Breakdance

A Thai break-dancer holding a one-handed handstand at MTV Street Festival, Thailand.

Breakdance, breaking, or b-boying is a street dance style that evolved as part of the hip hop movement among African American and Latino American youths in New York City during the early 1970s. It is danced to hip hop or other music, often remixed to prolong the breaks. One who practices the style is a break-dancer, breaker, b-boy or b-girl.

The term "breakdancing" is contentious among practitioners who believe it was invented by mass media to exploit the movement. "Breakdancer" may even be used disparagingly to refer to those who learned the dance for personal gain rather than commitment to the culture. Many pioneers and prominent figures prefer to call it "b-boying" or "breaking."

History

Breakdancer doing a turtle.

Elements of breakdance may be seen in many antecedent cultures, but it was not until the 1970s that breakdance evolved as a street dance style. It evolved during the hip hop movement among African American (and later Latino American) youths in Manhattan and the South Bronx of New York City. Street corner disc jockeys would take the rhythmic breakdown sections (or "breaks") of dance records and string them together with many elements of the melody. This provided a raw rhythmic base for improvising and further mixing, and it allowed dancers to display their skills during the break. In a turn-based showcase of dance routines, the winning side was determined by the dancer(s) who could outperform the other by displaying a set of more complicated and innovative moves.

Michael Jackson's televised performance of the robot dance in 1974 in the song Dancing Machine displayed elements of the breakdance subculture to a wide audience and helped spark its popularity. Meanwhile, dance teams such as the Rock Steady Crew and the New York City Breakers changed the dance into a pop-culture phenomenon receiving a large amount of media attention. In the 1980s, parties, disco clubs, talent shows, and other public events became typical locations for breakdancers. Though its intense popularity eventually faded in the mid-1980s, in the following decades break-dancing became an accepted dance style portrayed in commercials, movies, and the media. Instruction in break-dancing techniques is even available at dance studios where hip-hop dancing is taught. Today, b-boying culture is a discipline somewhere between those of dancers and athletes. Since acceptance and involvement centers on dance abilities, b-boying culture is often free of the common race and gender boundaries of a subculture and has been accepted worldwide.

Shortly after groups such as the Rock Steady Crew came to Japan, break-dancing within Japan began to flourish. Each Sunday performers would breakdance in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park. One of the first and most influential Japanese breakdancers was Crazy-A, who is now the leader of the Tokyo Rock Steady Crew. He also organizes the yearly B-Boy Park which draws upwards of 10,000 fans a year and attempts to expose a wider audience to the culture.

Dance techniques

Further information: List of breakdance moves

A breakdancer doing downrock.

There are four basic elements that form the foundation of breakdance. These are toprock, downrock, power moves, and finishing moves (a freeze or suicide).

Toprock refers to any string of steps performed from a standing position. It is usually the first and foremost opening display of style, and it serves as a warm-up for transitions into more acrobatic maneuvers. Perhaps the most basic toprock is the Indian Step, but toprock is very eclectic and can draw upon many other dance styles. Though commonly associated with popping and locking (two elements of the funk styles that evolved independently in California during the late 1960s) break-dancing is often considered distinct from popping and locking, as its moves require a greater sense of athleticism, as opposed to the contortion of limbs seen in pop-and-lock. Breakdancers who wish to widen their expressive range, however, may dabble in all types of hip hop dance.

In contrast, downrock (or "footwork") includes all footwork performed on the floor, such as the foundational 6-step. It typically involves complicated contortions of the lower body, and may be as highly variable and personalized as toprock. Downrock transitions into more athletic moves known as power moves.

Power moves are actions that require momentum and physical power to execute. The breaker is generally supported by his upper body, while the rest of his body creates momentum. Notable examples are the windmill, swipe, and flare. Several moves are borrowed from gymnastics (such as the flare) and martial arts (such as the butterfly kick).

A pike, commonly used as a freeze.

Breakdance sets end with a distinctive finishing move. Many times this takes the form of a freeze in which all motion is halted in a stylish pose. The more difficult freezes require the breakdancer to suspend himself or herself off the ground using upper body strength in poses such as the handstand or pike. Alternatively, suicides can also signal the end to a routine. Breakers will make it appear that they have lost control and fall onto their backs, stomachs, etc. The more painful the suicide appears, the more impressive it is, but breakdancers execute them in a way to minimize pain. In contrast to freezes, suicides draw attention to the motion of falling or losing control, while freezes draw attention to a controlled final position.

Music

As the clichéd quote "break to the beat" points out, rhythmic music is an essential ingredient for breakdancing. The original songs that popularized the dance form borrow significantly from progressive genres of jazz, soul, funk, electro, disco, and R&B. The most common feature of breakdance music exists in breaks, or compilations formed from samples taken from different songs which are then looped and chained together by the DJ. The tempo generally ranges between 110 and 135 beats per minute with shuffled sixteenth and quarter beats in the percussive pattern. History credits Kool Dj Herc for the invention of this concept, later termed breakbeat.

The musical selection is not restricted to hip-hop music as long as the tempo and beat pattern conditions are met. It can be readily adapted to different music genres (often with the aid of remixing). World competitions have seen the unexpected progressions and applications of heavily European electronica, and even opera. Some b-boys, such as Pierre, even extend it to rock music.

Fashion

Breakdancer doing a headstand.

For most breakdancers, fashion is a defining aspect of identity. The breakdancers of the 1980s often sported flat-soled Adidas shell-toe shoes, or Pumas or Filas with thick, elaborately patterned laces. Some break-dancing matched their hats, shirts, and shoes to show uniformity, and were perceived as a threat to the competitor by their apparent strength in numbers. B-boys also wore nylon tracksuits which were functional as well as fashionable. The slick, low-friction material allowed the breakdancer to slide on the floor much more readily than with cotton or most other materials.

Hooded nylon jackets allowed dancers to perform head spins and windmills with greater ease. Additionally, the popular image of the original breakdancer always involved a public performance on the street, accompanied by the essential boombox and oversized sheet of cardboard, which serves as a dance floor.

The b-boys today dress differently from the b-boys in the 80s, but one constant remains: dressing "fresh". Due to the spread of break-dancing from the inner cities into the suburbs and other social groups, different perceptions of "fresh" have arisen. Generally the rule that one's gear needs to match has remained from the 80s, along with a certain playfulness. Kangols are still worn by some, and track pants and nylon clothes still have their place combined with modern sneakers and hats. Trucker hats were reintroduced to the scene in the late 1990s, well before the mainstream pop culture began wearing them again in numbers.

Function is heavily intertwined with b-boy fashion. Due to the demands on the feet in b-boying, b-boys look for shoes with low weight, good grip, and durability in the sole as well as elsewhere. Headwear can facilitate the movement of the head on the ground, especially in headspins. Bandannas underneath headwear can protect against the discomfort of fabric pulling on hair. Wristbands placed along the arm can also lower friction in particular places,mkmbv; as well as provide some protection. Today's break-dancing styles, which emphasize fast-paced, fluid floor moves and freezes, differ from that of two decades ago, requiring more freedom of movement in the upper body. Therefore, less baggy upperwear is more common today (though pants remain baggy).

Some dancers and crews have begun to dress in a style similar to "goth" or punk rockers in order to stand out from the more traditional toned-down b-boy appearance. Certain clothing brands have been associated with breaking, for instance, Tribal. Puma is also well known in the breaking community. Both brands sponsor many b-boy events. Other breakdancers style their pants by cutting off or rolling up one pant leg. Bucket hats are also popular.

Competition

B-boying may have begun as a constructive youth culture alternative to the violence of urban street gangs. It remains competitive in many settings today, including the annual international breakdancing competitions Battle of the Year and Red Bull BC One.

Battles

Battles are dance competitions between breakdancers. They can take the form of a cypher battle and an organized battle. Both types of battles are head to head confrontations between individuals or groups of dancers who try to out-dance each other.

B-boying began with the cypher (or circle), a ring of breakers who take turns dancing in the center. There are no judges (other than the onlookers) or concrete rules in the cypher. Although people aren't always battling each other in the cypher, there are many times when battles do take place. This form may be more confrontational and personal. The battle may end for numerous reasons, including loss of interest or defeat. Battling in the cypher is also a common way for dancers to settle issues between each other whether it be individuals or crews.

Organized battles impose a format for the battle, such as a limit on time or number of participants. Organized battles also have judges, who are usually chosen based on years of experience, level of deeper cultural knowledge, contribution to the scene and general ability to judge in an unbiased manner. There are however, times when non b-boys or non b-girls are chosen to judge by some organizers, and these type of events (jams) are often looked down upon by the b-boying community. Organized battles are far more publicized and known to the mainstream community, and include famous international-level competitions such as Battle of the Year, Redbull BC One, UK B-Boy Championships, Freestyle Session, and R16 Korea. It should be noted however that a view exists that a trend in recent years has been to place an over-emphasis on organized battles, which takes away from a more originality-based aspect of the culture that is often more emphasized in cypher culture.

Crews

A crew is a group of two or more b-boys or b-girls who choose to dance together, either simultaneously or separately. Crew vs crew battles are common in break-dancing. Many B-boys and B-Girls are part of a crew, which makes many feel more dedicated to break-dancing. A few of the most well known crews are the New York City Breakers, Rock Steady Crew, Recognize Crew, Style Elements Crew, LA Breakers, Last For One, Super Cr3w, Gamblerz, Mortal Combat, Beat Freaks, Flying Steps, Quest Crew, SoReal Cru, Kaba Modern, and JabbaWockeez.

Many b-girl crews often find themselves competing or trying to prove their legitimacy and passion for this specific type of dancing. Anonamiss is an all female b-girl crew, based in Christchurch, New Zealand, known for incorporating b-girling moves with Samoa siva dance inspired moves.

Controversy

Terminology

Though widespread, the term "breakdancing" is controversial. Purists consider it ignorant term that connotes exploitation of the art by the media. It is also problematic because breakdancing has become a diluted umbrella term that includes popping, locking, boogalooing, and other so-called funk-style dances.

The terms "b-boying" or "breaking" are preferred by the majority of the art form’s pioneers and most notable practitioners. In the documentary The Freshest Kids, figures such as KRS-One, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, and DMC of Run-DMC refer to it as "breaking". Afrika Bambaataa, Fab 5 Freddy, Michael Holman, Frosty Freeze and Jo Jo of Rock Steady Crew use the original term "b-boying".

It is uncertain what the "B" of b-boy represents. Frosty Freeze and Mr. Wiggles have said that it refers to the "breaks" in music. Alternatively, Grand Mixer DXT and DJ Kool Herc contend that it comes from the slang term "breaking," meaning to lose inhibitions or break out of the mold.

Gender inequality

As in its musical counterpart, rap music, males are generally seen as the predominant gender within b-boying. However, this belief is being challenged by the rapidly increasing number of b-girls in the world today. Like most aspects of hip hop, including the three other major components of graffiti, emceeing and turntabalism, women are overall seen as having less influence than men. Relatively speaking the women are seen as outsiders to the groups. It is interesting to note that if there is a group with a majority of males and a minority of females, the crew will still be referred to as b-boys. However, if there is a majority of females and a minority of males, the group will normally not be known as a crew of b-girls. This simple concept of naming certain groups, feminists argue, is proof of the gender inequalities within the break dancing world.

Critics argue that it is unfair to make a sweeping generalization about these inequalities because women have begun to play a larger role in the break-dancing scene. Despite the increasing number of female breakdancers, another possible barrier is lack of promotion. As Firefly, a full-time breakdancer, says, "It's getting more popular. There are a lot more girls involved. The problem is that promoters are not putting on enough female-only battles."

Issues such as these have been addressed more and more in recent years by such groups as We-B-Girls, who seek to "influence and inspire leadership to change the perceptions and roles of women in hip-hop for current and future generations." As well, more people are seeking to change the traditional image of females in hip-hop culture (and by extension, break-dancing culture) to a more positive, empowered role in the modern hip hop scene.

However, this argument is deemed nonsensical by its detractors; is it stated that "the floor does not discriminate against anyone". The lower exposure of female dancers is probably caused not by any conscious discrimination, but simply by there being fewer female break dancers. Since there are no women division as in "official" sports, they have to compete with men on equal terms. In any "Bboy" Battles, if it is a one-on-one competition or maybe a battle between crews, B-girls attend the event as equals to the B-Boys. They compete against the B-boys and as members of crews alongside B-boys, and all female B-girl crews battle against other crews with no negative discrimination. The term "B-girling" is as acceptable as the term B-boying and the only reason the masculine form is used more often is simply because of a lack of a gender-even term. Other than the terminology, both males and females practice this art together.

Power vs Style

Multiple stereotypes have emerged in the break-dancing community over the give-and-take relationship between technical footwork and physical prowess. Those who focus on dance steps and fundamental sharpness (but lack upper-body brawn, form, discipline, etc) are labeled as "style-heads" and specialists of more gymnastics-oriented technique and form—at the cost of charisma and coordinated footwork—are known as "power-heads." Such terms are used colloquially often to classify one's skill, however, the subject has been known to disrupt competitive events where judges tend to favor a certain array of techniques.

It has often been stated that break-dancing replaced fighting between street gangs, though some believe it a misconception that b-boying ever played a part in mediating gang rivalry. These gang roots made break-dancing itself seem controversial in its early history.

Uprocking as a dance style of its own never gained the same widespread popularity as breakdance, except for some very specific moves adopted by breakers who use it as a variation for their toprock. When used in a breakdance battle, opponents often respond by performing similar uprock moves, supposedly creating a short uprock battle. Some dancers argue that because uprocking was originally a separate dance style it should never be mixed with break-dancing, and that the uprock moves performed by breakers today are not the original moves but poor imitations that only shows a small part of the original uprock style.

Popular entertainment

Breakdancing motifs are common in pop culture, from professional wrestler Booker T to Korean singer Se7en. Breaking and hip hop culture have been the subject of numerous books and documentaries such as The Freshest Kids: A History of the B-Boy and Style Wars.

Stage shows

In a number of countries, stage companies and individual breakdancing crews have created musicals and stage shows that are either based on, or focus on breakdancing. The musical A Ballerina Who Loved A B-Boy tells the story of a ballerina who falls in love with the power of breakdancing. Another break-dancing musical is Marionette by the Korean group "Expression Crew".

Music videos

Buffalo Gals (Malcolm McLaren music video. 1982): The first break-dancing video on MTV, that brought hip hop to the mainstream, most noticeably in Europe. It's like That by Run DMC (Music Video. 1997): Quite possibly the dance video responsible for the return of break-dancing to mainstream culture. The recording, though seemingly unrelated to the harsh themes of the song, features a comical battle between two talented respectively all-female and male crews. The 2004 Pro-Test video by Skinny Puppy depicted B-Boys breakdancing on a sidewalk in Los Angeles, who ridicule a group of goths, which leads to a dispute.

Canon in D Korean video clip (2006) features a famous DJ (DJ Chang Eue), beatboxer (Eun Jun), and two members, Bboy Joe and Bboy Zero-Nine of the 2005 BOTY champions, Last For One in two different versions. South Korea vs North Korea Break-dancing video clip (2005) depicts the separation of these two nations and the will for reunification through bboying. This video clip includes world famous breakdancers Bboy Ducky (Drifterz). Bboy Trickx (Drifterz), Bboy Physicx (Rivers), and Hong10 (Drifterz). Korean crews including Gambler Crew, Rivers Crew, Extreme (Obowang) Crew, Drifterz Crew, Jinjo Crew and more have participated in creating break-dancing tutorial clips shown on television and online to help instruct the new generation of aspiring b-boys. Korean singers have been known for incorporating break-dancing moves into their choreographies, music videos and performances, including Se7en, Big Bang, BoA, Rain, and Minwoo.

Films and television shows

In the early 1980s, several films depicted breakdancers, including Wild Style! (1982) and Flashdance (1983), which showed the Rock Steady Crew. The 1983 PBS documentary Style Wars chronicles New York graffiti artists, but also includes elements of breakdance. Several 1984 movies focused on the dance, including Breakin', Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo, Delivery Boys, Krush Groove and Beat Street.

The 2001 comedy film Zoolander depicts Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) performing break-dancing moves on a catwalk. The acclaimed documentary film The Freshest Kids: A History of the B-Boy (2002) provides a comprehensive history of b-boying, its evolution and its place within hip-hop culture and beyond. Break is a 2006 mini series from Korea about a break-dancing competition. Over the Rainbow (Drama series 2006) centers on a different characters who are brought together by break-dancing. The character Mugen on the anime TV series Samurai Champloo uses a fighting style based on breakdancing. The 2007 film Transformers includes a robot character named Jazz, who performs a "1990" (breakdance move) as it transforms into its robotic form. Planet B-Boy (2007) follows crews from around the world in their quest for a world championship at Battle of the Year 2005. The award-winning documentary Inside the Circle (2007) goes deep into the personal stories of three talented b-boys (Omar Davila, Josh "Milky" Ayers and Romeo Navarro) and their struggle to keep dance at the center of their lives. B-boy groups Super Cr3w and Quest Crew have appeared on America's Best Dance Crew.

Video games

Breakdance was an 8-bit computer game by Epyx released in 1984, at the height of break-dancing's popularity. B-boy (videogame) is a 2006 console game which aims at an unadulterated depiction of break-dancing.

Some characters in the Tekken series, notably Eddy Gordo and Christie Monteiro, specialize in capoeira, resulting in a fighting style similar to break-dancing. Bust A Groove is a video game franchise whose character "Heat" specializes in break-dancing. Pump It Up is a Korean game that requires physical movement of the feet. The game is open for breakdancing and many people have accomplished this feat by memorizing the steps and creating dance moves to hit the arrows on time.

Other media

In 1997, Korea, Kim Soo Yong began serialization of the first break-dancing themed comic, Hip Hop. The comic sold over 1.5 million books and it helped to introduce hip-hop and break-dancing culture to Korean youth. The first break-dancing-themed novel, Kid B, was published by Houghton Mifflin in 2006. The author, Linden Dalecki, was an amateur b-boy in high school and directed a short documentary film about Texas b-boy culture before writing the novel. The novel evolved from Dalecki's b-boy-themed short story The B-Boys of Beaumont, which won the 2004 Austin Chronicle short story contest.

In 2005, a Volkswagen Golf GTi commercial featured a partly CGI version of Kelly break-dancing to a new version of "Singin' in the Rain", remixed by Mint Royale. The tagline was, "The original, updated."

References

• David Toop (1991). Rap Attack 2: African Rap To Global Hip Hop, p. 113–115. New York. New York: Serpent's Tail. ISBN 1-85242-243-2.