internet that you can view, or better yet, head to the park or the local studio and see some good dancers in action. You may start Hip Hop dancing to get in shape, but you will never stop.