The boogaloo is a fun style of dance that got its start in the 70s. It is known for infusing an array of different street dance styles. In this article, we’ll teach you how to do the most basic boogaloo dance moves. From there, you can build your skills and become a real pro!
The original boogaloo originated in the 1960s as a type of “social” dance for Chicago’s African American community. Its unique movements and rhythm helped boogaloo spread rapidly, especially with the release of James Brown’s Boogaloo, a hit that greatly popularized this dance style. In particular, the boogaloo boomed with Oakland, California’s youth, and it became a common way for school mascots to outperform each other during sports games.
Throughout the 1970s, boogaloo evolved to become the style we’ll be looking at today: a “funk” dance commonly associated with popping and botting.
When it comes to Boogaloo dancing basics, it’s all in the hips and legs:
Remember
Watch the Howcast tutorial video above to see how it should look!
A boogaloo kick is the next step up from the basic boogaloo. You’ll basically be doing the same type of movement with your legs but with an added kick.
The basic pattern to keep in mind here is: kick -> roll -> step. Once you have this down, you can add your own flair to do anything with the kick.
Be sure to watch the tutorial video above to see how choreographer Jarrieth Patterson kicks and to get more advanced kick move ideas.
A boogaloo combo is, naturally, a bit more difficult than what we’ve learned so far. But the good news is that there are no concrete rules for how you can perform a combo once you have the essentials down.
Once you’ve practiced the basics we just outlined, you can try this combo:
Watch the Howcast tutorial video above to get a better visual of how this should look. Then try it out for yourself!
We hope you feel ready to put your newfound boogaloo knowledge to practice. We know it’s tricky at first, but your diligence and commitment will pay off. For more detailed video tutorials and other useful content on dancing, be sure to explore Howcast’s entire library of dance lessons.