B-girl like a B-boy: marginalization of women in hip-hop dance

Abstract

Many female hip-hop dancers (such as b-girls, poppers, lockers, choreography dancers) have embraced and struggled with hip-hop dance, a dance where many of its sub-styles honor the male body and masculinity. In a male dominated dance culture, how do women negotiate with issues of gender in the dance movement and social practices? This thesis responds to these concerns by documenting the experiences of hip-hop dancers and urban street dancers in New York City. By examining the woman's experience in hip-hop dance, this thesis looks into how the marginalization of female dancers within breaking is connected to how the dance was molded around the male adolescent lifestyle, social practices, and cultural values within Black urban ghetto communities of New York City during the 1970s and 1980s. In addressing how the conditions and issues associated with the dance's reverence for masculine expression affects the lives and careers of women, this research aims to find and reclaim the woman's voice and body in hip-hop dance culture.