The origins and evolution of break dancing
The origins and evolution of break dancing
Learn about break dancing.
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Transcript
NARRATOR: Break dancing is a really cool dancing style that involves acrobatic stunts. It originated on the streets of New York.
BREAK DANCER: "Break dancing got started in America in the 1970s. Young people on the streets were looking for new ways to battle it out, without guns or violence."
NARRATOR: Instead of battling each other with weapons or their fists gang members started having dance competitions against each other. Protective gear is a must.
BREAK DANCER: "Yeah, well, when you start to do the more hardcore stunts lots of people wear knee pads and pads on their elbows, like me. And sometimes for dance moves on our heads we wear wool hats."
BREAK DANCER 2: "Like this one here."
NARRATOR: Break dancing isn't that easy. The moves, and the power moves in particular, take a whole lot of practice to master. For these moves the dancers rotate themselves repeatedly while supporting themselves with their arms or with just one arm. It is spectacular to watch. Dancing like this is a real feat. And it is a very strenuous sport that requires a certain level of fitness. It takes a few years until dancers are able to perform such challenging moves. But let's not forget the all-important music.
BREAK DANCER: "There isn't any specific age at which you can break dance, but you should have pretty good body control, decent rhythm and a feel for the music."
NARRATOR: Young people all over the world break dance nowadays. It was once considered to be only a street dance, now there are big competitions and break dancing has become a respected dancing style.
BREAK DANCER: "Break dancing got started in America in the 1970s. Young people on the streets were looking for new ways to battle it out, without guns or violence."
NARRATOR: Instead of battling each other with weapons or their fists gang members started having dance competitions against each other. Protective gear is a must.
BREAK DANCER: "Yeah, well, when you start to do the more hardcore stunts lots of people wear knee pads and pads on their elbows, like me. And sometimes for dance moves on our heads we wear wool hats."
BREAK DANCER 2: "Like this one here."
NARRATOR: Break dancing isn't that easy. The moves, and the power moves in particular, take a whole lot of practice to master. For these moves the dancers rotate themselves repeatedly while supporting themselves with their arms or with just one arm. It is spectacular to watch. Dancing like this is a real feat. And it is a very strenuous sport that requires a certain level of fitness. It takes a few years until dancers are able to perform such challenging moves. But let's not forget the all-important music.
BREAK DANCER: "There isn't any specific age at which you can break dance, but you should have pretty good body control, decent rhythm and a feel for the music."
NARRATOR: Young people all over the world break dance nowadays. It was once considered to be only a street dance, now there are big competitions and break dancing has become a respected dancing style.