Chicago / New York, 1980s
HOUSE DANCE
Standing clubbing from Chicago to New York
House Dance was born in the clubs of Chicago (The Warehouse, from which the word "House" derives) and New York (Paradise Garage) in the mid-1980s, at the same time as House music emerged from Disco. It is a club dance, without choreography, in which everyone improvises according to the music. It borrows from Salsa, Tap, Jazz, Capoeira, African dance, and above all from the communal energy of the dancefloor.
Its vocabulary is structured around three main families: Jacking (undulations of the chest and hips), Footwork (fast, low-to-the-ground footwork), and Lofting (floor movements inherited from the New York scene of David Mancuso's Loft). It is an endurance dance: at 128-135 BPM, one dances for hours.
How it's danced
Technique & figures
House Dance is danced standing, with a low anchor and a permanent bounce that follows the kicks of the 4/4. The chest undulates, the feet tap and bounce close to the ground, the hips stay free. Musicality takes precedence over virtuosity.
Styles and fundamentals
Three pillars: Jacking (undulation of the chest and hips on the kicks), Footwork (Jack, Loose Legs, Skate, Farmers, Heel-Toe), and Lofting (floor rolls, low transitions). A good House dancer knows how to alternate between these three modes according to the music.
Main figures
- 01
Jack
An undulation of the chest on the kicks of the 4/4, like a wave traveling through the body from hips to head.
- 02
Loose Legs
Relaxed legs that bounce and slide along the ground, with great freedom in the ankles.
- 03
Skate
A sliding step alternating feet, as if on skates. A hallmark of House Footwork.
- 04
Heel-Toe
A rapid heel-toe alternation, producing a percussive rhythm close to Tap.
- 05
Farmers
A bouncing step with both feet together, with an alternating shoulder movement. One of Footwork's founding steps.
- 06
Lofting
A descent to the floor with rolls, hand supports, slides. The name inherited from David Mancuso's club, the Loft.
Reading the music
House music is in 4/4 at 120-135 BPM, with a constant kick, hi-hat on the off-beats, vocal samples, and a groovy bass. Frankie Knuckles, Larry Levan, Todd Terry, and Kerri Chandler are its founding figures.