Dance
Freestyle dance: 4 tips from the pros to expand your skills
We explore the beginnings of freestyle dance and provide tips from the pros to help you expand your freestyle dancing skills.
Freestyle dance is an incredibly popular form of dance that goes beyond choreographed sets and allows dancers to channel their inner creativity to create their own moves. While there's certainly no wrong way to freestyle dance, there are some tricks and tips you can implement to get the most out of your dance session.
Who Invented Freestyle Dance?
Freestyle dancing, sometimes referred to as street dancing, is a unique type of dance that is based on improvisation rather than the choreography seen in other dance varieties. As the era of disco died, freestyle dancing was born in the early 1970s when dancers began to show off their freestyle skills on the streets and in public areas. New York and Los Angeles were home to several important locations that contributed to the birth and growth of freestyle dancing, while Jamaica played a role in the incarnation of reggae seen in some forms of freestyle dance.
Today, freestyle dance has evolved to be edgier and harder and has given birth to several other forms of dancing like krumping, street jazz, breakdancing, and popping and locking.
4 Tips to Take Your Freestyle Dancing to the Next Level
B-Boy Wing dancing at the Hotel Couvent des Minimes in Lille, France
© Little Shao/Red Bull Content Pool
While freestyle dancing is based on uniqueness and improvisation in the moment, there are several tips to keep in mind to take your dance moves to the next level. These tips include:
1. Just Start Moving
“Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are great because of their passion.” – Martha Graham
This tip may seem obvious; it's easy to get stuck in your head when first starting to freestyle dance. The purpose of freestyle dance is to express your own unique voice and create moves that are individual and improvised. Getting caught up with the ins and outs of freestyle dance often has a negative effect on the dancer's actual dancing. So, before anything else, push your fears and judgments aside and just start moving your body to the music.
2. Focus on One or Two Styles of Freestyle Dance
Rather than trying to master every style of freestyle dancing, choose one or two styles that feel right and focus on mastering those. There are several foundational styles of dancing that are based on where the dancers are dancing and the music that's popular in their area. Popular styles include rump, popping, locking, house, and breaking. Pick which style you gravitate most to and spend your time practicing the techniques of that style regularly.
B-Girl AT
© Maarit Halonen / Red Bull Content Pool
For example, if you really like robot freestyle dancing, practice the popping and locking technique that's commonly seen in this style of dancing. Once you've mastered popping and locking, move onto another dance move that's unique to robot dancing. Music that's great for robot dancing is techno, dubstep, and electro-funk.
3. Take a Dance Class
“I learned to appreciate repetition. That's why I can dance. It's how I learned to act. I have a high tolerance for repetition.” – Channing Tatum
Sure, freestyle dance is centered around improvisation, but that doesn't mean you can't take a dance class or two to learn new moves to incorporate into your freestyle dancing. Dance classes will expand your abilities and movement and give you ideas on how to broaden your freestyle dancing experience. A dance class will also introduce you to other movers' styles, which may ultimately lead you to find a new style of dancing you enjoy just as much.
And, a dance class gives you the chance to watch yourself dance in a mirror and for an audience, so you can get feedback and see just how awesome you look breaking it down.
Virginia Tomarchio and Lil G perform
© Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool
4. Activate Your Creativity
“Dance is the only art of which we ourselves are the stuff of which it is made.” – Ted Shawn
Freestyle dance is an incredible way to release your creativity and expand your understanding of yourself. But before you can do this, you must first learn how to activate your creativity. Most people don't go through the day focused on how they can express their creativity. In fact, for many, everyday life is a way of stifling our creativity. Luckily, there are several ways you can broaden your creative horizons and tap into your own unique spirit.
Visit an art show, watch a new TV show, read books, and take time to be in nature. Immerse yourself as much as possible in creative settings, even if it's just a walk through a new park. The more you can tap into your creativity, the better you'll be at freestyle dancing.
Incorporating these tips into your freestyle dance practice will help you hone your skills on the dance floor and express your creativity through dance in new and exciting ways.