Hip Hop

What Is Hip Hop?

Hip hop dance encompasses a broad range of styles that developed alongside hip hop music culture in New York from the 1970s onwards. The foundational styles include breaking, locking and popping, while the term has come to describe a much wider family of related urban movement styles.

Hip hop dance prioritises individual expression, rhythm and freestyle improvisation alongside choreography. The cypher — an informal circle where dancers take turns to freestyle — remains central to hip hop culture.

Commercial hip hop, as seen in music videos and stage productions, has further evolved the aesthetic with more theatrical and technically polished choreography.

Hip Hop in London

London has one of Europe's most active hip hop dance communities. The city's diverse cultural landscape has produced internationally recognised choreographers, dancers and companies working in hip hop and urban styles.

Battle events, workshops with international artists and dedicated studio programmes keep the scene dynamic and continuously evolving.

Hip Hop Classes in London

Hip hop dance classes in London are available across dozens of studios at all levels. Most schools offer beginner sessions covering foundational groove, musicality and introductory choreography.

Advanced programmes focus on style development, battle technique and creative practice for those seeking a deeper engagement with the art form.

Studios That Teach Hip Hop

The following dance studios and academies in London offer Hip Hop classes.