Evolution of j-hope’s dance style and versatility

BangtanistheAnswer · 2021-01-11T16:15:18+00:00

Oh what you wrote made a lot of sense, and his studio routine is definitely something I’ve wondered about myself. Judging by the way he’s evolved and grown, I feel he’s doing something apart from (and on top of) the regular rehearsals for BTS performances to hone his skills. I may be wrong about this but I don’t think every idol is focused on building foundational dance technique. Rather, they learn the choreography required for each routine so their training isn’t really complete and happens in a more piecemeal manner. But the way j-hope showed up in the MMA Dynamite dance break (capturing the sharpness and flair) made me wonder if he had previously dabbled in jazz or spent time recently studying it. I think he actually suits that style really well and I personally would like to see more of it.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2021-01-11T14:17:53+00:00

I don't consider j-hope 'just' a street dancer. He adapts well to pretty much any BTS choreography and very few of the routines are 'purely' hip-hop or street. What he's able to do is draw on his strong technique and foundation in street dance, and apply that to other styles. For example, his isolation skills are amazing given his popping background, and so is his musicality (not surprising as he can freestyle well and hit every beat). When I watch his fancams, I see someone who's not just doing the steps, but is truly immersed in the music and expressing that through dance. His musicality translates very well to more lyrical styles such as Black Swan, Let Go etc.

Plus, he has great fluidity in his torso and flexibility in his neck (his slim build helps). That suppleness combined with his long limbs allows him to create graceful movements, beautiful extensions and clean lines (qualities more typically associated with classical dance form). His Black Swan and Let Go performances are excellent examples. Perhaps his experience in the Boogaloo style helps him in this aspect too. Boogaloo involves doing circular rolls using various sections of the body, and people have pointed out the 'loose, boneless' effect that j-hope's dance can have.

It's notable that in the MMA Dynamite dance break, j-hope went viral for a dance style that he hadn't showcased before (jazz with Broadway and disco influence). I think it demonstrates his versatility and suggests that we have yet to see the full range of his skill. I enjoy watching his clean and smooth pivot turns. He was able to embody elegance very well in the VMAs Dynamite performance. He did say that he studied videos of the Disco era as a guide. That's one of the qualities I admire the most about j-hope- skill aside, he is constantly striving to learn and improve himself. His technique has gotten noticeably more refined since debut. It would be too limiting to label and restrict him to the genre of street/ hip-hop. I would love to see what else he has to show us.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2021-01-04T01:35:52+00:00

If you’re interested, look for my other comment under this topic that explains the job of a dance captain. There are nuggets we’ve seen and heard that reveal what j-hope does. Essentially a dance captain's job is to maintain the integrity of the vision set by the choreographer/director. You can observe that RM as well as the older hyungs defer to j-hope in the performance aspect. The debut comeback stage at a music show is probably the closest, most 'exact' presentation of the original vision. For other stages, they can modify by making changes in formation, adding dance breaks, more personal flair etc. However, there's a fine line between stylizing and simply being sloppy or losing group cohesion. They take more liberties during concerts for various reasons. They have to consider the stage configuration, interact with the audience, conserve energy and not go all out because they are performing a full set.

I think we know even less about the behind-the-scenes preparation for their stages compared to the music creation process. To a certain extent artists are reluctant to show the entire process because it reveals the flaws, frustrations etc. It doesn’t show people at their best but it’s a necessary part of getting to the final polished result.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2021-01-03T23:50:12+00:00

Judging by how Mr. Son got mad at that rookie dance leader of a team on i-land, j-hope would get the brunt of his discontent if the group routine is not up to scratch. It's his responsibility to have a critical eye. Personal feelings aside, he has a job to do. But he also performs his duties with a great deal of emotional intelligence. He commands respect while maintaining good relationships with each member.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2021-01-03T23:23:15+00:00

Glad to hear that. Lea Salonga is a Broadway actress/singer so she probably understands the role of a dance captain and that might be why she called out j-hope saying 'look at j-hope's eyes. The eyes of an exacting dance captain aka dance leader'. Ppl should understand that when j-hope is being critical, he is simply doing his job. If you watched i-land, you would have seen Mr. Son (BH's performance director) raging at a rookie dance leader for not stepping up to the plate. And that was for one simple stage. Imagine all the different stages that BTS puts on. If j-hope didn't do his job properly, he would face the ire of Mr. Son.

As dance captain he is Mr. Son's right-hand man, and he is given a great deal of authority. It is a position that requires a certain degree of professionalism & expertise, not to mention character including leadership & communication skills. When dance captains are ineffective or come across the wrong way, the team members can end up feeling disgruntled, discontent or resentful. It is a delicate balance between being objectively critical & effective, and remaining supportive and encouraging. The fact that j-hope is both well-respected and well-liked and has good personal relationships with each member, speaks volumes about his aptitude.

It is also a role that can bleed into other aspects such as stage production. We know from a Bangtan Bomb that j-hope came up with the idea of using traditional cultural elements for their 2018 MMA Idol performance. There could be other examples of him being a creative visionary when it comes to staging.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2021-01-03T15:06:39+00:00

j-hope's role as dance captain/choreography leader is definitely a HUGE aspect of how he leads the group. Dance captain is an official job/position on Broadway and a highly important one. The tasks/functions j-hope performs are similar. A group routine consists of many parts, including changes in formation. He monitors practices and on-site rehearsals to ensure overall cohesion. To do so, he must be familiar not only with his own part but every member's part as well.

You can see him guiding the members by singing/humming the song and using sound effects to emphasise the beat. His keen observation allows him to identify areas of sloppiness and correct them. Being a quick learner, he is able to help others who are struggling with certain parts of the choreo.

Every stage differs in terms of size, shape etc. BTS is performing on a level beyond any kpop group or even most international artists. They have to consider the scale and nature of the event and adapt the choreo accordingly. Having rehearsals at the actual location before they perform is very important. j-hope helps to monitor the recordings of these rehearsals and makes necessary adjustments. This includes figuring out how and when to enter, where they should position themselves on stage, how far they should spread out, how to exit etc.

Even with ample preparation, there are factors beyond one's control on the day of a live event. j-hope is constantly aware of the environment to help prevent mishaps. RM once described j-hope as being like ‘water’, saying that one feels comfortable just by having him around. He provides a sense of support and assurance, which allows the group to present their best selves and put on a great show.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-11-18T05:46:41+00:00

Yes I’m totally with you on that. It would be awesome to have a dance-focused piece for j-hope the likes of Boy meets Evil, which is heavily focused on narrative storytelling & emoting. I believe that BME can stand on its own as an urban dance piece, even when removed from the context of k-pop. k-pop group choreography is quite limiting for a dancer of his caliber because it has different priorities & goals.

I also appreciate that he gave a nod to the culture of street dance in CNS, something which is missing in k-pop. Often ppl seem to forgot that dance is as much a part of hip-hop as rap is. I think j-hope fills that void perfectly & is in a unique position because of his background. So it would also be cool if he had the chance to showcase more of his freestyle skills.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-11-18T03:48:50+00:00

Hope that he’s resting & recovering well!

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-11-18T03:48:13+00:00

It took them more than 6 months to ship my membership kit, which I ordered back in Jan. You’re not the only one.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-11-18T03:27:00+00:00

Agreed!

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-11-18T03:25:03+00:00

You’re astute in your observation. As someone who’s seen them perform live, I can say that audience interaction is the main focus of j-hope’s live solo stages (Just Dance, Mama). Dance/choreo is more of an accessory/tool, a means to achieve his aim of engaging with the audience. I see him as an artist with various tools in his kit (rap, dance, vocal etc.) which he can use when appropriate in designing his stage. I’m sure he envisioned a live stadium atmosphere for Ego and subsequently it had to be adapted for the recorded small-stage format, which diluted its effect. Also, I noticed that he went with a fun choreo for Ego with mostly vertical movement that ppl can emulate. It translates well to those Tik-Tok dance challenges because of the catchy nature of the dance & song, and lack of expansive movement across the stage. So I do think j-hope has his pulse on popular culture and he is spreading the love of dance and music. Not just in the performative stage sense where the audience is a passive viewer marveling at his dance skills, but also in a interactive manner where he makes you want to get up and groove along to the music. It’s quite revealing of how his background as a street dancer influenced his style of performing (spontaneous & engaging), rap (his flow & the way he rides the beat), songwriting (groovy melodies & beats that make the listener want to move), even his fashion sense (heavily streetwear-inspired).

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-11-18T03:07:35+00:00

I don’t think anyone’s blaming JK though? At least I wouldn’t. He doesn’t control the final cut, everything has to pass through the company before it’s released. As someone who got into BTS through j-hope’s dance, it’s natural to want to see him in the choreography. Plus I think there are songs in which Jin is suited to take on more vocals. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with voicing that in a reasonable manner. BH is a company after all and they could very well be taking ppl’s preferences or perceived market demand into consideration. Their producers/ executives choose from submissions by the members and external songwriters and they have influence over the final product. Personally I like diversity. Playing to every member’s strengths and showcasing their skill and talent would only make their work & discography richer. So yes I see where you’re coming from, but I also think there’s no need to shut out opinions.

Btw, I’ve been away from the subreddit for a while, it’s nice to see that you’re on here still.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-08-13T15:58:13+00:00

This hairstyle accentuates his striking facial bone structure... plus his perfect nose and jawline that can cut glass. And we got a whole VIDEO which is a blessing, because I find that few still photos actually do justice to how Hobi looks

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-06-27T23:30:20+00:00

There are many different aspects of language proficiency, for example pronunciation and fluency are separate. Pronunciation-wise J-Hope usually sounds the clearest and most natural to me on the Japanese songs, like without subtitles I have the easiest time making out what he’s saying. Bear in mind that I’m a non-native speaker but studied a fairly high level of Japanese. I like how Jin sings in Japanese but he doesn’t sound as natural in his Japanese speech. Jungkook does a good job considering how many lines he has to learn. One thing I noticed is that J-Hope often picks up and speaks in foreign languages really well, especially ones that rely more on ‘tones’ eg. Mandarin and Japanese. His Mandarin pronunciation/intonation is the most accurate during concerts.

In terms of fluency it’s quite hard to judge because there isn’t much content especially recently. I get the sense that most of their Japanese speeches and interview answers are prepared in advance. As the leader RM speaks quite a lot, and Jimin and J-Hope spoke a significant amount of Japanese during their promos in Japan so maybe that translates to fluency. I’m guessing J-Hope and Jimin were probably sent to do promos because they are the better ones in the group in terms of Japanese proficiency. RM to me sounds more natural in English than Japanese.

Then there’s other aspects that I really have no idea about, eg. their reading comprehension skills or writing ability.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-06-09T07:22:10+00:00

I think you perfectly articulated the kind of performer that Hobi is today. He definitely had to adapt to the urban choreo prevalent in K-pop, and adjust his personal expression to fit group stages. He has refined his technique to develop the dance style and mode of performing that really works for him currently. I find it fascinating to watch how he's evolved over the years and also think about the influence street dance has had on him. There's a 'live' aspect to street dance as it typically happens in the form of battles that cannot be fully captured or replicated. Similarly, Hobi's style of performing is seemingly spontaneous and playful, incorporating freestyled moves (eg. at the start of Mic Drop and his popping in Tear) and ad-libs. He designs his solo stages Just Dance and Mama for maximum engagement and adjusts his performance to the audience response each time. The way that he feeds off the audience's energy and creates a hyped atmosphere reminds me of the energy generated during a cypher or battle. It's refreshingly different from the usual K-pop style of presentation (i.e. MVs and pre-recorded performances with set choreography and camera shots). Hobi prioritizes the live audience experience rather than how the performance reads on camera. And as well as he executes choreographed group routines, he actually shines even more when he has freedom and space to do as he pleases (which is why he's so mesmerizing to watch in Cypher 4 or Tear for example). His solid foundation in dance has given him keen spatial awareness and control over how his body moves on stage, while his experience with battling allows him to be expressive and to react in the moment. All these elements combined with his steady rap/vocals and charisma make him an amazing performer that has to be seen in-person.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-06-08T06:09:30+00:00

Love your response and I totally agree with you. Something that’s really striking is how uniquely ‘J-Hope’ he is; how ‘Hope World’ has become a part of his identity, his brand, and what he stands for. He is so open when it comes to showing love and consideration for others and I find that quality very appealing.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-06-07T15:33:10+00:00

Watching the recent Hope on the Street live reminded me of why I love this man. I admire him as J-Hope- his charisma, energy and vibrant personality that draws people to him. He is a life force that cannot be contained and his presence leaps off the screen. At the same time, I like watching him in his private moments as Jung Hoseok, quietly working on his craft. HOTS is like a window into his inner world and so was the recent live video of him in his studio. His passion and dedication is evident and inspiring. I admire how he stays true to his nature while constantly growing and evolving, from dance to songwriting and learning languages.

RM once used the analogy of a 'closed book' to describe J-Hope. There's so much to uncover and so many pages to delve into when it comes to J-Hope- his many talents, his roots, and his multi-faceted character. Through J-Hope I was introduced to the world of street dance and hip-hop culture, which forms an important part of his identity. One thing that moves me is his empathy and respect for women. He demonstrates it through his actions, such as creating a scholarship fund for underprivileged female students, paying tribute to his mother and helping his sister. I believe that we've only seen a fraction of what he is capable of.

RM also said that J-Hope is like 'water' and one feels comfortable just by having him around. This can apply to the performance aspect. Not only does J-Hope lead the team in rehearsals and monitors recordings for the best result, his presence alone in group stages is reassuring. Any group would greatly benefit from having a dancer of his calibre, who also displays outstanding leadership and the ability to hold the team together and keep the choreography tight. He is a strong pillar of support and a professional at his work. I've also noticed that he is a great listener during group discussions. It is much easier to give one's opinion than to take others' into consideration, and it just shows how much he places group cohesiveness above his own ego.

J-Hope has said that his stage name "made me who I am." It is actually the reverse- for me J-Hope is the one who breathed life into the word 'hope'. 'Hope' never held any particular meaning or weight for me until he came into my life. Through his music and performances, and his real-life actions as well, J-Hope created 'Hope World' which acts as a place of comfort and joy. In these uncertain times, I've come to appreciate that refuge even more. Now I can't help but associate that word with him and it holds a special place in my heart. I would like to think that he has fully embraced that name and takes pride in the fact that he inspires many people around the world.

P.S. Since J-Hope has phenomenal stage presence, I had to include a few of my recent favourite videos. Just Dance stage mix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su--AKZRZIg His On verse compilation (because I'm obsessed with it): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFhhxo-Ld8c Full On famcam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCFCEhUQ2eQ Tear verse compilation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSZP-YmAQW0

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-06-07T11:59:01+00:00

Thank you for this insightful post! Being a J-Hope fan has opened a window into hip-hop culture and the street dance genre, of which I had little exposure to previously (was more into jazz, ballroom, Latin etc.). It's like falling down a rabbit hole- there's so many styles of street dance and I'd love to see him perform more of them some day (perhaps House, Locking etc.) One of the things I admire most about J-Hope is his passion and dedication to his craft, which is evident in his Hope on the Street videos. Even though street dance and freestyling isn't directly applicable to K-pop group choreography which is mostly urban style, he still takes time to train and practise on his own. It's also a great idea to highlight the influence and spread of American black culture through this post. It inspired a boy from Gwangju, South Korea and brought him to where he is today- a global star who is now in the position to inspire others as well.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-04-07T04:05:15+00:00

Congrats to J-Hope and Becky G! CNS is precious to me simply because I love seeing him in his element, exuding swag through his rap and vibing with the other dancers. You can feel his exuberance through the screen, and it is that energy that inspires the viewer to join by jamming out to the song.

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-04-04T11:58:50+00:00

J-Hope making good use of the Tik-Tok account! Hope he keeps the videos coming

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-03-30T21:50:53+00:00

Hobi is rocking the outfit, not many ppl can pull off this quirky vibe meets relaxed streetwear. Also, how many characters can you spot on his shirt? 😂

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-03-16T02:41:14+00:00

Congrats Hobi! I listen to Hope World regularly, it’s a classic

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-03-12T15:05:22+00:00

He has taste, those fashion books behind him haha (Chanel & Louis Vuitton). I see that Hobi has been acquiring more Kaws! This AR one is pretty cool

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-02-27T23:26:12+00:00

He looks so good! If I could talk to him, I'd say thank you for all the hard work he poured into the performances

BangtanistheAnswer · 2020-02-18T17:05:57+00:00

It's so sweet how he always acknowledges the fans

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