How to be a B-boy
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By Eddy Lawrence
Posted: Mon Apr 2 2007 -
Time Out busts some advice on how to be a B-boy
DO be smugly all-knowing; stroke your chin and comment on the ‘excellent top-rocking’ of German crew (and 2006 Beat Battle winners) Flying Steps. Remember to say, ‘Of course, the Koreans have taken it to a whole other level of the game’ when the Drifterz take to the stage; breakdancing has mutated into a multimedia stage, screen and soap opera cultural juggernaut in South Korea.
DON’T say ‘Have you seen “Stomp The Yard” yet? It’s really good’.
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DO Nod your head appreciatively at the choice beats being thrown down by DJ Marley Marl, and agree wholeheartedly with the rapped sentiments of EPMD collaborator and Method Man’s smoking buddy Redman, both of who are providing the non-breakdance side of the entertainment.
DON’T listen to Crazy Legs lecturing you about how things were better in his day and kids today don’t know they’re born. The former Rock Steady Crew member doesn’t seem able to face the fact that today’s B-persons are simply better than he was, and isn’t shy about letting anyone know. If you see him approaching, try putting your fingers in your ears and humming, and pretending it’s a new breakdance move he doesn’t know.
DO shave a bit of your head, monk-style. Really experienced breakdancers are recognisable thanks to the small bald spot on the very top of their heads. Not (necessarily) because they’re old and boring like Crazy Legs, but because years of windmilling around on their noggins have busted those follicles fresh outta sight. Younger B-boys often wear woolly hats to protect against this phenomenon.
DON’T wear a woolly hat. It’s rude to wear a hat indoors.
DO be amazed by some of the moves, particularly the nouvelle vogue Animation style (a form of stop-motion popping which appears to have been created by Ray Harryhausen, but which is actually happening in real life). It’s like breakdance fireworks night. There’s no shame in going ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’.
DON’T try to copy what you see. Breakdancing is DANGEROUS, and should be practised only under hip hop supervision.
The Red Bull Beat Battle is this Saturday at a secret location.- Add your comment to this feature
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7 comments
we like to dance with you.
Since you all should have understood, this article is meant rather polemically and satirically.
Though satire always includes a pretty good amount of truth.
Even if this article sounds a bit harsh, the author, nevertheless, has researched well.
I liked the part with the bold head. Though this phenomenom is less caused by windmilling than more by headspinning moves. Well I have been windmilling a lot, and still have all my thick brown hair on top...;)...rhyming by accident...;)
Regarding Crazy Legs: it is out of quaestion that we B-Boys owe him and his other b-boy pioneer collegues a lot.
However, openly speaking there is this slight undertone of "back in da day everything was..." when you hear the pioneers talk about the History and evolution of B-Boying. Well, I (pretty old-age B-Boy) even hear myself talking like that sometimes. At least persons might understand it that way. And since everything is in the eye of the beholder, we should let the author have his very own opinion on that (even if it is pretty sarcastically presented).
This article is pure garbage. Crazy Legs is a legendary icon of b-boying. Don't pretend you know about the culture; you're just embarrassing yourself.
hi this is abhishek from india i love dancing very much and street dance even more plz tell me how to learn street dance and be a bboy i m waiting for ur answer
thankyouiiiiiiii
Crazy legs is an icon. Without im b-boyin wouldn't be here. This article is crap
shutup you dont know nothing about bboy!
like the article references to previous grievences highlighted by crazylegs.
i think this is paying your dues.