Breakdancing's Evolution: From the Streets to Global Phenomenon

Like many popular dances in Russia today, breakdancing began its development in America, in New York City. In the 1960s, dancers started mixing traditional American dances with acrobatics, Chinese kung fu, and wrestling.

Thanks to the last two, dance battles were born. Initially, breakdancing was filled with styles like toprock and downrock.

In the 1970s, this style became a part of hip-hop, and by the 1990s, all of Europe knew about it. That's when technology and art began to rapidly develop.

At the intersection of genres and styles, new directions in music, cinema, literature, dance, and more emerged. Breakdancing—or breaking, as dancers call it—was not immune to change. How does this dance evolve in modern times?

First, there's the integration of the international scene with dancers from Russia and the CIS. In the 20th century, limited access to foreign information led dancers in the USSR to greatly distort breaking, playing a game of 'broken telephone.'

As a result, Western dancers advanced far ahead while people in the USSR were still figuring out what breakdancing was. Now, with the global web covering the entire world, creators from the post-Soviet space have caught up and work on par with their competitors.

Second, there's the growing sporting interest in dances, especially breaking. Breaking schools and self-taught dancers perform at various venues, build reputations, and battle each other. The level of competition rivals traditional sports.

It's no longer drunken antics at discos or backyard battles; it's a whole system. It starts with small venues and city competitions, then grows to district, regional, national, and even world competitions. Isn't it a dream to see—and no, not die, but conquer Paris with lower breaking?

Third, let's return to the dance schools mentioned earlier. The market for breaking instruction is astonishingly diverse. Schools range from tiny studios in basements to online courses.

As in any educational field, learning types vary and aren't always suitable for everyone. While it's tempting to study at home in front of a laptop with a webinar, it's unlikely to deliver promised results if you don't even know how to keep your back straight. Occupational hazards, so to speak. But don't lose heart: in traditional offline schools, it's more fun because you're surrounded by like-minded people.

What sets breakdancing apart from other dance styles? Another important feature of breakdancing in our century is its synthesis with elements of other styles. Traditions fade away because the freedom-seeking millennial generation knows that boundaries in art are made only to be broken.

An energetic dance to lyrical music? No problem! This phenomenon is as permissible as ballet performed to rap music.

The world already imposes restrictions on society, so why complicate things by imposing them on ourselves in creative fields? People are guaranteed freedom of speech, and dance is also a language of the body.

Overall, like many hip-hop styles, the popularity of breaking is rapidly growing today. Such vibrant and lively dance styles are one of the best ways to express yourself, your identity, and the emotions that come with it—and that's what modern youth strives for.

Youth is a time of 'bubbling' blood and adrenaline, so dances like breaking aren't lost on dusty history pages; they are writing history right now.