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The sun is setting on South Central L.A., and two rival gangs face each other in an abandoned warehouse. Brows furrow, lips tightly pursed, and hands ball into tight fists. Tension is high as the two groups near eachother. Every man, woman, and child takes cover. Suddenly, some one hits the music, and a deep bassy pulse echoes off the walls. Instead of gunfire, a young man jumps into the center and starts jerking his shoulders, and popping his chest. His arms flail about, and his legs seem to barely hold him up. Every joint in his body moves to the music. Suddenly, another man jumps in from the other side. They appear to be fighting, but their blows don't connect. It takes a moment to fathom, but then you realize: they're dancing.

So, new bootie, you're amped about the buck new moves you've been labbin? Get off then! Rather, in terms you can understand: So, new person, you're totally excited about the hot new moves you've been practicing? Start Krumping.

Krumping is an offshoot of Clown Dancing, started by Tom Johnson, later known as Tommy the Clown in 1992. Johnson, who before that day had a past colored by crime, dressed up as a clown to help a friend and preformed at a birthday party. His freestyle fast, jerky, pop-locky, animated moves started a revolutionary and innovative form of street dance, and before long, people from all over were performing with him. Krumping, often confused with Clowning, is not the same thing. Clowning often includes jokes and slams thrown at each other, face painting, and also has a higher reverence for sexual moves. Krumping is more focused on the movements of your body with the music as a way to get out your aggression with skill and without violence. The movements are often explained as letting loose, and giving your body the freedom to move to the music in a way it never has before. It's also been explained as an expression of anger and an outlet for aggravation that's keeping inner-city kids out of gangs and off the streets.

"How do I learn this mad dance?" you may be asking yourself. In order to learn Krumping, one only has to take a virtual stroll through the videos on YouTube. You truly have to see the erratic chest-popping moves to really get an idea of what Krump dancing is about. The Krump community is a very tight-nit, but rapidly expanding group made up of individual families, or fams as they're called by Krumpers, that compete against each other on many different levels of intensity. Fams are headed up by the Master Krumper, or Big Homie, who acts as the mentor, leader, and instructor of the group.

The best way, by far to learn Krumping is to be brought in by the Big Homie as a Lil' Homie, or, young person not in the family, but the Big Homie wants to mentor. When this happens, the Big Homie becomes your dance instructor, but not only to help you learn the moves, but the feeling behind them, the dynamics of them, and how those tie into winning a battle. If you are taken in as a Lil' Homie, it is up to the Big Homie where in the Family Hierarchy you will be placed, weather you'll replace some one who has lost their name in a battle, or if everyone will be moved up a position, in which case, you'd be low man on the totem pole.
It is only when you master your moves that you should enter a battle, which is held in an arena, or a cage.

During a battle, it's like watching two people's bodies have an angry conversation that never erupts into violence. Does it interest you? If so, study up, and lube those joints, because you're about to enter a whole new world.

http://www.hiphopjamz.co m/breakdance_crumpdance.php
htt p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en 5IJ0ktHvQ

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