Break dance is a dance style, born out of the hip-hop genre, that normally takes place on the street. It has been called street dancing by some dancing professionals. It consists of dancing to music that has been remixed in order to prolong the breaks in the music. A person who does this form of dancing is referred to as a break dancer. Break dancing first began as a way for the youth in the urban cities to get away from the violence of the area. Today however, break dancing is a mixture of dance techniques and athleticism. It consists of difficult moves that require the dancer to have a great deal of stamina and talent.



There are four main break dancing moves that can be performed throughout a routine. These include the top rock, down rock, power moves and freezes. The top rock refers to any string of steps that are performed from the standing position. During a break dancing routine the top rock is typically used to introduce the routine. This form of dance is where dancers typically draw upon other forms of dance.

Down rock is also referred to as foot rock. This is foundation of foot rock and consists of six basic steps. The name down rock comes from the position in which the dance is performed. The dancer normally performs the dance with both hands and feet on the floor. While having his hands on the floor the dancer performs very intricate footwork.

Power moves are the part of the dance that requires the dancer to have a great deal of momentum and physical power. The dancer must rely on upper body strength for these power moves. Some examples of the power moves include windmills, swipes, and flares. These moves are often borrowed from gymnastic moves.

Freezes in break dancing are designed to add flare and dramatic effect to the dance. As the name suggests, a freeze is a halt in the dancing. Freezes can be rated according to difficulty. The more difficult freezes require the dance to suspend him or her with feet off the ground. This means that in order to properly perform a freeze the dancer must have a great deal of upper body strength. An example of a freeze might be a hand stand that is incorporated into the middle of the dance.

In order to properly perform a correct break dancing, there must be appropriate music. The music itself must consist of a heavy beat. The music comes from jazz, soul, R&B. Break dancers often perform to compilations of music taken from difference genres have been remixed to add a heavy beat. The tempo has to be such that a dancer can perform the moves quickly and smoothly. However, break dancers have been known to be able to adapt their style so that they can perform to music that has a slower tempo. In competitions, it has been reported that highly skilled break dancers can perform to European electronica and some have even performed to opera music.