Double Dutch (jump rope)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Double Dutch means playing jump rope with two ropes and one or more people jumping simultaneously; this involves at least three people total: one or more jumping and two turning the ropes. While the jump-roping is going on, the two persons turning the ropes often recite rhymes. An example: "Helicopter, helicopter/Please come down/if you don't/I'll shoot you down/Bang, bang!"
During the very early years of hip hop culture, double-dutch was an element of the culture, and young people, usually girls, would have double-dutch competitions at block parties. After hip hop began moving towards the mainstream in the early 1980s, double-dutch fell out of favor as a recognized element of hip hop, although it remains popular with schoolchildren to this day.
Double Dutch has seen a resurgence in popularity as of late. The National Double Dutch League holds yearly camps and a Holiday Classic, in which teams from all over the world compete. Double Dutch is still a prominent part of the hip hop culture in some areas, and is becoming more and more prevalent in cities such as San Francisco and Seattle.
