I am compiling a map for Ireland and contacting different teachers about bboying/breakdancing lessons. I am teaching on weekends in blackrock in Dublin so anyone interested can contact me in the 'contact us' section. I will do weekdays and teach in the city centre if I receive enough interest in emails. Please enter your email address a carefully as this is the address reply emails will be sent to. If you dont receive a response in 1 or 2 weeks please try again.
Bboy/breaker/breakdancer, whatever you want to call it this is an amazing dance form linked to a dynamic worldwide culture. The original practitioners would insist on the term ‘Bboy’ or ‘B-boy’ signifying that the dance is part of a bigger culture and people who break have to link and style their moves in a way that genuinely flows. This on tempo reaction to the music creates and energy feedback which other breakers feed off of and can give an adrenaline rush, further propelling each move and routine to higher heights. It has to be understood that due to media distortion over time the term ‘breakdancer’ doesn’t sit too well with certain people as it tends to refer to dancer pulling headspins in MTV videos and being diluted into so called ‘hip hop’ dancing routines. Thus 'breakdancing' can refer to a more incomplete understanding of the dance form.
However, the danger with conservative rigidity in all issues of a culture is that a jazz vs. rock n’ roll divide Can be formed where popular culture shuns those more talented but militant creatives into obscurity. In order for general recognition ‘breakdance’ or ‘breakdancer’ can be useful terms but should be accompanied by ‘Bboy’, ‘breaker’ and ‘breaking’ etc. to show that there is a distinction. Words can affect attitude and style similarly to musical genres defining sounds and convention.
Also being in Ireland you can't expect Irish people to take you that seriously, our greatest strength in this nation is that we are passionate but self-deprecating and as a result usually shy away from such extremes of attitude. The main aim here is to keep it fun and try to educate people as to the distinction between Bboys and other dancers, and the stress on individual expression in a shared, diverse culture.
The one problem with the scene in Ireland is there loads of forum posting eejits who like to comment but do nothing practical for the culture. If you think that wearing hip hop type gear and posturing then posting comments on web forums makes you a bboy then think again. The one thing this scene lacks is an overall social outlook that draws people together more in other countries than here. I have met some great people up North and down South but they are few and far between.
There needs to be a lot more classes organised and teachers dedicated to organising sessions through sites like this to give people and opportunity to get on board. I will provide this website as a resource but have no time for people who point out little faults or make clever remarks. I need input for classes going on and contacts to get classes going.
This scene comes from the melting pot of New York at a time when people just got together to do something positive and did it for the love of the art. Unless there is some organisation all people have worked for could be wiped away in a generation. You see many people doing the lindyhop? It only still exists cause people teach classes. Think about it.... actually think..
