Step by Step: The Art of Teaching K-pop Choreography with Nicki

 

K-pop, as both a music genre and dance style originated in South Korea during the early 1990s with its roots in "rap fusion" which became popularized by the very first K-pop group Seo Taiji and Boys in 1992.  This group modernized and experimented with the South Korean music scene and they became the leading force into creating a bigger space for K-pop in different musical aspects outside of the contemporary music style at the time.

Seo Taiji and Boys' popularity with teenagers made the music industry focus on this age demographic. Lee Soo-man of SM Entertainment developed the 1st Korean idol system in the later 1990s, which made iconic K-pop groups like H.O.T and S.E.S, which were 2 of many groups out of the 1st generation of K-pop which ranges from the years 1990-2002. 

The idol system in the many different K-pop companies is a structured "star factory" where aspiring artists known as trainees go through intense training in singing, rapping, dancing, "personality" training, and learning foreign languages. 

Trainees would spend 10 to 18 hours a day covering all these aspects, as well as do monthly evaluations. 

The average training period can last anywhere from 2-5 years or sometimes longer depending on the trainees experience in any of the categories, for example G-Dragon of Big Bang and Jihyo from Twice both had 10 years of training before debuting and some idols can debut shorter than 2-5 years like Kazuha from Le Sserafim who only trained for 3-6 months due to her dance experience. 

This dance style is a high-energy, visually driven, and genre-bending musical style which blends the dance genres of R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz, urban, and electronic influences that are focused on artist synchronization, performance, "point choreography", etc that creates eye-catching, expressive, movements that create different experiences for audiences across the globe. 

Boy groups and male soloists like TVXQ!, VIXX, EXO, ATEEZ, Enhypen, BoyNextDoor, Verivery, TXT, Daniel Jikal, Kang Daniel, etc, tend to focus more on powerful, intense hard-hitting choreography often incorporating many different hip-hop styles like krumping, breaking, popping, locking, and more. They also focus a lot on formations, sharp, intentional movements, and charisma to showcase the group/artist's charm.

Girl groups and female soloists like Twice, ITZY, Hearts2Hearts, Everglow, Nature, CL of 2NE1, Jessi, Solar and Hwasa from Mamamoo, ChungHa, Wonder Girls, fromis_9, PIXY, Blackswan, etc usually more on Jazz Funk, heels, and vogue styles that are focused on fluid, sharp, personality movements that create different intentions for the group/soloist and gives a very female-empowering performance.

There are co-ed groups like KARD, AllDay Project, Choco, Alters, etc that blend a lot of the elements of different styles of choreography as well, despite Co-ed groups being rare in the K-pop space.

K-pop fans are often self-taught dancers and often watch mirrored dance practice videos of their favorite artist or group and break it down into small sections to build their muscle memory and to focus on the intention of the choreography. They also focus on details and try to mirror the movements accurately of a particular member of a group or the soloist. 

K-pop crews are often common with the K-pop dance community with a lot of focus on conceptual videos and performance to showcase the crew's dynamic. They often make K-pop cover videos on YouTube to showcase their talent to others and to hopefully have their favorite group or soloist see their cover.

K-pop has truly changed the world in a magical way and has captured the hearts of many, creating a culture that is unlike anything else.

Today, I chatted with Nicki, the K-pop dance teacher at Elemental Studios about how she started her journey with K-pop as a dance style and her drive and passion for performance in learning K-pop choreography. Before we get into that, let's learn about her, shall we?

Nicki is a passionate K-pop instructor with over 3 years of experience. Her journey in dance began in high school, where she found her love for movements. 

Initially self-taught, Nicki honed her skills by taking classes at Millennium Dance Complex and even ventured to South Korea for additional training. Her dance journey coincided with her YouTube channel, Kpopderps, where she amassed a dedicated following of over 100,000 subscribers who eagerly watched her K-pop dance covers.

Known for her captivating performances and unwavering dedication, Nicki brings her infectious energy and commitment to every class and performance. Her strong passion for dance shines through in her teaching, inspiring her students to push their boundaries and strive for excellence. With a deep connection to the K-pop community, Nicki continues to give back by helping others in their dance journey, grateful for the support of her students.

Let's get into the Interview!

1. What is your favorite thing about being an instructor at Elemental Studios?

Nicki: "My favorite thing is being able to share something I love with others. I really enjoyed watching my students grow, gain confidence, and have fun while learning K-pop choreography. The community here is also really supportive, which makes teaching even more special."

2. How did you start your dance journey?

Nicki: "I started dancing when I was younger and quickly fell in love with performing and learning choreography. Over time, I became really drawn to K-pop because of how expressive and dynamic the dances are, and that passion eventually led me to teaching and choreographing."

3. How do you break down a complex, fast-paced K-pop dance for beginners?

Nicki: "I like to start by slowing everything down and breaking the choreography into small sections. We focus on the basic steps and timing first, then gradually add details like texture and performance. Once everyone feels comfortable, we start building the speed back up."

4. What are the main differences you focus on when teaching boy group vs girl group choreography?

Nicki: "Boy group choreography focuses more on power, sharpness, and bigger movements. Girl group choreography often emphasizes musicality, textures, and different performance qualities. I try to help students understand those stylistic differences so that they can capture the right feeling for each dance."

5. You are the leader of the K-pop Dance Crew, Illuminate Dance Crew. In your opinion, what is the key to a great performance outside of dance classes?

Nicki: "I think the key is teamwork and commitment. Everyone putting in the effort to practice, support each other, and staying consistent really makes a difference. Performance is also about energy and connection, not just the choreography."

6. How do you stay updated with the latest K-pop trends and choreographies that are being released?

Nicki: "I watch a lot of comeback stages, dance practices, and performance videos. I also follow choreographers and dance studios online so that I can see what new styles and trends are coming out."

7. When someone wants to learn K-pop choreography but has no dance experience, what do you think are some other dance styles that they should learn to understand K-pop choreography more?

Nicki: "Styles like hip-hop, jazz, and sometimes even just basic grooves can be really helpful. K-pop choreography pulls from a lot of different dance styles, so having some foundation in those can make it easier to pick up the movements."

8. What are some of your favorite hobbies/interests outside of dance?

Nicki: "Outside of dance, I really enjoy listening to music, working out and staying active. I also love finding new places to eat because I am definitely a bit of a foodie! And when I'm relaxing, I like watching anime or doing nerdy things with my friends. 💙"

9. What have been your favorite K-pop choreographies to dance to or have recently learned?

Nicki: "Some of my favorites are dances that are really expressive and musical. I love choreography that mixes strong movements with performance details because it's fun to perform and teach."

10. If you were to describe your K-pop Class to someone who is entirely new to both the dance style and music, how would you describe it?

Nicki: "My class is a fun and welcoming environment where anyone can learn K-pop choreography, even if they are brand new to dance. We break everything down step by step, focus on performance and confidence, and most importantly, just enjoy dancing together."

Thank you to Nicki for taking the time to interview with me. Make sure to check out Nicki's K-pop classes on Mondays at 8:30pm-10pm for Beginner K-pop and Thursdays at 7:15pm-8:30pm for Open Level K-pop. Also, make sure to follow Nicki on her Instagram page, @yours_truly_nicki to find out what songs she will be teaching each week! 

See you all in the next interview!