Soul Society - Steeve Austin's blog

Early breakdancing originated way back in the late 20th century in the Southern part of Bronx, New York. It comprises a part of the hip-hop culture, and is characterized by dynamic dance styles. Street gang members were the first to start learning breakdancing skills. It closely resembles defensive martial arts because gang members use early breakdancing’s fancy moves as a form of defense during rival attacks. Later on, however, gang wars eventually evolved from physical fighting to dance battles. Original breakdancing consists mainly of fancy footwork and body freezes. Back then, head spinning and other intricate tricks were not yet part of breakdancing. Later on, breakdancers incorporated smoother steps and body movements. “Popping” and “locking” soon became the latest sensation in the dance floor.
Breakdancing today now puts great emphasis on groundwork combined with stylized led movements or what they call as “downrock”. It slowly became widely popular during the 80s and the 90s as movies and theatre productions began to feature breakdancing. Breakdancers started adding intricate moves such as backspinning, headspinning, handgliding, and windmilling. Today, many dance studios offer breakdancing and hip-hop classes around the world.