Break Dance Instruction Video

Covering the Basics

Break dancing has several different categories of moves, all of which can be combined in sets for actual performances, battles, etc. (more on the idea of "battles" later). Going in rough order of "simple" to "complex," these are the basics:

• Floorwork or BBoy Foundations
• Toprock & Footwork
• Stalls or "Freezes"
• Power Moves
• Flips

Within each of these categories, there are several other types of moves. For example, under Toprock there are moves such as:

• Uprock
• Toprock
• 3 Step & 6 Step
• 4 Step, 5 Step, and 7 Step
• Footwork and Freeze
• Sweep

You may notice that some of those steps have the same name as entire categories ("Freeze," for example) and this might get confusing unless the break dance instruction video has a clear instructional method.

The History of Break Dance

Like any indigenous dance, break dance's roots are murky and somewhat controversial. When selecting a video, it might be worthwhile to consider if it will give a broader overview of the sources of breakdance moves, music, and culture.

Some see the roots of breakdance in the African slave culture, not only of North America but also in those transplanted to Brazil, where the moves of traditional African dances were transformed into a martial arts form of dance known as capoeira. Other views say that the dance style started only as recently as James Brown and the "Good Foot" dance of the '60's. Because the dance has been developed in the melting pot of the U.S., it's difficult to pin down an exact genealogy of the form. Some definite correlations can be observed, though. It's easy to see how the moves in capoeira can be related to the steps of breakdancing, especially with floorwork and freezes, but the real parallel comes in the idea of "battles." Any good breakdance instruction video will contain at least one or two documentations of "battles," whether at a dance competition such as the Red Bull BC One or simply on the streets of a city almost anywhere in the world.

By showing these masters of the streets, the moves taught in the video change from step by step postures into a viable and expressive dance form. Undoubtedly some of the moves in the battle would be things that were not shown in the video, and that gives the learner inspiration to draw on and continue their growth in the dance.

Free Break Dance Instruction Videos

The good news is that with the advent of the internet and the digital video revolution there are many free breakdance instructional videos on sites such as YouTube and Myspace. It's possible to even carry the videos around with you on an iPhone, for example, and practice the moves out on the street where they were created. This may be the best way to really find videos.

There are also entire websites dedicated to the art, often with step-by-step videos showing each move. However, almost all of them only have small snippets of video, and then links to purchase actual DVDs. It's hard to determine the quality of these DVDs, in terms of production values, clarity, or even authority. Who is creating the videos? Anyone can post a video claiming to show legitimate breakdancing moves or any other kind of dance, for that matter. Finding an instructor like Squeeze, pictured above teaching a group at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio, can be much more effective. There is only so much that can be learned by video; having hands-on direct instruction from an experienced dancer is far more effective. Even better, in the informal, cooperative culture of breakdancing, other styles - such as the floorwork of Jarius, shown at left - can be shown at a whim, and unlike videos, every lesson is tailor-made to the learner's pace and style.

Break dance instruction videos can be a great start to a long and enjoyable life of dance, but in the end, the bodies have to be real.