Lyrical

Lyrical dance is a dance that involves lots of creative expression. It usually tells the story of a piece of music through movements. It combines ballet and jazz to express emotion.  The moves are soft and flowing.  The costume is also very important, showing feeling and explanation of the music.

                            Modern

Modern Dance uses steps and movements from ballet but dances to instrumental, jazz, or popular music.  Modern Dancers are also set apart from others because they dance in bare feet. They want to feel the connection with the dance floor.  Modern dancers always find new ways of moving.  Most, like to create their own dances.

Considering its name, you’d think modern dance was developed today. However, it wasn’t.  It began in the 1900s in the United States.  A woman named Isadora Duncan was the first modern dancer.

                                    Hip Hop

Hip Hop is a type of dance that is done to Hip Hop music. Hip Hop dances are considered street dances because of how they were formed.  Hip Hop can be broke down into 2 categories.  They are Old School and New School.

Old School are styles that evolved in the 1970’s and 1980’s.  These were primarily dance to funk and old school hip hop.  Break dancing is the best know Old School dance.  It is considered to be the corner stone of Hip Hop culture.

New School Styles have a more uptight, aggressive approach.  In the 1990s when the music changed, so did the dancing.

Hip Hop in dance studios practice elements of hip hop with jazz styles.  Since Hip Hop is so broad the choreographer has a lot of freedom.  Classes encourage students to use their bodies and creative minds when dancing.