Break Dancing

Dancing, or at least attempting to breakdance! My friends and me used to love it!

I thought I was brilliant at it, and it basically involved bizarre gymnastic floor exercises, and thinking you looked as cool as the people in the Beat It video.

The moves I can remember were the Caterpillar (I tried to replicate this before writing this post, and nearly broke my back. I guess I am not as flexible as I used to be!)

Others were the Windmill, Backspin and Headspin. I attempted all of them in the 80s but was pretty rubbish. Looking back now, it’s amazing that parents actually used to let their kids do this, as it seems pretty damn dangerous thing to attempt spinning on your head!

It evolved from the street corners of urban areas in the USA (like New York City) and was ideally a creative expression that allowed gangs to let off some steam and avoid fisticuffs (as depicted in Michael Jacksons Beat It video) which doesn't mean that fights didn't occur.

All that was required was a smooth floor (or a large piece of cardboard or linoleum), a pair of sneakers, some sweat pants, a few bandanas tied around your leg and preferably not too much honkiness in your blood . . .

From popping to locking (as demonstrated by Fred Berry as Rerun on Whats Happening!) to moonwalks and backspins, break dancing had all the moves.

Some greedy opportunists ultimately made some poor films like Breakin and Electric Boogaloo and break dancing disappeared off TV but still exists on the street in different forms today. It never actually went away, and is still pretty big now in London.