Culture and history of break

dancing
• When we refer to "dance" we usually have a specific style of dance in
mind. This could be anything from "the running man" and "the
moonwalk" to "the dougie" or "the dab." Breakdance, however, is not
simply a style of dance. It's a unique culture with its own history,
lingo, culture and vast assortment of dance moves.

• So let's get to know the art of breakdancing, starting with a simple

definition.
• What Is Breakdancing?
• Breakdancing or breaking is a form of street dance that incorporates
intricate body movements, coordination, style, and aesthetics. The
people who perform this style of dance are known as b-boys or b-
girls. They're sometimes called breakers.
• 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 Breakdance Moves
• Toprock
• Air Flares
• Headspins
• Dizzy run
• Applejack
• Windmills
• Swipe
• Suicides
• Handglide
• Footwork
• Breakdancing Music
• Music is an essential ingredient in breakdancing, and hip-hop dance
songs make an ideal soundtrack. But rap is not the only option. Also
great for dancing: 70's soul, funk, and even jazz tunes all work as well.

• Style, fashion, spontaneity, concept, and technique are also vital

aspects of breakdancing.
• Notable Break-dancers
• The Rock steady Crew
• Crazy Legs
• Mr. Wiggles
• Fast Feet
• Tony Touch
• Popping was a west coast dance form in the late 70's that eventually
made its way to the east coast around 1980 where it was called
Boogaloo or Electric Boogaloo.
• B-Boying should not be confused with poppin or lockin. The breakers
and boogaloo dancers both ended up sharing the B-Boy name, but
poppin and lockin are definitely danceforms of their own and should
be treated as just that.
• Breakdancing started in 1969. That was the year that James Brown
recorded "Get on the Good Foot," a song that inspired an acrobatic
dance based on the high energy moves that Brown performed on
stage.
• Soon, kids in New York were doing the Good Foot -better known as B-
Boy(short for Break Boy)- which was the direct precursor to the sort
of breakdancing we know today.
• Where does the term breakdancing come from and why?
• Breakdancing History. Breakdance (media coined phrase), 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.
• Where did the first break dancing take place?
• Break dancing originated in New York City during the late 1960s
and early ’70s, incorporating moves from a variety of sources,
including martial arts and gymnastics.
• Who is the inventor of the break dance?
• The technique was pioneered by DJ Kool Herc (Clive Campbell),
a Jamaican deejay in New York who mixed the percussion
breaks from two identical records. By playing the breaks
repeatedly and switching from one record to the other, Kool
Herc created what he called “cutting breaks.”
What type of dance is it
• The dance
• 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.
How did it start
• Origins: From street to dance
• inventor The technique was pioneered by DJ Kool Herc (Clive Campbell), Break dancing originated in New York City during the late 1960s and early ’70s,
• Breakdancing started in 1969. That was the year that James Brown recorded "Get on the Good Foot,”
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,
• 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.
• The dance involves toprock, a transition into downrock, also known as footwork, a display of power moves, and finally a climactic freeze or suicide.

• . Popping was a west coast dance form in the late 70's that eventually made its way to the east coast around 1980 where it was called Boogaloo or Electric Boogaloo.
• Notable Break-dancers
• The Rock steady Crew
• Crazy Legs
• Mr. Wiggles
• Fast Feet
• Tony Touch
• Though its intense popularity eventually faded in the 1980s, but today breakdancing culture is a remarkable discipline somewhere in-between those of dancers and
athletes. Since acceptance and involvement centers on dance skills, breakdancing culture is usually free of the common race, gender and age boundaries of a
subculture and has been accepted worldwide.
What type of music
• Music
• As the clichéd quote "break to the beat" insists, music is a staple ingredient for
breakdancing. The original songs that popularized the dance form borrow
significantly from progressive genres of jazz, soul, funk, electro or electro funk, disco,
and R&B. (See 1970s and 1980s). 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 break beat.
The musical selection is not restricted to hip-hop 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.
• Today In pop culture
• Since its inception, breakdancing has provided a youth culture
constructive alternative to violent urban street gangs. Today,
breakdancing culture is a remarkable discipline somewhere in-
between those of dancers and athletes. Since acceptance and
involvement centers on dance skills, breakdancing culture is usually
free of the common race, gender and age boundaries of a subculture
and has been accepted worldwide.
• Thank you