Meeting NappyTabs
The History of Hip-hop
Hip Hop began in 1960 and grew popular in New York City. Some of the famous street crews; Rock Steady Crew, The Lockers, and the Electric Boogaloos, helped create some of the most commonly used moves in hip-hop. Hip hop originated strictly through street crews, and not by a studio. The purest type of hip-hop is breakdancing. It began in 1970 and is based off how James Brown danced to his song, "Get on the Good Foot". Since then, hip hop has taken off and is one of the most popular forms of dancing.
Tabitha and Napoleon (NappyTabs)
Tabitha D'umo and Napoleon D'umo are choreographers in Los Angeles. They are known for their lyrical hip hop routines and their choreography on So You Think You Can Dance. Lyrical hip-hop is a fluid and more interpretive version of standard hip-hop. It combines the nuances of lyrical dance with the vocabulary and foundational movements found in hip-hop. According to Dance Spirit magazine, what differentiates lyrical hip-hop from standard hip-hop is that dancers interpret the beat differently. In lyrical hip-hop there are still isolations, gliding, and body waves just like in standard hip-hop. However, the movements are smoother and more fluid rather than hard-hitting and, like lyrical dance, emphasis is placed on storytelling and conveying emotion through the choreography. Nappytabs have been working together since 1996. They met at college in 1990 and created musicals together. They have been together ever since and have now been married for fifteen years. They moved from Las Vegas to North Hollywood in 1999 to teach hip-hop at the Edge Performing Arts Center. They grew more famous in 2008, when they started choreographing for America's Best Dance Crew and So You Think You Can Dance. Since gaining exposure, they have worked with famous stars such as; Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera and Ricky Martin. They have choreographed for the JabbaWockeeZ, Cirque de Soquil, and helped with Michael Jackson's The Immortal World Tour. Nappytabs also has their own dance wear line.