I’m happy to say that Penn State has a very nice dance scene, and while it is not massive, it is a nice size and has a lot of things to offer. For one, Penn State offers A LOT of dance classes, one that leans towards hip-hop dance is DANCE 283 which is Beginning hip-hop dance. I was going to take it this semester, but it was full very quickly, and freshman do not exactly have the upper hand when it comes to scheduling, so I was denied my opportunity. I do plan on taking the course at one point in time as a student here though.

Penn State also has many clubs that pertain to hip-hop dance. The most notable being RAM Squad, something I was a part of during the first half of fall semester. I left for my personal reasons, but it was glad to see many people all together for the same reason, to enjoy hip-hop dance as an art and perform it.

One other dance group that is predominately hip-hop is Urban Dance Troupe. Urban Dance Troupe, while not as big as RAM Squad in terms of reputation and members, is still a very good group and deserves recognition. I am not a member, but they have competitions and performances frequently and are growing to become just as big as RAM Squad.

Penn State’s dance scene is big, and I’m very glad that it’s big. Penn States hip-hop dance scene is not as big, but it is slowly growing as more people become exposed to it. I’m sure that by the time I am graduating, Penn State will have a very notable hip-hop dance scene, and most people around campus will know about it.

Starting from the early 2000’s, pop culture and hip-hop have started to merge in many aspects. Shows, movies, music videos feature all sorts of hip-hop dance, and it is continuing to grow as time goes on.

There are many shows that feature dance as the main focal point. One show in particular that has kept on going for a while is So You Think You Can Dance, and while this show does not feature exclusively hip-hop dance, hip-hop style is a large part of it. Competitors around the nation audition to be a part of the contest, and if chosen, are put through more auditions. After this, the finalists for the show are chosen and are given a series of tasks to complete. For example, they must do a solo, duet, and many group pieces that go across a wide variety of dance styles, from Ballet to hip-hop.

Other shows existed that were related to dance, but were ultimately cancelled, including Americas Best Dance Crew, a series that lasted 7 seasons that put dance crews around the world against each other to compete for first place, bragging rights as “Americas Best Dance Crew”, and $100,000. There was also a web-series that lasted from 2010-2011 called LXD (Legion of Extraordinary Dancers), which combined drama, action, and dance all in one.

The movie industry tapped into hip-hop dance as well at one point. The most known movies relating to hip-hop dance are the Step Up movies, that depict love stories and unification all through dance. The Step Up series currently has 4 movies, with another one coming out sometime this year. Another very good piece of film is the Documentary Rize, which explores the rise of the dance style Krumping.

Pop culture and the media have taken hip-hop dance and are spreading it like wildfire. Youtube channels, shows, movies, all forms are using hip-hop dance because it attracts an audience, and it will only continue to grow.