Skip to main content

What forms of dance were the predecessors to breakdancing?

Break-dancing is improvisational. Break-dancers are influenced not only by dance moves, but also by gymnastics and the martial arts. 


The bouncing bass lines of funk and disco music allowed for a new fluidity in movement which entered popular dance in 1975. The Hustle, for example, incorporated movements of the arms, hips, and legs that were on beat with the music. Dance moves, such as The Hustle, followed the rhythm of music; whereas popular dances from...

Break-dancing is improvisational. Break-dancers are influenced not only by dance moves, but also by gymnastics and the martial arts. 


The bouncing bass lines of funk and disco music allowed for a new fluidity in movement which entered popular dance in 1975. The Hustle, for example, incorporated movements of the arms, hips, and legs that were on beat with the music. Dance moves, such as The Hustle, followed the rhythm of music; whereas popular dances from the 1960s, such as The Twist and The Hitchhike, followed the melody of a song and did not require much variation in movement.


James Brown is an important influence on break-dancing as well. As a funk artist, his style of dance was jaunty, but also incorporated spins and splits. He demonstrated gymnastic abilities on stage that would be featured in break-dancing. 


It is also possible that the lindy hop, a popular form of swing dance in the 1930s and 1940s, also influenced break-dancers. This style of dance, too, incorporated gymnastic moves, including high jumps, swinging one's body around one's partner, and sliding across the floor. 


Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art, incorporates dance. The performer demonstrates speed and flexibility. Back flips, somersaults, and cartwheels are featured. These moves also show up in break-dancing.


Break-dancing was about showing off one's physical abilities. Some New York street gangs had breaking competitions with their rivals. In these competitions, you could show a rival that you were not only a good dancer, but a good fighter. Breakers outperformed their rivals by being more innovative and complex in their movements. 


It is also important to remember that, though break-dancing originated in the South Bronx among black and Latino teenagers, it was and remains very democratic. Different people from different backgrounds began to participate and incorporated what they knew, whether it be a dances from previous generations, new moves picked up in a disco, martial arts, or gymnastics.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more