Through the Overspray Ep. 3: Breaking down breakdancing (popping and locking from the dark to the mainstream)

What do you get when you combine martial arts, gymnastics, robotic movements, and making your move look like it’s glitching? When you add all of these elements—and a few others—you get the form of dance known as breakdancing. Breakdancing is one of the eldest of the four elements of hip-hop culture. It first appeared in the late 1960s and early 1970s in New York City. Breakdancing, or breaking as it is also known, quickly became the style of dance that ruled the floor in the early days of the culture. This style of dance gained its name from the section of the song the dancing focused on: the break. The break is a gap in the musical arrangement that focuses on the drums or a solo instrument for one to two bars. The break became a favored section of a song used by DJs to keep the crowd engaged. These breaks provided the early soundtrack to what would become one of the four pillars of hip-hop. The Zulu Kings, Rock Steady Crew, Rockwell Association, New York City Breakers, and Dynamic Rockers were all early influential crews that defined the core foundational moves that make up breakdancing. These crews helped bring the movement from local stages to the world—touring across Europe, performing at the White House, and appearing in major Hollywood films. After its initial exposure to the world, breakdancing continued to grow, with groups and crews springing up far beyond New York. As the culture and style progressed, competitions—often called battles—between crews and individuals helped further evolve the art form. In 2004, Pope John Paul II hosted a performance by breakdancers at the Vatican, further solidifying the art form’s global cultural status. Freestyle Session, Red Bull BC One, and UK B-Boy Championships are just a few of the major worldwide competitions where breakdancing is displayed on a global stage. In 2020, breaking was even included in the 2024 Summer Olympics as a competitive sport. Born from humble roots in the Bronx and transformed into a global competitive art form, breakdancing lives on—continually pushing the boundaries of rhythmic dance.