Breakdance

A popular form of dancing, Breakdance is very popular among the youth as an expression of what they believe in and what they don’t. It is popularly known as 'Breaking' and those who practice the dance form are called b-boys and b-girls. It is essentially a street-dance that involves some very complex and intricate body movements. Break dance is one of the oldest forms of hip-hop style of dancing. Learning this particular form of dancing requires a person to strike a balance between the power moves and the style of dancing. There is a controversy regarding those who master either just the style or just the power moves, usually not being considered as masters.

 

Break dancing essentially evolved in the latter half of the 20th century. It slowly came into popularity in the Western World, where street corner DJs would string together the rhythmic breakdown sections of different songs, without any melody. The dance form, essentially, had a mix of beats. When the dancers took a break, it helped them to display their unique skills during the break. Early seventies saw the rising popularity of break dancing in the streets of America.

 

During the seventies, the technique of break dancing was evolved further, in order to settle the brutal territorial fights with macho dancing techniques instead of guns. This was a welcome change for all those affected by the ugly wars and gave them a way to express their frustrations without hurting anyone and getting hurt. With time, the dance evolved to a great extent, with more emphasis and concentration placed on modifying and perfecting stylized leg movements.

 

With the emergence of popular dance groups, like “Rock Steady Crew” and the “Electronic Boogaloo”, breakdancing got a further face lift and many new steps, such as the hand-gliding, back-spinning, wind-milling, and head-spinning, were evolved. In the 1980s and 1990s, this dance reached its peak, with dancers from Asia and Europe adding their own style and spins to the dance. Today, the dance has become a discipline somewhere between those of dancers and athletes.

 

There are four basic elements that form the foundation of break-dance. These include - toprock, downrock (also known as footwork), power moves, and freezes.

 

Toprock: Toprock involves a number of steps, performed in a standing position, which form the first and foremost opening display of style. The more acrobatic maneuvers follow soon after.

 

Downrock: Downrock usually involves the use of both hands and feet by the performer, but on the floor. The main aim is to bring across the proficient foot speed and foot control of the dancer.

 

Power Moves: As the very name suggests, power moves require great momentum and physical power on the part of the performer. It involves the use of upper body, with the dancer usually relying on his/ her hands.