Lifestyle

Hip moves: Popular dance style hip-hop now taught in Salem

Amanda McGregor
Published: October 2, 2008

Can you krump, pop and hop?

Those are some of the terms for moves that characterize hip-hop — the modern style of dance that has landed at the Gene Murray School of Dance in Salem.

Chris Rossi, the new instructor, guides dancers every Wednesday night through the rhythmic, fast-paced, freestyling moves of hip-hop.

“It’s huge now,” Rossi said of hip-hop. “I have older women coming up to me now in their 40s and 50s and they want to hang with their kids (and learn it).”

When asked to describe hip-hop, Rossi said “it’s more street, but not like break dancing. (It’s) more funky.”

For Gene Murray, who founded his Salem dance school more than 40 years ago, hip-hop is an aberration, to say the least.

“I have to move with the times,” said Murray, who conducted a ballet class to piano music on a recent Wednesday night before Rossi’s class at 6:30, during which he cranked Michael Jackson music for the warm up, followed by Rihanna’s pumping club song, “Don’t Stop the Music.”

“We’re a classical school, so for me to bring (this class) was a big decision,” said Murray, “but I did it because it was requested, and Chris is a pistol. He studied all the arts so he’s well rounded, and I think his personality adds to it.”

The appeal of hip-hop is undeniable. Its mainstream popularity has swelled over the last decade, and various movies and reality TV programs, such as the Emmy-nominated Fox show, “So You Think You Can Dance,” have tapped into that, encouraging more people to learn “street style” dancing.

In ballet, you have the pirouette, plie and arabesque; but hip-hop doesn’t have an entire vocabulary of dance moves, Rossi said.

“If someone is choreographing a number, they usually say, ‘Punch your right arm, step with your right leg,’” said Rossi. “Some people make up their own words for (the moves).”

Rossi often choreographs for his students based on the lyrics of the songs they dance to. In a song about a woman trying to call her boyfriend, Rossi had his class make a telephone gesture with their hands while dancing, and then pump their arms like an “X” to indicate a busy signal.

“Hip-hop is the most unique choreography,” Rossi said. “I think hip-hop dancing comes mainly from the music.”

Rossi, 22, is a small, muscled man with a Superman “S” symbol shaved into his hair on the back of his head. He wore loose track pants, a T-shirt, and a Champion hoodie to dance class last week, but don’t judge a book by its cover.

“I’ve been dancing for 17 years,” said Rossi, of East Boston, who trained at dance school throughout his childhood. “I’ve studied tap, jazz, ballet and acrobatics.”

He has been teaching dance for six years, and traveled the world as a dancer, company manager and choreographer for Norwegian Cruise Lines.

“When you’re trying to do a good piece, it’s about the ‘awe’ factor,” said Rossi. “You try to throw windmills, headspins and the cool breakdance moves.”

He recently started at Gene Murray’s, where he also teaches tap dance. Rossi said his hip-hop students range in age from teenagers to women in their 40s.

“Especially with hip-hop, you forget about everything (while you’re dancing),” said Rossi. “You forget all your problems.”

He is there to guide them, but when it comes to hip-hop, it has to come from within, he explained.

“You can’t teach hip-hop; you can teach people choreography and steps,” he said. “You can’t teach them to let loose and forget about everything, and you can’t teach someone to freestyle.

“It’s how your body naturally moves to music. You can’t hold back.”