Break Dancing

September 24, 2008 · Posted in Public Topics/Private Moments 

I think that that break dancing is a perfect example of public art. Although it is not displayed in museums or performed in great halls, it is a large audience attractor which has become very popular in several parts of the world. Break dancing is particularly interesting because it began as a mere street hobby, and very quickly transformed into a complex and widely accepted dance form.

Break dance began developing in the late 1970’s with the rise of Hip Hop music and free-styling disk-jockey remixes. It began and is still often practiced as a pass-time on the streets where different people improvise and practice with various techniques and rhythms. Break dancing is even sometimes used as a dispute settlement among different street gangs, who battle each other over which team performs more impressive choreography and tricks.The moves involved are very difficult and require a large amount of strength and practice.

Today break dance is mostly still seen in public as various crews perform their tricks and moves for crowds to enjoy and financially support. Break dancing crews are often seen in heavily tourist areas (such as several places in New York City) and are always attracting large crowds of interested viewers. Break dancing today, however, is also performed by professional dance companies in stages and theaters all over the world, and can therefore also be considered private art, as people must often pay to see it. Although it at first was seen as a simple street game, the rise in popularity of Hip Hop music and culture has transformed break dancing into an extremely popular and appreciated public and private art form.

Break Dancing

Break dancing NYC subway

^ I’ve attached a link to a Youtube video of a group break dancing in a NYC subway station. ^

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