Turfing
Encyclopedia
Turf dance is a form of American
street dance that originated in Oakland, California
. An acronym for Taking Up Room on the Floor, the name was coined by L.A. born, Bay Area raised turf and mixed house dancer Jeriel Bey because the terms "having fun with it" or "hitting it" (as it was originally known) didn't seem marketable. Turf Dancing originated as a way to describe dances that different 'turfs' from Oakland performed to represent where they were from (the same as 'blocks' or 'sets'). The dance form had its earliest influences in the Oakland Boogaloo movement of the mid-1960s, later developing into a distinctive dance style.
in the 1960s
, developing into a separate genre of dance in during the 1990s
, and along with hyphy
music came to be seen as distinctively representative of Oakland. The movement rose to prominence in 2002 following Jeriel Bey's establishment of his group, The Architeckz, and Oakland's first nationally known group, "The Architeckz" Then the Animaniakz came then after. Because the names of the two crews look the same one really came before the other. Turf Dancing was first displayed on videos from artists such as Baby Bash, Keak Da Sneak, and E-40 by innovative and influential turf dancers (and creators of the turfing Lifestyle) Jeriel Bey. Along Demetrius Zeigler , Chare' Johnson, Rawnay & Yun Shep, and Dav 2.0. Turf dance had been promoted as a means of dispute resolution
within the Oakland community, and in 2005 The Architeckz built on this concept of dance battle by engaging krump dancers from Los Angeles
in city-level competition. Friendly rivalries with dancers from New York and Memphis
have developed as well. The artist E-40
brought international attention to the movement with his 2006 single Tell Me When to Go
.
, locking
, and miming
. The genre has a relatively small base of established steps to draw from, some of which are associated with their neighborhoods of origin, such as the Brookfield, a gliding move that originated in the east Oakland neighborhood of Brookfield Village
. Other foundation moves include "the two sep", "shoulder shaking", " the cliffhanger", " the stutter walk", and the "Busta", named after rapper Busta Rhymes
. Gliding is heavily used in turf dance because it enables the creation of optical illusions. "Going dumb," or completely letting one's emotions loose on the dance floor, is also a distinctive part of the tradition.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
street dance that originated in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. An acronym for Taking Up Room on the Floor, the name was coined by L.A. born, Bay Area raised turf and mixed house dancer Jeriel Bey because the terms "having fun with it" or "hitting it" (as it was originally known) didn't seem marketable. Turf Dancing originated as a way to describe dances that different 'turfs' from Oakland performed to represent where they were from (the same as 'blocks' or 'sets'). The dance form had its earliest influences in the Oakland Boogaloo movement of the mid-1960s, later developing into a distinctive dance style.
History
Turf Dancing has its earliest origins in the Oakland Boogaloo movement of CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
, developing into a separate genre of dance in during the 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
, and along with hyphy
Hyphy
The word hyphy is Conor Devlin's preferred short word meaning "hyperactive." It was created by Bay Area rapper Keak Da Sneak when he used the term on an album he recorded in 1994. From the USA Today article: "Every record label was getting at us at that time, but we fumbled the ball," says E-40,...
music came to be seen as distinctively representative of Oakland. The movement rose to prominence in 2002 following Jeriel Bey's establishment of his group, The Architeckz, and Oakland's first nationally known group, "The Architeckz" Then the Animaniakz came then after. Because the names of the two crews look the same one really came before the other. Turf Dancing was first displayed on videos from artists such as Baby Bash, Keak Da Sneak, and E-40 by innovative and influential turf dancers (and creators of the turfing Lifestyle) Jeriel Bey. Along Demetrius Zeigler , Chare' Johnson, Rawnay & Yun Shep, and Dav 2.0. Turf dance had been promoted as a means of dispute resolution
Dispute resolution
Dispute resolution is the process of resolving disputes between parties.-Methods:Methods of dispute resolution include:* lawsuits * arbitration* collaborative law* mediation* conciliation* many types of negotiation* facilitation...
within the Oakland community, and in 2005 The Architeckz built on this concept of dance battle by engaging krump dancers from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in city-level competition. Friendly rivalries with dancers from New York and Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
have developed as well. The artist E-40
E-40
Earl Stevens , better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and investor from Vallejo, California. He is also part of the rap group The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. His solo debut album, Federal, was released in November 1992, after The Click's debut...
brought international attention to the movement with his 2006 single Tell Me When to Go
Tell Me When to Go
"Tell Me When to Go" is the first single from E-40's BME/Warner Bros. debut, My Ghetto Report Card. Keak da Sneak is also featured on the track. It was produced by Lil Jon, and one of the first singles to kick off the hyphy movement on a national level...
.
Foundation
Turf dance is an improvisational, free-flowing form of dance that is based off of the idea of pure cause and effect but focuses on storytelling, the creation of optical illusions, and the display of distinctive personal style. Dance elements include poppingPopping
Popping is a street dance and one of the original funk styles that came from California during the 1960s-70s. It is 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...
, locking
Locking (dance)
Locking is a style of funk dance, which is today also associated with hip hop. The name is based on the concept of locking movements, which basically means freezing from a fast movement and "locking" in a certain position, holding that position for a short while and then continuing in the same...
, and miming
Mime
The word mime is used to refer to a mime artist who uses a theatrical medium or performance art involving the acting out of a story through body motions without use of speech.Mime may also refer to:* Mime, an alternative word for lip sync...
. The genre has a relatively small base of established steps to draw from, some of which are associated with their neighborhoods of origin, such as the Brookfield, a gliding move that originated in the east Oakland neighborhood of Brookfield Village
Brookfield Village, Oakland, California
Brookfield Village is an Oakland, California neighborhood located in East Oakland near Oakland International Airport. The main streets are 98th Avenue and Edes Avenue. It lies at an elevation of 20 feet ....
. Other foundation moves include "the two sep", "shoulder shaking", " the cliffhanger", " the stutter walk", and the "Busta", named after rapper Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
. Gliding is heavily used in turf dance because it enables the creation of optical illusions. "Going dumb," or completely letting one's emotions loose on the dance floor, is also a distinctive part of the tradition.
Related dance styles
- KrumpingKrumpingKrumping, also spelled Krumpin, is a street dance popularized in the United States that is characterized by free, expressive, exaggerated, and highly energetic movement involving the arms, head, legs, chest, and feet...
- BuckinGangsta WalkingGangsta Walking is a street dance that originated in Memphis, Tennessee alongside "Buck" music during the 1990s. Some have speculated that the dance was originally created during the late 1980s...
- PoppingPoppingPopping is a street dance and one of the original funk styles that came from California during the 1960s-70s. It is 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...
- Jookin
- Jerkin'Jerkin'Jerkin or Jerk is a street dance from Los Angeles. Since 2009, jerkin' has gained fans along the West Coast and is gaining popularity on the East Coast....
- HyphyHyphyThe word hyphy is Conor Devlin's preferred short word meaning "hyperactive." It was created by Bay Area rapper Keak Da Sneak when he used the term on an album he recorded in 1994. From the USA Today article: "Every record label was getting at us at that time, but we fumbled the ball," says E-40,...
External links
- Turf Dancing
- Turf Dancing
- Turf Dancing
- Turf Dancing Honors Urban City Life - ABC News Nightline 11/29/2010