Breakdance, also known as breaking, b-girling or b-boying, is a street dance style that evolved as part of the hip hop movement that originated among African American and Latin American youths in the South Bronx of New York City during the early 1970s. It is arguably the best known of all hip hop dance styles. A breakdancer is also known as a breaker, and B-boy. Breakdancing or breaking is a form of street dance that incorporates intricate body movements, coordination, style, and aesthetics.
The History of Breakdance
Breakdance is the oldest known hip-hop style of dance. It is believed to have originated in the Bronx, New York, in the 1970s. Musical inspirations date back to the energetic performances of funk maestro, James Brown.
In the early days of deejaying, emceeing, and breakdancing, a break — the instrumental part of a song that is looped repeatedly by the DJ — was typically incorporated into songs to allow a showcase of breakdance moves.
In the late 1960s, Afrika Bambaataa recognized that breakdancing was not just a form of dance. He saw it as a means to an end. Bambaataa formed one of the earliest dance crews, the Zulu Kings. The Zulu Kings gradually developed a reputation as a force to be reckoned with in breakdancing circles. Rock Steady Crew, arguably the most important breakdancing collective in Hip Hop history, added innovative acrobatic moves to the art. Breaking evolved from simple headspins and backspins to sophisticated power moves.
Popular speculations of the early 1980s suggest that breakdancing, in its organized fashion seen today, began as a method for rival gangs of the ghetto to mediate and settle territorial disputes. 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.
It later was through the highly energetic performances of the late funk legend James Brown and the rapid growth of dance teams, like the Rock Steady Crew of New York City, that the competitive ritual of gang warfare evolved into a pop-culture phenomenon receiving massive media attention. Parties, disco clubs, talent shows, and other public events became typical locations for breakdancers, including gang members for whom dancing served as a positive diversion from the threats of city life.
Though its intense popularity eventually faded in the 1980s, breakdancing persists as a mainstream phenomenon, maintaining exposure through often comical portrayals in commercials, movies, and the media. Breakdancing remains an enjoyable pastime for enthusiasts and, for a few, a serious competitive dance where annual exhibitions and competitions of all levels take place.
A basic routine might include toprock, a transition into downrock, also known as footwork, a display of power moves, and finally a climactic freeze or suicide. Toprock refers to any string of steps performed from a standing position, relying upon a mixture of coordination, flexibility, style, and most importantly, rhythm. It is usually the first and foremost opening display of style, and it serves as a warm-up for transitions into more acrobatic maneuvers. In contrast, downrock includes all footwork performed on the floor as in the 6-step. Downrock is normally performed with the hands and feet on the floor. In downrock, the breakdancer displays his or her proficiency with foot speed and control by performing footwork combinations. These combinations usually transition into more athletic moves known as power moves.
Power moves refer to moves that require momentum and physical power to execute. In power moves, the breakdancer relies more on upper body strength to dance, using his or her hands to do moves. Power moves include windmill, swipes, headspins, flare, and airflare. Because power moves are physically demanding, breakdancers use them as a display of upper body strength and stamina. Many moves are borrowed from gymnastics, such as the flare, and martial arts, with impressive acrobatics such as the butterfly kick.
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. Whereas freezing refers to a single pose, locking entails sharp transitions between a series of freezes.
Suicides are another type of move to 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 the final position.
"Battles" refer to any level of competition in which breakdancers in an open space (typically a circle or square) participate in quick-paced, turn-based routines, whether improvised or planned. Participants vary in number, ranging from head-to-head duels to battles of opposing breakdance crews, or teams. Winners are determined by the side exhibiting the most proficient combinations of moves. "Cyphers," on the other hand, are open-forum, mock exhibitions where competition is less emphasized.
Like the other aspects of Hip Hop culture, graffiti writing, MCing, and DJing, males are generally the predominant gender within breaking. However, this is being challenged by the rapidly increasing number of b-girls. 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 breaking scene.
Despite the increasing number of female breakers, another possible barrier is lack of promotion. As Firefly, a full-time b-girl, 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.” More people are seeking to change the traditional image of females in Hip Hop culture (and by extension, b-boy culture) to a more positive, empowered role in the modern Hip Hop scene. The lower exposure of female dancers is probably caused not by an conscious discrimination, but simply by the fewer breakers compared to the number of male breakers. However, both males and females do practice this art form equally together and are competitively judged only by skill and personal expression, not gender.
Breakdancing is one of the elements of Hip Hop and if you dance, you should learn the history of breakdancing and incorporate it into your movement if you dance Hip Hop.
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