Hammerdance

Most commonly attributed to MC Hammer's performance in his "U Can't Touch This" music video, "Hammerdance" began in 1990. Dance was the trademark of MC Hammer, and became his legacy. His baggy pants, known as Hammer pants, and sparkling wardrobe are also well-known as staples in the performance of this dance.

Elements of the dance include reversing the toes in and out, quick shuffling in both directions, and jumping from side-to-side. The performance is very fast-paced and exciting. Sometimes this dance is referred to as the "typewriter" dance, due to the rapid footwork involved.

A popular culture trademark of the early 1990s, the dance went on to inspire other dances such as, Hyphy, Thizzle, and Turfin. The staple element of each of these dances, as well as the Hammerdance, is energy. A second common feature is fancy footwork.

The dance has been featured in numerous television shows, movies, advertisements, and even video games. In the vastly popular computer game, "World of Warcraft", the male Orc character's dance is based on the Hammerdance. In the 1996 film "Don't be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood", a dream sequence involves a crippled man being able to perform the Hammerdance.

The popularity of the song "U Can't Touch This" and the accompanying music video brought rap to popular culture. MC Hammer‘s marketing campaigns for various products help spread the Hammerdance, which can still be seen in various entertainment products today.

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Also known as

Typewriter, Hammerdance, Running Man, 

Originator: 

MC Hammer

Region of origin: 

Oakland, CA, San Francisco Bay Area 

Popularized by: 

MC Hammer, "U Can't Touch This"