Breakdown on Breakdancing

Round up a crew and practice your moves!

Breakdancing

Breakdancing has been around for about three decades - and is now hotter than ever. It is a key part of hip-hop and is displayed by B-Boys and B-Girls all over the world. Read on to get the goods.

Breakdancing - What Is It?

Breakdancing is one of the four elements of hip-hop. The other three are Graffiti Art, DJing and MCing.

Breakdancing has been called the good foot, rocking, b-boying and breaking.

It is a type of dancing which combines strength, momentum, balance and creativity.

Breakdancing refers to dance moves that are combined with the breaks in the music.

DJs like Fatboy Slim take a selection of the track with drums and rhythm and loop it repeatedly - this is called a break beat.

Breakdancing is performed on slippery surfaces like linoleum and cardboard.

Breakdancing - History

Breakdancing started in the South Bronx of New York city in the mid 1970's and then moved west to LA.

Gangs used breakdancing as a way to battle over territory without fist-fighting or using weapons.

Many people argue that breakdancing originated with James Brown and his song The Good Foot.

The famous Rock Steady Crew brought the popularity of breakdancing to new heights in the late 1970's.

Breakdancing faded into the underground scene in the 1980's, but made a media comeback in the late 1990's and has since been featured in many TV commercials.

Breakdancing - Now

Major breakdancing competitions are held every year in Germany, England, Japan, New York City, Florida and California.

At the Battle of the Year competition in 2004, the Gambler crew from Korea came out on top.

Breakdancing has been featured in music videos for such artists as Run DMC, Missy Elliot and Justin Timberlake.

You can watch ordinary peeps battle it out on the UPN show, Dance 360�.

Breakdancing - The Moves

Some moves include Toprock, Uprock, 6-step, Worm, Windmill, Headspin, Flare, Jackhammer, Backspin, Floor Lock, Hanglide and Flow.

The first breakdancing moves were the drop and the in-and-out.

Popping is about the illusions you can create with your body, such as acting as a robot, moving in slow motion or appearing to dance on ice or without gravity.