22d • 💬 General Dialogue
What is breaking? ELI5
What do you think makes breaking look like breaking?
Context: I took a waving class, and it was very clear what makes waving look like waving- basically moving a ball of energy around. It got me thinking: what actually makes breaking look like breaking?
I remember a while ago this came up and the discussion was “footwork makes breaking, breaking.” But then look at Pocket vs Menno at RBBC1 2015. Pocket wins with almost no footwork. If anything, the main things Menno and Pocket share are the basic two-step in toprock, baby freezes, and headstand.
I’ve also heard people say “breaking is anything, just put some breakin’ flava on it,” but even that’s tricky because not everyone wants that classic Bronx flavour anymore. Dancers like Amir or Wing Zero are way outside that traditional style.
So now I’m wondering: if footwork isn’t actually essential for something to look like breaking, why is it one of the first things taught? Cause it’s easy? But even then, the 6-step- which is often taught as foundation- wasn’t that originally made to teach ballet dancers because “real breaking” was too hard? Are CCs an original move from the crew? Even 1-step and reverse 1-step have been in capoeira long before breaking.
And then there’s that 1950s African video where it pretty much looks like breaking to me. Just less structured. So… What even is breaking in simple terms? Is it just going crazy with levels and spinning?
Idk. Am I going crazy? Do you guys think about this?
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What is breaking? ELI5
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