How to Invent New Breakdancing Moves

Freestyle innovation is the core of breakdancing, and has made it the dynamic and constantly evolving form that it is today. To be a good breakdancer, you need to not only learn the standard moves but you also have to customize your breakdancing by inventing up your own moves and style.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Get both your toprock, or standing position breakdancing, and downrock, or ground moves, down solidly. You should be able to do basic toprock dancing and have a solid inventory of transitions to downrock. In downrock, know foundational moves like the coin drop, the knee drop and the 6-step.

2. Invent some toprock moves first, since this is the simplest and most fluid part of breakdancing. Start simple by adding a new step, kick or hand work into your toprock dance. Think about movements from sports or martial arts that you do to inspire the new moves that you invent.

3. Work on new transitions or "drops" since there is a lot of room for stylization in this part of breakdancing. Borrow movements from other forms of dance that you know. Be open-minded about your inspirations by looking at dance styles as diverse as crunk and ballet to invent good drops.

4. Stick with your new moves and integrate them into all your breakdancing sessions so that your audiences recognize those moves as your own. Name the moves after you invent them and then make a video of yourself performing the invented move and post it to breakdancing sites or YouTube groups.

Resources

• Buy breakdancing videos to practice basic moves.