street dance is an umbrella term, similar to vernacular dance, used to describe dance styles that evolved outside of dance studios at more everyday spaces such as streets, school yards and nightclubs. they're often improvisational and social in nature, encouraging interaction and contact with the spectators and the other dancers. street dance is also commonly used specifically for the many hip hop dances and funk dance styles that began appearing in the united states in the 70s, and are still alive and evolving within the hip hop culture of today, such as breakdance, popping, locking, hip hop new style and house dance. these dances are popular on all levels, as a form of exercise, an artform, or for competition, and are today practiced both at dance studios and more freely arranged spaces.

street dance

.    locking | locking (originally Campbellocking) is a style of funk dance and street dance, which is today also associated with hip hop. it relies on fast and distinct arm and hand movements combined with more relaxed hips and legs. the movements are generally large and exaggerated, and often very rhythmic and tightly synched with the music. locking is quite performance oriented, often interacting with the audience by smiling or giving them a high five, and some moves are quite comical in nature

.    breakdance | breakdance, breaking, b-boying or b-girling is a street dance style that evolved as part of the hip hop movement among african american and latin american youths in the South Bronx of New York City during the early 70s. it is normally danced to funk or hip hop music, often remixed to prolong the breaks, and is arguably the best known of all hip hop dance styles

.    poping | popping is a funk dance and street dance style based on the technique of quickly contracting and relaxing muscles to cause a jerk in the dancer's body, referred to as a pop or a hit. this is done continuously to the rhythm of a song in combination with various movements and poses.

.    new style | in the 90s, as hip hop music evolved and grew further away from funk, it became slower, heavier and more aggressive. this modern hip hop music gave birth to new styles of hip hop dancing partly inspired by the old school styles, most of them focusing on upright dancing as opposed to breakdance which is better known for its floor-oriented movements.

.    house | house is a style of street dance, danced to house music. it's improvisational in nature and emphasizes fast and complex footwork combined with fluid movements in the torso.

.     punkin/waaking | the origins of punkin, now called waaking, begun in the 1970's at some of the underground clubs of L.A. and Hollywood and a few clubs of the mainstream. punkin was discovered in the gay underground night clubs/discoteques of L.A. and reached the mainstream as straight dancers pushed punkin forward. some of the originals were Aurther Andrew (Tinker), Lanny and Aka. now pioneers are Shabbado and dancers from Dancing Machine which was created in 1975 by Jeff Kutach, and which know is called Splash in las vegas.

.    vogue | vogue or "voguing" is a highly stylized modern dance characterized by photo model-like poses integrated with angular, linear and rigid arm, leg, and body movements. popularized by Madonna's song and video of the same name, the unique inner-city dance subculture was brought to international mainstream attention.