Hip-hop vs Ballet
Ballet refers to a type of dance that is formal and was started in Europe, particularly France, between the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Ballet underwent changes and developments in other European countries and was modified to concert dance form in Russia. Ballet takes on different styles including classical, neoclassical and contemporary ballet. Generally ballet involves a sophisticated mixture of technique, skill and coordination with musical ability. Ballet dancers need to have the ability to concisely feel and move with the music, performing with confident coordination while keeping the music to the mood of the dance. It takes quite some time to master ballet and requires huge amounts of discipline. Most ballet dances actually tell a story so they can really be emotional but it gets audiences glued as the dancers bring out their best imagination and creativity.
Hugely contrasting with ballet is hip-hop, which is characterized by free-styling, rapping, looping, beat boxing among others. Hip-hop is more than just a music genre, it is a whole sub-culture, a medium of expression of real life stories and in fact the majority of the lyrical content of hip-hop music comprises of real life stories, usually experiences of life through hardship or just straight expression of public dissatisfaction. They are mainly expressions for political, social as well as personal endurance that are popular especially with black, urban youth. However as hip-hop grew through the years it became largely accepted in most communities but mainly among the youth. But unlike ballet, which is quite ordered and complex, hip-hop’s main characteristic is free-styling and when dancing to hip-hop, a single step can take on different names and there can also be different styles to that particular step. There is hardly any consistency here, hip-hop movements show freedom of expression and usually regular shoes are used, unlike in ballet. Hi-hop music is bouncy and characteristic of rhyming words.
Ballet is very consistent and every move is very specific, with an assigned name in French. When a dancer makes a move, it will be the same as made by a different dancer regardless of place. Ballet moves flow tightly, with the feet pointed and the muscles pulled inwards. Ballet can be a big cause of fatigue as the movements put a great deal of stress on the muscles. Ballet is characteristic of a classical feel and can either be slow or fast.
Summary:
1. Ballet is very much formalized both music and dance while hip-hop is free-style.
2. Ballet dance movements are very consistent and take the same French name while those of hop-hop vary a lot and can have different names for the same dance movement.
3. Ballet movements are very specific and require a lot of practice while for hip-hop, its free-style movements bouncing with the beats.
4. Ballet music is classical and can be emotional while hip-hop is looped, free flowing with rapping and doesn’t necessary evoke emotion.