Until recently, the only time you could expect to see a middle-aged man throw his body to the floor amidst a crowd of people was in the instance of a serious health crisis, such as a heart attack. However, with the growing popularity of break dancing as a hobby for the young and old alike, that same middle-aged man may in reality be just “throwing down” some moves to separate himself from the “posers” of the crowd. The bottom line is that, with the invasion of young, hip-hop culture to all dimensions of American life, break dancing is as accessible as it is possible for both the young and old.
The first step towards learning to break dance may not be what you think. Unlike most pastimes (tennis and knitting, for example), the best way to learn isn’t too delve into the latest “how-to-guide” from the library, most notably because there probably isn’t one published yet. In fact, the best way to introduce yourself to break dancing is to see it in action- to witness it wherever and however you can, whether in a friend’s basement or a popular club. In most instances, you won’t be expected to join in unless you want to, so you can observe without the least threat of forced inclusion.
Also, if you are going to take part, keep in mind that break dancing is like any other form of exercise in that a proper warm-up is an essential step towards preventing an injury. Along these same lines, don’t try difficult moves without first mastering the basic moves. Break dancing is an art form of creativity and challenge, so some professional (or at least more experienced) break dancers are consistently creating and naming new moves that a novice couldn’t possibly perform. Recognize this, and you may save yourself a sore shoulder or broken bone.
The most basic break dance move is also the most familiar: the 6 step (also called “downrock”). To start, situate yourself in a push-up position on the floor with your feet spread about half a meter apart. First, you lift your right hand and swing your left leg where your hand used to be. Then, you move your right leg forward so your knees are close, but keep your left leg where it is. Now, as you keep your right leg steady, pull your left leg in. Next, swing your right leg in a wide arc and switch hands (so your right hand is down, your left hand is up). Keep your right leg swinging around until it wraps around your left, at which point you have your face down and both hands on the floor (spread your weight evenly on your palms for balance). Finally, extend your left leg first, then your right leg. You should have made it back to the starting position. Like most breakdance moves, this one moves counter-clockwise. Once you’ve mastered the 6-step, you can move on to many other positions (so many actually stem from a completed 6-step).
Other break dance moves suitable for a beginner are the 2-step, 3-step, and bounce step. All of these are considered “easy” and “straightforward” in the scheme of break dancing, though a beginner may still find them quite challenging. Ultimately, a break dancer can aspire towards completing the most difficult moves practiced regularly, such as the Omega Bomb or Insane Corkscrew.
While it is valuable to recognize the basic procedures and movements of break dancing (also called, by the way, b-boyin’), keep in mind that break dancing itself is a flexible art form that provides ample room for the creativity of the individual, whether you are fifteen or fifty, inexperienced or professional.
