Hip Hop in France

«On peut danser partout,

et c’est cela qui est beau.»

-Hervé Kourbi

Each morning the 62 students in the Language and Culture program in Toulouse study French for three hours. After a lunch break when the students have an opportunity to practice their language skills at the local restaurants and shops, it is time for an activity where the students learn about an aspect of French culture and continue to practice their language skills, as all cultural activities are conducted in French.

This week, the students took the metro to L’Danse, a dance school that has been dedicated to the promotion of hip hop culture since 2006. At the beginning of the afternoon, a group of the upper level French students conducted an interview with the dancer/teacher Rafaël and learned about his life in dance.

After that, all of the students learned a hip hop routine from Rafaël. The dance started simply and got increasingly more complex with fast footwork and even a breakdance freeze at the end. After much coaching and many repetitions, the students were rewarded with the satisfaction of learning a real hip hop routine.

Then it was time for dance circles, and everyone had a chance to shine in the center. The students especially loved when Rafaël entered the circle and free-styled. What a fun afternoon to discover French hip hop culture!