Hip Hop Divisions, Pop, Locks

Hip Hop Dance Competition categories are defined by hip-hop styles, divisions and more.

Core Hip-Hop and Street Dance Styles

Popping:

This style emphasises sharp, controlled muscle contractions ("pops" or "hits")

Locking:

Characterised by freezes ("locks") and distinct arm and hand movements.

Breaking (B-Boying/B-Girling):

A highly athletic style with intricate footwork, power moves and freezes.

Krumping:

An expressive and energetic style with powerful, improvisational movements.

Hip-Hop Freeestle:

An expressive and energetic style with powerful, improvisational movements.

This is when dancers improvise and blend various styles, showcasing their musicality and creativity.
This will include many social dances and party dances.

Social Dances:

These are dances that have come from the hip-hop culture and are often seen in freestyle settings.

Examples include:

Competitions often organise dancers into divisions based on:

Age:

Group Size:

Style Specificity:

Some competitions have dedicated battles or categories for specific styles (eg, breaking battles, popping battles).

"All Styles" Battles:

Where dancers from various street dance backgrounds compete against each other.

HHI is a major player in the world of hip-hop dance competitions. They host events worldwide, with divisions for various age groups.
Junior (typically younger age ranges)
Varsity (high school age)
Adult
They also have MegaCrew Divisions

This event has a very good breakdown of age groups.