Why Start Hip-Hop? Why Street Dance?

Why start hip-hop? Why street dance?

I’m not going to bash other sports or dance genres. They all have value, and there are plenty of brilliant athletes, artists and coaches across all of them. But if we’re talking about getting started, there is something quite special about street dance.

The barrier to entry can be remarkably low.

Think about it. If you want to play certain sports, you generally need access to a proper field, court or facility, along with equipment and the right environment to participate safely. And that's before you even get to coaching. Good coaches should absolutely be paid properly. Their knowledge, experience, track record and ability to bring out the best in an athlete are valuable. You are trusting somebody with yourself or your child, after all.

But the cost and practical requirements of simply finding out whether you enjoy something can sometimes be quite high.

Take painting. You need a canvas, paint, brushes and all the other bits and pieces before you've even decided whether you're any good at it.

Rugby is another simple example. Yes, technically you can start without boots, but you still need a ball and, more importantly, a reasonably large, clear space where you can run around and throw yourself at another human being without introducing unnecessary trips to the emergency department.

And, as an aside, I always find it funny when people call rugby a contact sport.

Dance is a contact sport because you touch someone.

Rugby is a collision sport because you're trying to knock someone off their feet.

Anyway, back to dance.

One of the great things about street dance is that you don't need much to start. Put on a pair of sneakers and you've already got most of what you need.

You can dance in your lounge. Your bedroom. A classroom. A courtyard. A playground. A garage. On grass. On a basketball court. Pretty much anywhere there is enough space to move without taking out a lamp or frightening the neighbours.

That freedom matters.

You're not restricted to a particular venue or a particular piece of equipment. The dance can travel with you.

And then there's the question of how you want to express yourself.

This is another thing I love about dance. There are so many different ways to find your identity through movement, music and even clothing.

Maybe you're drawn to hip-hop and street styles and you love the relaxed, oversized look that comes with that culture. Perhaps Krump speaks to you because you want something powerful and explosive.

Or maybe you want to dress up.

You might be drawn to ballroom or Latin. Perhaps Vogue or Waacking is more your thing. There is a reason why Vogue and Waacking events can be called a "Ball". You dress up, you create a persona, you walk into the room and you present yourself.

And if that gives you a way to express a side of your personality that doesn't normally get much space, then brilliant.

That's one of the beautiful things about dance.

You don't necessarily have to change who you are. Sometimes you discover more of who you are.

But there is another reason I think dance is such a valuable activity, particularly for young people.

It teaches you how to operate both inside and outside your comfort zone.

For a large part of your development, you might learn choreography. A sequence of movements is taught to you, you practise it repeatedly, you clean it, refine it and eventually perform it.

There is a certain safety in that.

You know what's coming. You know what the next eight counts are. You know where you're supposed to be standing. You have had time to prepare.

That's important, particularly when you're developing confidence.

But eventually, you have to step outside that safety.

You might find yourself in a battle or freestyle situation where you don't know what music is coming next. You don't know what the other dancer is going to do. Nobody has handed you the next eight counts.

Now what?

You have to respond.

You have to adapt.

You have to make a decision in the moment and put yourself out there.

And there is nowhere to hide.

Sometimes it goes brilliantly.

Sometimes it doesn't.

That's actually the point.

You learn that you can survive being uncomfortable. You learn that not every attempt has to be perfect. You learn how to recover when something doesn't go according to plan.

And eventually, you become more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

That's a pretty useful skill for life.

Because life doesn't give you choreography.

There are no eight counts telling you exactly what happens next.

Sometimes you need the preparation and structure of choreography. Sometimes you need the courage and adaptability of freestyle.

Dance gives you both.

And perhaps that's one of the best reasons to start. You don't need much to begin, but there is an enormous amount that you can learn once you do.