Krumping

Krumping is a type of dance culture that evolved through African-American street dancing popularized in the United States during the early 2000s, characterized by free, expressive, exaggerated, and highly energetic movement. The people who originated krumping saw the dance as a means for them to escape gang life.

Origins

The root word ''krump'' came from the lyrics of a 1990 song and is sometimes explained as a backronym for Kingdom Radically Uplifted Mighty Praise, which presents krumping as a faith-based art form. Krumping was created by dancers: Ceasare "Tight Eyez" Willis, Marquisa "Miss Prissy" Gardner, Christopher "Lil' C" Toler and Jo'Artis "Big Mijo" Ratti in South Central, Los Angeles, during the early 2000s.Koslow, Jessica. "Getting Back to the Essence of Krump." PBS SoCal, https://www.pbssocal.org/history-society/getting-back-to-the-essence-of-krump. Accessed ateBrame, Karen D. "Rize (2005)." Blacklisted Culture, https://blacklistedculture.com/rize-2005/. Accessed ate"Rize (2005) - Full Cast & Crew." IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436724/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st#cast. Accessed ate ''Clowning'' is the less aggressive predecessor to krumping and was created in 1992 by Thomas "Tommy the Clown" Johnson in Compton, California.

In the 1990s, Johnson and his dancers—known as the Hip Hop Clowns—performed clowning for children's’ birthday parties and other general-public functions. In contrast, krumping focuses on highly-energetic battles and dramatic movements which Tommy the Clown describes as intense, fast-paced, and sharp. CBS News compared the intensity of krumping to that of moshing. Although krumping was not directly created by Tommy, it was inspired by his “clowning”. Originally, Willis and Ratti were clown dancers for Tommy, but as their dancing was considered too "rugged" and "raw" for clowning, they left and developed krumping. Tommy eventually opened a clown-dancing academy and started the Battle Zone competition at the Great Western Forum where krump crews and clown crews could come together and battle each other in front of an audience of their peers.

Clowning

In the 1990s, Johnson and his dancers—known as the Hip Hop Clowns—performed clowning for children's’ birthday parties and other general-public functions. In contrast, krumping focuses on highly-energetic battles and dramatic movements which Tommy the Clown describes as intense, fast-paced, and sharp. CBS News compared the intensity of krumping to that of moshing. Although krumping was not directly created by Tommy, it was inspired by his “clowning”. Originally, Willis and Ratti were clown dancers for Tommy, but as their dancing was considered too "rugged" and "raw" for clowning, they left and developed krumping. Tommy eventually opened Tommy's Hip-Hop Clown Academy and started the Battle Zone competition at the Great Western Forum where krump crews and clown crews could come together and battle each other in front of an audience of their peers.

** Clowning vs. Krumping video by SoCal Locale
** Clowning derives from krumping created by Tommy the Clown originating in South Central Los Angeles. Clowning has now evolved into krumping but incorporates a very theatrical and high energy dance style with entertainment and humor added into it.
** Thomas Johnson (Tommy the Clown) is known as the creator of “clowning”, he invented this dance style in 1992 in a way to enhance his birthday party acts. He uses this to uplift and entertain the youth.
* Costumes and face paint
** The costumes and face paint is used to entertain the youth while him and his dance camp dances (Tommy the Clown Academy). And he started off being a clown at this little girl’s birthday party and introduced clowning that day when he took the job and didn’t stop using the look because it entertained the youth.

Pioneers of Krump

# Pioneers of Krump
#* Tommy the Clown: Created clowning back in 1992 which evolved into krumping. He is credited as being the “Godfather of Krumping” because krumping derives from clowning
#* Ceasare “Tight Eyez” Willis: Known for co-creating krump in the early 2000s in South Central Los Angeles. He is a dancer, choreographer and actor and has appeared in numerous films involving krump like “Stomp the Yard” and “Step Up 4”.
#* Jo’Artis “Big Mijo” Ratti: Known to be the creator of krump alongside Tight Eyez. He has been teaching the foundation of Krump and freestyle for over 10 years.

Film

''Rize's documentary, ''Rize in Los Angeles. He says of the movement: "What Nirvana was to rock-and-roll in the early '90s is what these kids are to hip-hop. It's the alternative to the bling-bling, tie-in-with-a-designer corporate hip-hop thing." LaChapelle was first introduced to krumping when he was directing Christina Aguilera's music video "Dirrty". After deciding to make a documentary about krumping, LaChapelle produced a short film titled ''Krumped,'' which was screened at the 2004 Aspen Shortsfest, and gained more funding to produce a longer version as a result of the positive response. In 2005, the longer version was released as ''Rize'' and screened at the Sundance Film Festival, the Auckland International Film Festival, and several other film festivals outside the United States.

The film has received criticism about the portrayal of inner-city, black youth as ghetto, violent, and unable to overcome their less than fortunate circumstances.

''Bring It On: All or Nothing'' (2006)

Directed by Steve Rash

Main character Britney, played by actress Hayden Panetierre, is exposed to krumping when she transfers to an urban school.

''Stomp The Yard'', (2007)

Directed by Sylvain White

Actor and choreographer, Columbus Short, plays the lead role in ''Stomp the Yard''. His character, DJ Williams blends the high-energy expression of krumping with the rhythmic cadence of stepping. While on set, Columbus threw his arm out of socket while learning the fundamentals of krumping from pioneer Lil C.

Television

Krumping’s global spread owes much to the efforts of key figures like Christopher “Lil C” Toler and Marquesa “Miss Prissy” Gardner. Lil C’s appearance as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance brought Krumping into the homes of millions worldwide, further solidifying his role as an ambassador of the style. Miss Prissy, often referred to as the “Queen of Krump,” not only contributed significantly to the documentary Rize, but also performed with major artists like Madonna, helping to popularize Krumping internationally. Both dancers continue to inspire new generations of Krumpers through their performances, teaching, and choreography.

Aside from ''Rize'', krumping appeared in several music videos including Missy Elliott's " I'm Really Hot”, The Black Eyed Peas' " Hey Mama", Chemical Brothers' " Galvanize" and Madonna's "Hung Up". Krumping is also demonstrated in Skinny Puppy's "Pro-Test" video, and displays several other aspects of krumping.

Krumping has also appeared in the movies '' Bring It On: All or Nothing'', '' Step Up'', '' Stomp the Yard'' and ''Climax''; the television series ''Community;'' and the reality dance competitions ''So You Think You Can Dance'', ''Street Dance of China,'' and ''America's Best Dance Crew''. Russell Ferguson. The original web series ''The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers'' also featured a krump dance in season one during the fifth episode, "The Lettermakers." It has also spawned "Marge Krumping", a 2016 meme taken from ''The Simpsons'' episode " Little Orphan Millie," where the character Marge tries to cheer up Bart by krumping, albeit unsuccessfully.

Krumping has since spread to many countries around the world.

Global Impact

Liberia

In the years leading up to the popularity of krumping in Liberia, many youth lived their adolescence during the Liberian civil war which lasted from 1989 to 2003. With the removal of a totalitarian regime came access to media from other parts of the world. In 2011, Liberian charity, African prodigies, organized the country’s first krump battle at the national stadium - the Samuel Kanyon Doe sports complex.

Melanesia

''The Planet - A Lament'' is a performance piece by Garin Nugroho, captured on film which incorporates dance and a choir to tell a story of creation as a result of a natural disaster. Krumping choreography is used in ''The Planet'', by West Papuan actors when portraying themes of greed. Critiques of the planet explain how the dance is used to play off of the audience’s existing knowledge about hegemony and hierarchies, and gives new form to intercultural relations.

Style

There are five basic moves in krumping: stomps, jabs, chest pops, Buck hop, and arm swings. Krumping is rarely choreographed; it is almost entirely freestyle to a song (improvisational) and is danced most frequently in battles or sessions rather than on a stage. Krump is stylistically different from other hip-hop dance styles such as breaking and turfing. Krumping is very aggressive and is danced upright to upbeat and fast-paced music, but it does not promote aggression or fighting – moves are meant to take up space and challenge other dancers to feed off and return the energy, whereas breaking is more acrobatic and is danced on the floor to break beats. The Oakland dance style turfing is a fusion of popping and miming that incorporates storytelling and illusion. Krump is less precise, and more freestyle, than turfing. Thematically, all these dance styles align under the term street dance as they all share common attributes of their street origins, their freestyle nature and the use of battling.

Spirituality

In the film ''Rize'', krumping Pioneer Miss Prissy credits her fellow krumper, Dragon, with bringing her back to Christ. Prissy explains that many krumping moves can be seen in black churches, such as when someone catches the Holy Ghost.

Current Krump

# Where it is now
## Current krumpers
##* Chris Brown https://www.tiktok.com/@rnblounge/video/7315079382295383329 Dubai
##* Rankup (South African Krumping League)https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGICUTyNfmS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
## EBS competition
##* EBS video https://youtu.be/tOHju_8TPlI?si=ztMY11ftZ4YqaHQi Female Final EBS Krump 2023
##* European Buck Session (EBS) is a World Krump championship where workshops and lectures are led by pioneers in the krumping community. The workshops include basic krump class, advanced krump and master krump class. There are 16 male competitors and 16 female competitors who are divided into male and female battles after presselection and they compete 1v1 against each other and the winners are chosen by the judges.

Vocabulary

* Battle: A direct dance competition often featuring concepts, materials, combos, and get-offs.
* Biter: Someone who attends sessions or watches battles in order to feed on others' styles and originality, so that they can mimic those moves later at another battle and pass them off as their own inventions, i.e. plagiarism.
* Session: When a group of krumpers form a semi-circle, or ''cypher'' in hip-hop context, and, one by one, go into the middle and freestyle.
* Buck: An adjective used to describe someone who excels in krump, as well as high-quality adherence to the tenets of the Krump ethos.
* Live: An adjective used to describe someone raising the energy in the session or battle.
* Call-out: A krumper's initiation or request for battle with another krumper.
* Lab: Deliberate experimentation by krumpers, either by themselves or with other krumpers, to create new concepts and/or advance their style.
* Get-off: A set of movements that determines that a krumper's round is over, usually a pattern consisting solely of foundations, bang-outs, or arm-swings.
* Kill-off: A set of movements that excites the crowd to the point where the battle is over and the crowd surrounds the krumper; the opponent is "killed off", hence the name.
* Krumper: A dancer who specializes in krumping.
* Krumpography: Krump used as a choreography.
* Concept: An abstract movement that helps krumpers tell a story.
* Material: A material movement krumpers use to show a random item to further storytelling, e.g. pouring water on the ground and slipping.
* Jab: A short, sharp, staccato movement of the arms. The krumper extends them from the chest outwards, and with the same energy, pulls it back.
* Stomp: Rhythmically driving the foot into and up from the ground in a way that the krumpers appear to get their energy from the ground itself.
* Chest pop: An upward motion of the chest in the same manner as breathing into the lungs; krumpers usually do chest pops to inhale while in a session or in a round.
* Arm swing: Moving an arm in a sweeping motion aided by gravity. There are two types of arm swings: small arm swings and big arm swings. Small arm swings are similar to the motions involved in pitching a baseball, while big arm swings are analogous to using the whole arm as a baseball bat.
* Praise Krump: The art of krumping set to religious songs.
* Storyline: A set of combos performed by krumpers to build up the hype and push the spazz meter to an appropriate moment for getting off or killing off their opponents.
* Hype: The intense feeling of being swept away; for example, if a krumper does buckness (see next section), carries out a unique dance move, or kills the music, the crowd is hyped up, thus leading to a kill-off. A common krump audience perception is that the hype comes from the krumpers' moves, but krumpers also get their hype and boost their spazz meter from the crowd.
* Spazz meter: A term used to determine the level or extent of the hype.
* Buck talk: The act of trash talking while in a Krump battle.

Round storyline terminology

*Atmosphere: Feeling the vibe of the environment and having the environment feel the krumpers' presence.
*Intro: Starting one's rounds; usually with small movements, sometimes used to introduce a krumper's character or concept.
*Rounds: A set of combos, materials, concepts, and foundations taken together.
*Buckness: The part of the storyline where krumpers are already hyped up with their rounds, showing a series of heavy and/or fast movements; usually done with a stance of the knees slightly bent, while the arms and feet are moved far out in front of the lower extremities of the body.
*Krump: The part of the storyline where the krumper is doing a series of foundations, concepts, and materials while standing upright, while the arms and feet are moving in front of the upper extremities of the body.
*Liveness: The part of the storyline where the krumper is doing a series of foundations, concepts, and materials, with the body bent upward, while the arms and feet are moving outside of the body, either upwards or to the sides.
*Get-off: The part of the storyline where the krumper is expressing feelings most intensely, letting out by rapidly showing repetitive movements such as bang-outs, jabs and redundancy.

References

External links

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{{Hip-hop dance

African-American dance
Dance in the United States
Dances of the United States
Street dance
Syllabus-free dance