House dance is a

freestyle Freestyle may refer to: Brands * Reebok Freestyle, a women's athletic shoe * Ford Freestyle, an SUV automobile * Coca-Cola Freestyle, a vending machine * ICD Freestyle, a paintball marker * Abbott FreeStyle, a blood glucose monitor by Abbott Lab ...

street dance Street dance is an umbrella term for a large number of social dance styles such as: breakdancing, popping, locking, house dance, waacking etc. Social dance styles have many accompanying steps and foundations, created organically from a cult ...

and

social dance Social dances are dances that have a social functions and context. Social dances are intended for participation rather than performance. They are often danced merely to socialise and for entertainment, though they may have ceremonial, competiti ...

that has roots in the underground

house music House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by Disc jockey, DJs and music producers from Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago' ...

scene of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

and

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

.Phil Cheeseman: "The History Of House"
DJ Magazine, 2003. It is typically danced to loud and

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

-heavy electronic dance music provided by

DJs A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile ...

nightclubs A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music. Nightclubs gener ...

or at

rave A rave (from the verb: '' to rave'') is a dance party at a warehouse, club, or other public or private venue, typically featuring performances by DJs playing electronic dance music. The style is most associated with the early 1990s dance mu ...

Elements and characteristics

The main elements of House dance include "

jacking Jacking, Jackin’, or the jack is a freestyle dance move in which the dancer ripples their torso back and forth in an undulating motion. It emerged within the context of Chicago house music in the 1980s. Origins and interpretations The style ...

", " footwork", and "lofting". The element of "jacking", or the "jack", – an ecstatic, sex-driven rippling movement of the torso – is the most famous dance move associated with early house music.Simon Reynolds: ''Generation Ecstasy: Into the World of Techno and Rave Culture''. Routledge, 1999. pp. 28-29. It has found its way onto numerous record titles like the ''Jack Trax'' EP by

Chip E. Irwin Larry Eberhart II, better known by his stage name Chip E. (born 1966), is an American DJ and record producer. Life and career Born in Chicago, Illinois, Chip E. attended St. Ignatius College Prep, Kenwood Academy, Columbia College and ...

(1985), "Jack'n the House" (1985) by

Farley "Jackmaster" Funk Farley "Jackmaster" Funk (born Farley Keith Williams; January 25, 1962) is an American musician, DJ and record producer of Chicago house and acid house music. He is notable for writing and producing a number of highly influential tracks in the ...

(1985), " Jack Your Body" by

Steve "Silk" Hurley Steve W. "Silk" Hurley (born November 9, 1962), also known as J. M. Silk (for "Jack Master Silk"), is an American club DJ, house music producer, and songwriter. From 1985 to 1988, he had four top-10 singles on the US Dance chart, including the ...

(1986), or "Jack to the Sound of the Underground" by Fast Eddie (1988). House dance is often improvised and emphasizes fast and complex foot-oriented steps combined with fluid movements in the torso, as well as floor work. There is an emphasis on the subtle rhythms and

riff A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or acc ...

s of the music, and the footwork follows them closely.

Notable dancers

In the early progressions of the dance, there were hundreds of phenomenal dancers that were key in its progression in this social dance scene. However, out of the many there were few instrumental in the introduction of house dance culture across the globe. Some of these dancers are Ejoe Wilson, Brian "Footwork" Green, Tony McGregor, Marjory Smarth, Caleaf Sellers, "Brooklyn" Terry Wright, Kim D. Holmes, Akira (aka London) Mizuno, Shannon Mabra, Tony "Sekou" Williams, Shannon Selby (aka Shan S), Voodoo Ray, and others.

Competitions and festivals

House Dance International
International competition and festival focusing on House Dance (USA)
Juste Debout
Urban dance competition and festival, including House Dance as one major part of the event (France)
SDK Europe
Competition focusing on Hip Hop New Style, House Dance, Popping and Locking (Czech Republic)
House Dance Europe
(Italy)

(Japan)
HOUSEDANCEFOREVER
International House Dance battle (Netherlands)
House Dance Conference
(USA)

External links

*
Czarina Mirani: Spin Slide and Jack: A History of House Dancing
on

5 Magazine ''#5 Magazine'' is an online magazine founded and edited by Rio Ferdinand. History Ferdinand considered naming #5 ''Rio'', but felt it not a tangible option over time. The first issue was published in April 2009. #5 has featured celebrities su ...

, 2005.
Makkada B. Selah: Powder Burns – Essay on house dance
in

Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...

, 2007.
Barry Walters: Burning Down the House
in SPIN magazine, November 1986.

on DJ Magazine, December 2003.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:House Dance African-American dance Syllabus-free dance Culture of Chicago Culture of New York City