View source for Popping

{{Short description|Street dance style}}
{{About|the street dance style|other uses|Popping (disambiguation)}}
{{original research|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox dance
| name             = Popping
| native_name      = 
| native_name_lang = 
| etymology        = 
| image            = Popping.jpg
| alt              = 
| caption          = A choreographed popping performance
| genre            = [[Street dance]]
| signature        = 
| instruments      = 
| inventor         = 
| year             = Late 1970s
| origin           = 
}}
'''Popping''' is a [[street dance]] adapted out of the earlier [[Boogaloo (funk dance)|boogaloo]] cultural movement in [[Oakland, California]]. As boogaloo spread, it would be referred to as "robottin'" in [[Richmond, California]]; strutting movements in [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]] and [[San Jose, California|San Jose]]; and the Strikin' dances of the [[Oak Park, Sacramento, California|Oak Park]] community in [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]], which were popular through the mid-1960s to the 1970s.<ref>[https://www.kqed.org/arts/10145702/sf-and-oakland-hip-hop-histories-come-alive-in-this-dance-demo KQED Feature: SF & Oakland Hiphop Histories Come Alive in this Dance Demo]</ref><ref name="Guzman-Sanchez, T. 2012">Guzman-Sanchez, T. (2012) Underground Dance Masters: Final History of a Forgotten Era. Praeger.</ref>

Popping would be eventually adapted from earlier boogaloo (freestyle dance) movements in [[Fresno, California]], in the late 1970s by way of California high school gatherings of track and meet events: the West Coast Relays.<ref name="Guzman-Sanchez, T. 2012" /><ref>Higa, B. & Wiggins, C. (1996) "Electric Kingdom" The history of popping and locking, from the people who made it happen. ''[[Rap Pages]]''. Sep. 1996: 52-67. Print.</ref> The dance is rooted in the rhythms of live [[Funk|funk music]], and is based on the technique of boogaloo's posing approach, quickly contracting and relaxing muscles to cause a jerk, or can be a sudden stop in the dancer's body, referred to as a "pose", "pop" or a "hit".<ref>Fuhrer, M. (2014) American Dance: The Complete Illustrated History. Voyaguer Press</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">Guzman-Sanchez, T. (2012) "The Oakland Funk Boogaloo Generation". Underground Dance Masters: Final History of a Forgotten Era</ref><ref>The Preservatory Project (2019) Boogaloo Traditions: Interview with Kerney Mayers of The Black Messengers</ref> This is done continuously to the rhythm of a song, in combination with various movements and poses.<ref name="eb_history">{{cite web |title="Funk Styles" History & Knowledge |author=Electric Boogaloos |author-link=Electric Boogaloos |url=http://www.electricboogaloost.com/knowledge.html |access-date=2007-05-15 }}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The dance was popularized by a Fresno and Long Beach-based dance group called the [[Electric Boogaloos]], which mixed popping techniques with boogaloo.<ref name="Guzman-Sanchez, T. 2012" /> Closely related dance styles and techniques are often integrated into popping to create a more varied performance. These dance styles include the [[robot (dance)|robot]], waving and tutting. However, popping is distinct from [[Breakdancing|breaking]] and [[locking (dance)|locking]], with which it is often confused. A popping dancer is commonly referred to as a "popper".

Popping developed before [[Hip-hop|hip hop]] and helped influence the tradition of styles of [[Hip-hop dance|hip hop dancing]].<ref>Guzman-Sanchez, T. (2012) Underground Dance Masters: Final History of a Forgotten Era. Praeger</ref><ref>Martel, D. 1992 "Wrecking Shop (Live in Brooklyn)</ref> It is often performed in [[Street dance#Battles|battles]], in which participants try to outperform each other in front of a crowd, giving room for improvisation and freestyle moves that are seldom seen in shows and performances, such as interaction with other dancers and spectators. Popping, and related styles such as waving and tutting, have also been incorporated into the [[electronica]] dance scene to some extent, influencing new styles such as [[liquid and digits]] and [[turfing]].

==Terminology==
As stated earlier, ''popping'' has become the latest umbrella term for a group of closely related styles and techniques rooted in the boogaloo tradition that have often been combined, evolved or danced together with popping, some of which are seldom seen outside of popping contexts.<ref name="juste_debout">The popping category generally centers around the technique of popping, but much variation involving [[#Integrated styles and techniques|closely related styles]] is allowed.</ref>

==Characteristics==
Popping is centered around the technique of "popping", which means to quickly contract and relax muscles to create a jerking effect (a "pop" or "hit") in the body. It is also known as posing hard from the boogaloo tradition; this technique was innovated by the [[Oakland, California|Oakland]]-based boogaloo group the Black Messengers.<ref><Fuhrer, M. (2014) American Dance: The Complete Illustrated History. Voyaguer Press</ref><ref name="ReferenceA"/> Popping can be concentrated to specific body parts, creating variants such as arm pops, leg pops, chest pops and neck pops.<ref name="wiggles">{{cite web |title=Move Lessons |author=Mr. Wiggles |author-link=Mr. Wiggles |work=Dance Lessons |url=http://www.mrwiggles.biz/move_lessons.htm |access-date=2007-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517142757/http://www.mrwiggles.biz/move_lessons.htm |archive-date=2007-05-17 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Music==
With its roots in the late 1970s funk era, popping is commonly danced to [[funk]] and [[disco]] music. Popular artists include [[Zapp (band)|Zapp]], [[Dayton (band)|Dayton]], [[Dazz Band]] and [[Cameo (band)|Cameo]]. During the 1980s, many poppers also utilized [[electro music]], with artists such as [[Kraftwerk]], [[Yellow Magic Orchestra]], [[Egyptian Lover]] and [[World Class Wrecking Crew]]. More mainstream [[Hip-hop|hip hop music]] was also employed by poppers during the 1980s, including [[Afrika Bambaataa]], [[Kurtis Blow]], [[Whodini]] and [[Run-DMC]]. Today, it is common to see popping danced to more current music genres, such as modern hip hop (often [[experimental hip hop|abstract]]/[[instrumental hip hop]]) and various forms of [[electronic dance music]], such as [[dubstep]].

Poppers generally favor music with a straight and steady [[beat (music)|beat]] of 90–120 [[beats per minute]], a 4/4 [[time signature]], and a strong emphasis on the [[beat (music)|back beat]], normally by a [[snare drum]] or a [[drum machine]]. The pops are generally performed on every beat or on the distinct back beats. The popper can also choose to follow the music more freely, such as by timing the pops to the [[rhythm]] of a [[melody]] or other rhythmic elements.

== Variations ==
[[File:Moonwalk in Madrid.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A street dancer doing the [[moonwalk (dance)|backslide]] or ''"moonwalk"'', a common move in the [[floating (dance)|floating]] style often seen combined with popping]]

<span id="Animation"></span>
; Animation
: A style and a technique where the dancer imitates [[film]] characters being animated by [[stop motion]]. The technique of moving rigidly and jerky by tensing muscles and using techniques similar to [[strobing (dance)|strobing]] and the [[robot (dance)|robot]] makes it appear as if the dancer has been animated frame by frame. [[Walt Disney]] was the first to use this term, referring to his character Steam Boat Willie’s motions as "the animation dance" in 1929. This style was heavily inspired by the [[dynamation]] films created by [[Ray Harryhausen]], such as ''[[The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad]]'' (1958).<ref name="wiggles"/>

<span id="Electric Boogaloo"></span>
; Boogaloo
: Boogaloo or "bug'n" is an older umbrella name of [[Boogaloo (funk dance)|funk dances]] originating in Oakland, California.<ref name="Guzman-Sanchez, T. 2012"/> It can be described as a free-form dance style with loose movements trying to give the impression of a body lacking bones, partly inspired by [[animation|animated movies]] and [[cartoon]]s. It utilizes circular rolls of various body parts, such as the hips, chest, shoulders, knees and head; this technique is also referred to as "wormin" and isolates sections of the body toward funk rhythms, especially sectioning through separating the rib cage from the hip. "Wormin" was innovated by Jerry Rentie of One Plus One.,<ref>Guzman-Sanchez, T. "The Oakland Funk Boogaloo Generation". Underground Dance Masters: Final History of a Forgotten Era. Praeger, 2012, p. 18</ref> and the rolling of the chest or "wiggling" was innovated by Donald "Duck" Mathews.<ref>Hill, B. & Oakland Conservatory (2014) "Oakland Boogaloo: An Intro to Basic Movements with Chuck Powell" on</ref> It also makes heavy use of angles and various steps and transitions to get from one spot to the next.

<span id="Tutting"></span>
; Tutting/King Tut
: Inspired by the [[art of Ancient Egypt]] (the name derived from the Egyptian pharaoh [[Tutankhamun]], colloquially known as "King Tut"), tutting exploits the body's ability to create geometric positions (such as boxes) and movements, predominantly with the use of [[right angle]]s. It generally focuses on the arms and hands, and includes sub-styles such as [[finger tutting]].<ref>The Book of Dance 2012 – Page 129 1409322378 "Tutting was originally inspired by Egyptian hieroglyphics – the name is an abbreviation for the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. A form of popping, tutting is all about creating right angles using the arms ..."</ref>

==Notable poppers==
<!--Note to editors: Notable poppers must be cited!|This section is a frequent target for self-promotion. Poppers should be noted on an international level and especially noted for their popping skills. Being a popular internet dancer does not make them a popper (for instance, Nonstop and Dytto ARE NOT poppers). The list is sorted alphabetically by stage name.-->

* [[Michael Chambers|Boogaloo Shrimp (aka Michael Chambers)]]<ref name="breakin">[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086998/fullcredits Full cast] for [[Breakin']] at IMDB. Accessed 2009-08-03.</ref>
* [[Popin' Pete]]
* [[Marquese Scott|Nonstop]]
* [[Mr. Wiggles]]
* [[Suga Pop]]
* [[Salah (dancer)|Salah]]
* Skeeter Rabbit<ref>{{Citation |title=ALL FOR ONE - SKEETER RABBIT REST IN POWER 2016.09.11 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBzvvyr19tc |access-date=2023-09-08 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Slim Boogie]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dancemogul.com/news/slim-boogie-lets-talk-about-it-popping-2/|title=Slim Boogie Exclusive Interview|website=dancemogul.com|date=24 April 2019 |access-date=2019-05-07}}</ref>
*Mr. Animation<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://danceinforma.us/articles/vincent-mr-animation-foster-passes-away/|title=Vincent 'Mr. Animation' Foster passes away - Dance Informa USA|website=danceinforma.us|date=22 October 2016 |access-date=2018-09-28}}</ref>
* [[Poppin John]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thisiswod.com/meet-poppin-john-from-nbc-world-of-dance-season-3/|title=Meet Poppin John From NBC World Of Dance Season 3|website=thiswod.com|access-date=2019-05-07}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Hip-hop dance]]
* [[Locking (dance)]]
* [[Turfing]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wiktionary}}
{{African-American dance}}
{{Street dance}}

[[Category:Popping (dance)]]
[[Category:Funk dance]]
[[Category:Syllabus-free dance]]
[[Category:Hip-hop dance]]
[[Category:Street dance]]