Hey there! Have you ever found yourself caught up in the mesmerizing world of breakdancing? Perhaps you’ve spent hours watching videos of dancers effortlessly gliding across the floor, executing jaw-dropping moves with style and precision. If you’re anything like me, you might have even tried to mimic some of those moves yourself, with varying degrees of success.

So, grab your dancing shoes and get ready to explore the world of breakdancing like never before. In this post, we’ll uncover some of the most advanced techniques that might just take your dancing to new heights. Whether you’re a seasoned b-boy or b-girl looking to expand your repertoire or simply a curious observer eager to learn more about this dynamic art form, there’s something here for everyone.

But first, let’s get to know some elements of breaking that you haven’t heard so many times before compared to the four basic elements (Top Rock, Footwork, Power Moves and Freezes).

Some elements in breaking

When mentioning about breaking or breakdancing, many people will think immediately of the four basic elements. The four elements including: Top Rock, Footwork, Power Moves and Freezes.

  • Top Rock: Top Rock refers to the dance moves performed while standing upright. It sets the tone for a breakdancing routine and often involves footwork, arm movements, and rhythmic shifts to engage with the music and the audience.
  • Footwork: Footwork is an essential component of breakdancing, involving intricate steps and patterns performed close to the ground. Dancers showcase their agility, speed, and creativity through a series of rapid movements using their feet and legs.
  • Freezes: Freezes are dramatic poses held by breakdancers, often at the climax of a routine. These static positions can be performed on any part of the body, requiring strength, balance, and precise control to maintain.
  • Power Moves: Power moves are dynamic and acrobatic maneuvers that showcase a breakdancer’s strength and athleticism. These moves typically involve spinning, flipping, or rotating the body rapidly on various body parts such as the hands, head, or back.

On the other hand, there are other elements of breaking that you should know more.

So what are the other elements of breaking? Other elements of breaking include: transitions, tricks, and flips. Alongside the 4 fundamental elements (toprock, footwork, power moves and freezes), transitions, tricks, and flips play pivotal roles in crafting a captivating performance.

Go Downs (Drop)

Go down (aka Drop)
Go down (aka Drop)

In breakdancing, after starting with top rocking, dancers often want to move down to the floor in a smooth and stylish way. This is called “going down” or “dropping.” The goal is to transition from the standing position of top rock to the lower positions on the floor, all while staying in rhythm with the music playing.

This transition is important because it sets the stage for the rest of the dancer’s moves and helps them connect different parts of their routine seamlessly. So, when a breaker goes down, they’re not just moving from one position to another – they’re doing it in a way that adds to the overall flow and feel of their dance performance.

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Here are some variations:

  • Knee Drop: Also known as the Pin Drop or Colt-45. Picture this: the B-Boy or B-Girl starts by hooking one foot behind the knee of their other leg, and then they gracefully drop down to the floor, landing on the hooked knee and foot. It’s not just about getting close to the ground; it also creates this awesome illusion of landing on top of the knee itself, adding a touch of flair to the move.
  • Spin Down: Also called the Corkscrew. This move takes things up a notch in terms of difficulty. Imagine the breakdancer leaping high into the air and spinning sideways not once, but at least twice before landing back on their feet near the ground. It’s like a whirlwind of motion packed into one impressive move!
  • Sweep Drop: This one’s all about coordination and style. The breaker sweeps one leg in front of the other as they move forward. Picture this: it looks like they’ve just tripped over their own feet, but in reality, it’s a perfectly choreographed move designed to impress.
  • Walk Through: Also known as the Walk In. This move involves leaning forward, transitioning into a crouch, and catching momentum with one or both arms. Then, they gracefully move one foot forward between their arms and the opposite foot. It’s like they’re walking through an invisible barrier, adding a touch of mystery to their routine.
  • Blender Drop: This advanced move combines elements of the Walk Through and the Blender footwork move. It starts with a Walk Through and seamlessly transitions into a Blender, creating a mesmerizing sequence that’s sure to leave spectators in awe.
  • Bellyroll Drop: Also known as the Korean Sweep. This move involves dropping the body and transitioning into a roll supported by the front chest. It’s often used as a transition into a Back Sweep, adding fluidity and grace to the dancer’s routine.

Transitions

Transitions play a crucial role in breakdancing routines. They’re like the glue that holds all the moves together smoothly. Imagine you’re watching a dancer perform. As they glide from one move to another, you shouldn’t even notice the transition happening – it should flow effortlessly, like one continuous motion.

These transitions help breakers shift from one move to another without any hiccups. They can be used to link different footwork steps, spins, freezes, and other tricks in a way that enhances the overall performance. When transitions are done right, they add to the beauty and fluidity of the dance.

Tricks

Tricks in breakdancing are like the special moves that make each B-Boy or B-Girl stand out. They’re all about showing off skill, personality, and creativity. When a dancer adds a unique twist to a traditional breaking move, it becomes what we call a “trick.” It’s like adding a personal touch to their routine, making it more exciting and unpredictable.

Flips

Flips are one of the coolest parts of breakdancing. If you’ve ever watched gymnastics, you’ll see some similarities because breakdancers often borrow moves from gymnasts. Flips are when breakers launch themselves into the air, flipping and twisting before landing back on the ground. It’s like adding a touch of acrobatics to their performance, and you’ll rarely see a top-level breakdancing routine without a flip or two thrown in for extra wow factor.

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Some advanced breakdance moves

Jackhammers

Jackhammers
Jackhammers

Jackhammers are like a cool cousin of the Cricket move. Instead of bouncing around on both arms, in Jackhammers, you zoom around super fast on just one arm! It’s all about showing off how well you can control your body. While you’re busy zooming around on that one arm, your other arm usually hangs out behind you, adding to the style.

Did you know that B-Boy RYUTA holds the record for the most Jackhammers ever done in one go? He did a mind-blowing 113 of them in a single session! That’s some serious skill and endurance right there.

Taisuke Criticals

B-Boy Taisuke
B-Boy Taisuke

This move is called the Taisuke, named after a really famous breaker named Taisuke.

Who is Taisuke? Taisuke Nonaka is a Japanese B-Boy and part of two esteemed groups: The Floorriorz crew and the Red Bull BC One All Stars. Taisuke’s journey into breaking began at a young age, just seven years old, back in 1998. Since then, he’s gained a reputation for his lightning-fast and incredibly smooth dance moves. He is also a director for a group called Urban Sport and Culture Community, where he puts together exciting gatherings and activities.

The Taisuke is a bit like the Critical move, but Taisuke does it in his own special way. When he does it, it looks like he’s not spinning and hopping very fast, but somehow he’s still able to launch himself high up into the air!

Doing the Taisuke takes a ton of strength and skill. You’ve got to have serious muscles and be super talented to do it just like Taisuke does. It’s definitely not an easy move to master, but when you see someone nail it, it’s really impressive!

Air Flare

The Air Flare is a cool twist on the traditional Flare move. Instead of just flipping your body around, in the Air Flare, you have to flip your body upside down and keep it perfectly straight up and down, with your hips raised high above the ground.

Then, as you’re doing this, you have to spin around in a circle and sort of “hop” using your hand for support. What’s really tricky is that every time you switch hands, your whole body has to be lifted completely off the ground. So, it’s like a combination of flipping, spinning, and balancing all at once!

One-Handed Air Flare

And finally, rounding out our list of impressive moves, we have the One-Handed Air Flare. Now, this one takes the difficulty up a notch from your regular Air Flare. Here’s the deal:

  • You’re still flipping your body in the air just like before, but this time, you’re doing it with only one arm!
  • Balancing becomes even trickier, and the risk of injury shoots up big time.

It’s not something just anyone can pull off. Only the most seasoned break-dancers, those with loads of experience and skill, would even dare to attempt this jaw-dropping trick. However, if you dare to challenge your limits, let this YOUTUBE video below help you out!

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