So this year, we have Breaking in the Olympics, I mean, breaking (or breakdancing for many of us) is going for the gold! I recall watching the movie Breakdance as a teenager and since I loved dance in all its forms, I know I watched it keenly. The amazing footwork, the thrilling twists, the power moves awed me!

When I read the news about this as an Olympic event, I immediately traveled down memory lane. Did I attempt those moves then? I don’t recall that but knowing who I was and am, I might have attempted the tamer movies, much to my mom’s amusement at the time. I am looking forward to watching this one later in August at the Olympics (not in Paris, right here at home on the TV screen, of course!)

And while I hope to see

Summer everywhere
Shining down, burning up to
Feet ‘around the world’

It might well be

A warm twilight breeze
Urban beats in Paris streets,
Syncing with the rain!

~ Vidya @ LadyInReadWrites

This goes towards Haibun Monday at dVerse where the theme is Olympics.

A Brief Introduction to Breaking

Like I mentioned above, my introduction to breakdancing was from the 1984 movie that I watched ages ago. Who knew then that we would be seeing breaking in the Olympics? Not me. But fast forward two decades, oops, four decades later, and it is an Olympic event!

Here is a quick introduction to breaking.

What is Breaking?

Breaking is a dynamic dance form that originated in the Bronx, New York, during the 1970s. Dancers hit the floor during the instrumental breaks in hip-hop songs, giving the dance its name. Breakers, as the dancers are called, prefer the term breakin’, or breaking, and do not appreciate the term breakdancing.

It gained popularity with many movies showcasing breaking, including Flashdance (1983) and Beat Street (1984) along with the movie Breakdance I mentioned earlier.

Some Key Elements

There is a lot to breaking but here are a few of the key elements:

1. Toprock: The upright dancing and footwork performed from a standing position, most often used as a warm-up before transitioning to more complex moves.
2. Downrock: The footwork performed on the ground, often involving rapid movements.
3. Power Moves: Acrobatic moves that require strength and momentum, such as windmills, headspins, flares, and swipes. One power move is called ‘around the world’ where the dancer travels in a circular path on the floor, often involving a combination of footwork and freezes. The move creates the illusion of traveling around a central point, hence the name.
4. Freezes: Poses where the dancer halts all movement and balances on one or more body parts, often in a visually impressive or difficult position.
5. Transitions: The smooth movement from one element or move to another, maintaining the flow and rhythm.

h/t, Reference, Further Reading

• From New York to Paris: Breaking Explained (BBC)
• History of Breaking (Red Bull)

Related Reads and More

• FunTime: Move Like Me 10 Days in the USA
• Uber Cool Things and Upbeat Beats and More
• Sunday Scribblings #105: The Amazing Meeting of Poetry and Dance
• The Varselle & Also Powerful Voices and Delightful Dances

And Now, the End of This Post

Dear reader, will you be watching the breaking events? Are you a fan? What is your favorite dance form? Let me know