Breakdancing Research Paper

Breakdancing

Of all the divergent types of dancing, breakdancing has been an exceptional form of dancing that has pushed the limits of the human body. Breakdancing or in other words called breaking or bboying/bgirling, is one of the newest forms of dancing. I first experienced breakdancing on the television, it automatically fascinated me how these individuals were able to manipulate their bodies to perform this dance style. After consuming this art form, I dedicated myself to learn how to “defy gravity.” I remember using duct tape to secure some cardboard to the ground and bringing out a boombox with cd’s that I had made with breaking beats. Once I had everything ready, I slowly began to practice. In about fifteen minutes into practicing,

Diasporic Intimacy is described by Paul Gilroy as the ability of displaced Africans and their descendants to perpetuate African beliefs, values, and ideas in often hostile environments (Lipsitz 1998: 130). Breakdancing was once considered a very hostile type of dance, especially it being related to gangs and the harsh poverty environment in which it originated from. In a way it was looked at, the same way rock was. The beats that were used to dance to were rhythmic beats that were created by DJ’s and the used of records to make scratches. As Lipsitz says, “Hip hop and other forms of diasporic African music participate in constructing these local identities, but they bring to them a global consciousness” (Lipsitz 1994: 33). Once breakdancing got its recognition, music from breaking and the funk style of music related to breaking began to branch out across the world. I started to notice other ethnicities breaking as I started to watch videos online of break dancers. I can see Koreans as well as Europeans breaking on these online videos. Coming from Europe, to Asia, and back to North America, breaking had become a popular form of dancing. Along with it came its form of music. Globally, breakdancing has made an impact on the world. There are actually videos that I’ve seen where nations battle other nations in competitions to see which nation has mastered the art form of breakdancing better than the other. Individuals who only had the clothes on their back, began to dance and from dancing were able to escape poverty. Although, breakdancing has become a popular form of dancing, its still believed to have a negative effect on