Street Dance

Street dance is a family of dance styles that grew up outside dance studios, in streets, parks, clubs and parties. It includes hip-hop, breaking, popping, locking and house, and it's all about rhythm, attitude and personal style. Dancers learn set routines, called choreography, and also freestyle, making up moves on the spot to the music.

Hip-hop dance grew out of hip-hop culture in New York in the 1970s, and it's all about grooves, bounces and feeling the beat. Breaking, often called breakdancing, mixes standing moves called toprock with fast footwork on the floor, spins and freezes. It even made its Olympic debut in Paris in 2024.

Popping uses quick muscle contractions to make the body look like it's jolting to the beat, while locking is fun and bouncy, with sudden pauses, big points and wrist rolls. House dance is light and fast on the feet, with lots of smooth, flowing steps.

Your Activity Leader starts with a warm-up to get everyone moving and loose. Then you learn a few basic grooves, like the bounce and the rock, so you can feel the rhythm. Next comes the routine, broken into small chunks and counted in eights, and you practise each part until it clicks. Finally, you put it all together to the music, and there might even be a chance to show off in a cypher, which is a circle where dancers take turns in the middle.

Yes, and it's a brilliant way for children to build confidence. Every move is taught step by step, so beginners can keep up, while more experienced dancers are challenged to add their own style. Remembering a routine gets the brain working as well as the body. Most of all, it's a chance to move, laugh and cheer each other on, and grown-ups often find the moves harder than the kids do.

Comfortable clothes you can move in and trainers with a good grip are ideal. Bring a bottle of water too, as it's energetic.

You might also like K-Pop Dance, TikTok Dances and Afrobeats Dance.

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