This is a long read but if you like hiphop and urban culture especially breakin…heres a little insight into how breakers think, and how it was originated. I’ve talked to alot of people about this. Alot of people just think its some crazy arse mofo’s bussin some crazy arse ish’. Not really getting how it was born and its purpose within the hiphop culture.

I’m what is called a “new era” b-boy. I refrain from using power moves, although they get the biggest response, breaking for me is all about the music, power moves don’t keep to this, and are mainly gymnastic moves to show off rather than proper original breaking. Allot of breakers are pre-occupied with getting power moves. In fact if I see a bboy I will judge them on their dancing talent; e.g. top rock, footwork, transition between moves, flow and so on. If we look at the top countries Korea & France and even the us to an extent allot of their sequences revolve around fancy footwork and developing individual styles/freezes rather than showing off… As most dancers will tell you they dance to express, not to impress. Ok, rant over now for the actual history.

B-boying is a form of hip hop dancing, which is popularly known as breaking. It consists of top or up rock, footwork, spinning moves (power moves), and freezes. B-boying came from the Bronx, NY. The term “B-boy” or “B-boying” was created by Kool Herc who was a DJ spinning at block parties in Bronx back in the days. B-Boys mean “break boys” and they were called so because they’d dance to the break part of the track. Later, by repeating this break part done by a DJ, “break beats” were born.

Although people tend to pick up only power moves, real b-boys should master all the elements of b-boying. There are controversies between people who emphasize on style and power moves. One puts his emphasis on power moves and their combination and the other shows their style and individuality by footwork and freezes. The Rock Steady Crew have been the one’s to emphasizes styles to show a dancer’s individual flavour. Even though power moves have a great impact and very energetic, it is hard to put individual flavour into a move. Also power moves really don’t go with beat. It is closer to gymnastic moves rather than dancing. Because of these reasons, The Rock Steady Crew suggest that a footwork emphasized style should be the direction of breaking of 90’s.

Breaking is the most popular style of hip hop dancing and it has been spreading all over the world while new school dancing such as hip hop and house, limited to big cities in the US and Japan. It was late 60’s, early 70’s when people started a sort of b-boying. Their dancing was called “Good Foot” from James Brown’s record of the same name. The Good Foot was the first freestyle dance that incorporated moves involving drops and spins, and resembled the beginnings of breaking. The best way to describe the Good Foot is, according to Michael Holman, to imagine a majorette marching in a parade taking steps raised high keeping the leg raised at the knee in the air for a beat before dropping it down and simultaneously raising the other leg. Like a stop action drum majorette on beat.

As the DJ’s invented new ways to elongate the break beats in the records, dancers had more time to invent and experiment. Soon moves like dropping down to the ground and popping up again on beat became standard and gave this first generation of b-boys the nickname of “boie-oie-oings.” Footwork came in when the boie-oie-oings started using their arms and hands to support their bodies in order to free the feet and legs to do gymnastic steps, shuffles and sweeps. In Brooklyn a new step inspired by these drops was being developed and called “Brooklyn Rock” also known as “Up rocking”. Once the first early break moves had been established, a definite style began to develop.

The famous first generation of b-boys were “Nigger Twins”, “Clark Kent”, and “Zulu Kings”. Around 1977 breaking was losing its popularity with black kids and it was about to die. However, breaking came back with a new generation of b-boys. It was Puerto Rican b-boys who put new life to breaking and took it into next level. They started to put many higher levels of acrobatics and gymnastics into breaking and invented many new moves. B-boys such as Crazy Legs from The Rock Steady Crew who were influenced by Jimmy Lee and Joe Joe, members of the original Rock Steady Crew developed and invented the new moves such as backspins and windmills. I want to mention that there are also other b-boys such as Lil Lep from New York City Breakers who should get props by developed b-boying. Also, media stars like Bruce Lee and other Kung Fu film stars and martial artists had a major influence on b-boying culture.

The popularity of Kung Fu films during the mid and late 70s around the world and especially in New York City, has had a great impact on b-boying style. A large number of martial arts moves were incorporated into b-boying. For example, windmills came from kung fu, which is used to get up from the floor. By repeating the getting-up move, windmills were born.

B-boying became even more popular in 80s. It was first introduced to out side of New York City and the rest of world by a movie “Flashdance” in 1983. (Before the “Flashdance”, there were already movies like “Wildstyle” and “Stylewars”. But the “Flashdance” was the first major movie, which featured b-boying.) Even though it was not b-boying movie, the short scene, which featured b-boying and popping on a street, had a great impact enough to inspire people to start b-boying all over the world. After the “Flashdance”, many breaking movies were made such as “Breaking””, “Breaking 2″, and “Beat street.” “Beat Street” also had a great impact because it had a scene of battle between Rock Steady Crew and New York City Breakers. B-boying became very popular and the media coined the name “BREAKDANCE”. Because of too much media coverage, when the media stopped showing b-boying on TV, people had a sense that b-boying was only a fad. Many people thought b-boying was dead. The media mistreated b-boying. After 1985 or 86, the winter period of b-boying came.

The resurgence of b-boying happened around 1990. I don’t know how exactly it happened. I am sure that it was done by the support of real b-boys who never quit b-boying even during the winter period of b-boying. As far as I know, it was California where b-boying gained its popularity again early. Nowadays, B-boy events such as B-BOY SUMMIT and ROCK STEADY ANNIVERSARY are organized every year and many b-boys from all over the world get together and keep the culture alive and even try to take it into next level.

If you have any interest in breaking at all check the BBoy Section on the Blunted forum where you can get in contact and link with other Breakers.

Words: SamC