Breakdance

Overview

Developed by the African American community in the Bronx, New York, breaking became a prominent dance style in the 1970s. It's main components consist of the toprock, downrock, freezes and power moves. Toprock refers to footwork performed while standing up, downrock refers to footwork performed on the ground with the hands acting as support, freezes are stylish poses performed on the dancer's hands and/or head, and power moves are difficult maneuvers that emphasize strength, balance, and acrobatics. Though widespread, the term "breakdancer" is looked down upon within the hip-hop dance community. Generally, practitioners prefer to be called b-boys, b-girls, or breakers.