Beginner Hip-Hop Vocabulary

Showdown between dancers who earn respect not merely for tricks but for originality and flair

• Freestyle

• B-Boy

• B-Girl

• Crew

• Battle

Moving muscles to the beat; outward away from the body and inward repeatedly

• Popping

• Krumping

• House

• Voguing

• Locking

A mix of jazz and hip-hop

• Tutting

• Jazz Funk

• Lyrical Hip-Hop

• Clowning

• Breaking

Male break dancers

• Freestyle

• B-Boy

• B-Girl

• Crew

• Battle

Female break dancers

• Freestyle

• B-Boy

• B-Girl

• Crew

• Battle

Group of hip-hop dancers

• Freestyle

• B-Boy

• B-Girl

• Crew

• Battle

Improvisation/Making up the moves on the spot

• Freestyle

• B-Boy

• B-Girl

• Crew

• Battle

Action that a dancer does when they “Lock” into every position

• Popping

• Krumping

• House

• Voguing

• Locking

Street-based dance that incorporates intricate body movements, coordination, style, and aesthetics

• Tutting

• Jazz Funk

• Lyrical Hip-Hop

• Clowning

• Breaking

Highly energetic movement that is a free expression using mostly the arms and chest and is a fusion of clowning and hip-hop

• Popping

• Krumping

• House

• Voguing

• Locking