How to Choose a Hip-Hop Dance Partner

Choosing a dance partner is always a tough task, as each person has their own personality that not everyone can tolerate, their own unique way of performing a style, and finally, unique physical attributes that may not align with yours.

Ballroom and certain other dance styles are traditionally performed in pairs, while hip-hop can be danced solo, but more often it’s performed by a group: sometimes as few as two people, sometimes as many as twenty.

In group dance styles, it’s important not only to create a pleasant, friendly atmosphere so you enjoy coming to class and performing on stage, but also to choose people of roughly the same age range, with minor differences in weight.

Keep in mind that hip-hop often includes acrobatic elements, which can be performed by one person or in pairs. In the latter case, it’s crucial that the supporting dancer is physically stronger than the one executing the trick. It’s like ballet – strong partners lift slender partners.

Of course, if you dance hip-hop in a large group, you’re unlikely to become friends with everyone. Dancers are typically very emotional, can flare up over anything, and calm down just as quickly. In a team, it’s essential to find common ground with each individual and, moreover, have a shared goal in mind.

Hip-hop dancers have one goal – to look harmonious on stage after honing all the technical elements of the dance. Always remember that the audience comes to watch and enjoy a show, so the dancers’ task is to channel all their energy and power into the audience through dance.

Sometimes hip-hop is performed by a group of two or three people. In that case, choosing the right partner (male or female) involves considering the following:
— The person’s character and behavior.

When we find someone completely unsympathetic, it’s very hard to reach any agreement, isn’t it? In dance, as in many other fields, it’s important to be able to negotiate with the person and form a spiritual and emotional connection.

In any dance number, the audience will always see whether you have rapport as a pair or not. If you live in constant conflict or hold grudges against each other, you’ll never create a masterpiece. So if you feel someone isn’t compatible with you in spirit, or there are other things about them that irritate you, it’s better to part ways as partners. That way, you both come out ahead.

— Physical attributes. While character can, with effort, be adjusted to some extent, there’s absolutely nothing you can do about a person’s appearance. Unfortunately, not everyone is born to be a great dancer. Moreover, each dancer may only suit certain dance styles. Yes, they can be flexible, fluid, rhythmic, able to jump high and stand on their head, but they won’t look equally good in breakdance, Irish dance, and belly dance.

Body proportions, height, technical abilities, and even facial features – all of these play a role when choosing a dance style. When picking a hip-hop partner, you need to ensure that person can perform all required dance elements, understands the concept of “synchronicity,” and blends harmoniously into the group.

— Skill level. Ideally, the skill level or acquired dance abilities of everyone in the group should be the same, except for the choreographer teaching the dancers.

If one person is “head and shoulders above” the other two, it will always be noticeable, and the audience’s attention will focus on whoever dances best. So it’s better to form a group of three beginners and go through the learning process together, achieving great success, rather than feeling envy or anger toward someone who has already reached a high level in hip-hop.

— Location and schedule. Since all dancers rehearse in a studio or dedicated space, they obviously need to get there somehow. If you live in a big city like Moscow or Saint Petersburg, with constant traffic jams, it’s often difficult to arrive on time for training. Additionally, everyone lives by their own schedule, which depends on their studies, work, or personal preferences.

If you plan to dance as a duo or trio, you definitely need to think about how you’ll organize your time to avoid being late or missing rehearsals. If one dancer systematically skips classes for valid or invalid reasons, there’s no point continuing to dance with them, because the team must be a unified whole, not fragmented.

Considering all these aspects, you’ll be able to choose a suitable hip-hop partner (male or female). Remember, dance is a calling, and the most important thing any dancer must have is a huge desire to dance and bring positive emotions to people.