Latest news with #breakdancing
CBS News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Inaugural San Francisco Hip Hop Festival draws artists, fans for 2-day event
Breakdancing, graffiti art, and the unmistakable beats of hip-hop took center stage at the inaugural San Francisco Hip Hop Festival this weekend, as artists and fans gathered at The Midway in Bayview for a two-day celebration of culture and connection. Organized by the nonprofit SF Hip Hop, the festival featured panel discussions, music performances, and art competitions designed to honor the genre's roots while creating space for in-person connection. Renowned graffiti artist Omen P2 said Bayview was a fitting location for the event. "A lot of the early hip-hop stuff, or what they call hip hop-I like to call it funk stuff-that was happening in the '70s and '80s, started right here in Bayview," he said. Omen P2 emphasized the value of in-person engagement in an increasingly digital era. "If you're talking about hip hop, you've got to use your hands and your talent," he said. "Digital is okay, social media is okay. It serves its purpose. But the main difference between then and now is that it had more to do with eye-to-eye contact, hand-to-hand battle, which required more personality, more talent. There's a lot of skillful guys in hip hop today, but I just think the personal touch is missing." That sense of personal connection is exactly what SF Hip Hop co-founder Kamel Jacot-Bell hopes to foster with the new festival. "We really feel like hip hop needs to have these types of events to preserve and cherish our legacy and move on to the future," Jacot-Bell said. "We've been around 50 years now, but the culture is dying in different areas-gentrification and different things in our communities. So we wanted to have a strong statement of culture, positivity, and our cultural welfare. There's no better time than now to have the SF Hip Hop Festival." Performers included the legendary DJ Mix Master Mike and the iconic DJ Qbert, both of whom reflected on the power of hip hop and its roots in Bay Area diversity. "Back in the days, I used to hustle mix tapes and that was my way of living," said Mix Master Mike. "It was survival instincts, and I just applied that to my art, coming from the streets, and now we are here, 35 years later, still doing what we love, through the grace of God." DJ Qbert highlighted the region's multicultural influence on the genre. "You know what's beautiful about the Bay is, you could see a bazillion cultures here, all kinds of nationalities, and we are all connected with the language of God, which is music," he said. "It's just lovely to see that here." For organizers and participants, the event is more than just a celebration-it's a way to pass down a living history. "I think having a hip-hop festival is important to have for the younger folks to understand the roots," Omen P2 said. The SF Hip Hop Festival honored the culture's roots, confronted social justice issues, and sparked conversations about the future of the genre and its community.
South China Morning Post
13-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong breakdancers dream of the world stage
Sze Kwong-yik is part of a group of Hong Kong breakdancers who want to show the city's talent to the world. Known as B-boy Sosze, the 29-year-old has been breaking for nearly 18 years. He is one of six male breakers on the Hong Kong team that is hoping for a spot in the 2026 Asian Games. Sze said the sport could be a lifeline for some young people in Hong Kong. 'Breaking gave us focus; it kept us grounded … It taught us discipline and life lessons we'd never have learned otherwise,' he said. Learning from the best More than 100 breakdancers from 20 countries came together for a showdown at Hong Kong's largest breakdancing event in March. The competition was organised by UTLR852 Breaking Club, which is based in Hong Kong. It was judged by Olympic gold medallist Philip Kim – also known as Phil Wizard – and Narumi, Team Japan's head coach for the Paris Olympics. With intricate footwork, powerful moves and head spins, the event was a place for B-boys and B-girls from around the world to connect and battle. It was also a chance for local breakers to learn from international dancers. 'Many of these international dancers – some of them world champions – are on another level. We can absorb so much from them,' Sze said. B-boy Child Kin at this year's UTLR2025: The Comeback Kidz, Hong Kong's largest breakdancing event. Photo: Handout More than just a dance The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris was the first time that breaking was an official Olympic event. This competitive dance sport combines artistry, rhythm and acrobatic moves. It began in the 1970s in New York, the United States. 'With the Olympics … more people understand breaking now, and more kids are getting into it,' said 24-year-old B-boy Lai Tsz-kin. 'There's more attention, support and respect for what we do.' Also known as B-boy Child Kin, Lai began breaking at the age of 11. He learned about the sport when he saw a group of teens spinning on their heads on a basketball court. 'Everyone has their own style, and the way you dance says, 'This is me.' That's what makes it so challenging – and why I'm still passionate about it,' Lai said. Sze started breaking because of an online dance battle game called Audition Online. 'I saw these cartoon characters spinning so impressively, and I thought, 'There's no way real people can do that,'' he recalled. Then, he came across Lollipop, a famous Taiwanese boy band that had breakdancers. 'Seeing them spin just as amazingly made me realise it was possible – and that's what sparked my interest,' he said. 'We use different parts of our bodies to create movements – things you'd never do in everyday life.' 'Creating new moves … is what's kept me breaking ever since,' he added.
CTV News
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
New studio gives local break dancers a spot to call their own
Dancers at New Roots Breaking Studios in south Edmonton cheer on Hunter Olson, 12, on June 27, 2025. (Nahreman Issa / CTV News Edmonton) A new break dancing studio has opened in Edmonton and is offering classes to students of all ages and skills. New Roots Breaking Studios was opened at 9937 60 Ave. NW in April by a group of friends who grew up dancing together. 'We always loved dancing around at school, but there was never really a dedicated spot,' recalled owner Gerry Dai. 'It was always the infamous getting kicked out of the spots, whether at Butterdome or hallways or recreation centers.… We just need a little open space for us to dance.' In three months, the studio has launched seasonal programming plus private and summer classes and open sessions. It has about two dozen students, from young children to seniors, some of whom became interested in the sport after it was added to the Olympics in 2024. 'At first when you see breaking you're like, 'That's insane. How am I supposed to execute that?' But I think it just starts with that first step of showing up,' Dai said. 'The more fun you have, the more you grow as a dancer, and also, I think, as a person.' Break dancing – or breaking – originated in New York in the 1980s and is known for its footwork, spinning moves and balancing poses. 'It's the closest thing to being a superhero,' said instructor Ralphy Miracle. New Roots Breaking Studios Edmonton New Roots Breaking Studios instructor Ralphy Miracle performs a freeze, or a pose in break dancing, on June 27, 2025. (Nahreman Issa / CTV News Edmonton) 'A lot of people see the finished product and all the cool moves, but they don't see what's behind closed doors – which is all the main maintenance and all the stretching.' Two of the studio's teen students said the educational and supportive space has been a huge confidence booster. 'I'm not Hunter anymore; I'm b-girl 'Bounty Hunter.' I'm a different person in the studio,' said 12-year-old Hunter Olson. Ben Tower added, 'At first, I was overwhelmed. Like, wow, these guys are so good at this. I wonder if I'll ever get good at this….Every day I'm getting closer and closer to reaching that goal of being like one of the big guys.' His advice to newcomers and those interested in trying the sport echoed that from other breakers. 'Keep grinding. You'll eventually be able to do that if you really put your mind to it.' With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nahreman Issa
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Hollywood action hero looks unrecognisable while showing off his body popping skills as notorious 1980s breakdancing tutorial resurfaces
With his bald head, resonant voice and muscular physique he generally needs no introduction. But one could be forgiven for overlooking this American actor - now established as one of Hollywood's more profitable action heroes - as he shows off some impressive street dancing skills in a recently unearthed video. Dressed in a nylon tracksuit, the soon-to-be star takes centre stage in an episode of Breakin' in the USA: Break Dancing and Electric Boogie Taught by the Pros. Filmed in 1984, the American show capitalised on the decade's breakdancing and body-popping boom by staging a series of step-by-step tutorials with the help of accomplished street dancers. Joined by an equally accomplished friend, the then 17-year old dancer shows off some slick freestyle moves before teaching viewers how to 'scramble foot-to-foot.' But who is this star-in-the making? That's right, it's Vin Diesel! The superstar actor - best known for his starring role in the long-running Fast & Furious film franchise - previously revealed his surprising past during an appearance on the Tonight Show With Jay Leno in 2011. Diesel told Leno he used to sneak into New York City nightclubs when he was a teenager to practise his dancing skills. But he seemed shocked, when the chat show host brought out an old VHS tape featuring a group of young dancers including a baby-faced Diesel. 'I'd never seen that copy... that's incredible,' the actor said when Leno held up a tattered copy of Breakin' in the USA. Leno joked that the tape was so old, they didn't have a machine at NBC studios to watch it. 'We had to go like to the store and get some kind of VHS kind of thing to play it,' he quipped. The how-to video features a follically unchallenged Diesel, whose real name is Mark Sinclair Vincent, sporting a blue headband and a blue tracksuit as he demonstrates a series of dance moves. Filmed in 1984, the American show capitalised on the decade's breakdancing and body-popping boom by staging a series of step-by-step tutorials with the help of street dancers Breakdancing was a popular style of street dance at the time, created as part of hip-hop culture in New York City back in the 1980's. Diesel laughed several times as he watched clips of himself dancing, then joked: 'Those were the good ol' days.' In 2015, Diesel claimed his dancing skills landed him a job with iconic rap trio Beastie Boys, who enjoyed enormous success throughout the 1980s and '90s - a story that was later refuted by band-member Adam Horovitz. The actor's breakdancing past has emerged after he took the stage at Fuel Fest in California on Saturday night, where he offered an update on Fast X Part 2. 'The studio said to me, "Vin, can we please have the finale of Fast and Furious [in] April 2027?"' Diesel said, confirming the release date. 'I said, "Under three conditions." First, is to bring the franchise back to L.A.! The second thing was to return to the car culture, to the street racing!' He added: 'The third thing was reuniting Dom and Brian O'Conner,' referring to the late Paul Walker's beloved character. The Fast & Furious film franchise has grossed a whopping $7.2 billion at the global box office since its launch in 2001.
News.com.au
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Australian Olympian Raygun back in spotlight one year on from divisive Paris Games performance
Australian breakdancer Raygun is back in the spotlight one year on from her divisive performance at the Paris Olympic Games. Rachel Gunn made international headlines when she scored zero points for her breakdance in the sport's Olympic debut. Gunn, better known by her B-girl name Raygun, took to sport's most prestigious stage with moves that imitated hopping kangaroos, wriggling snakes and the Australian classic, sprinkler. The performance instantly went viral and was the subject of endless memes and relentless ridicule from around the globe. About 12 months on from the infamous act, Raygun is the subject of an Australian Story investigation that delves into why the arts academic isn't celebrated despite being a sporting underdog. US breakdancing pioneer Michael Holman told the ABC there was a lot of backlash from the international breakdancing community because the performance was seen as culturally insensitive. 'The anger that came from Raygun's performance at the Olympics comes from a lot of different places,' he said. 'A slice of that pie came from people who knew what breaking was, saying, 'Wow, you know, that's not great breaking'.' He said breakdancing originated from marginalised teenagers with poor, working class black and Puerto Rican backgrounds. 'So her being white and Australian and jumping around like a kangaroo, that's going to be a loaded gun,' Mr Holman told the ABC. 'Whether she intended it or not, the end result was mockery.' While the university professor was mocked for the performance, others came to her defence including billionaire Richard Branson. The Virgin Group founder invited the Australian breakdancer on-board his Celebration Voyage cruise through the Mediterranean where she danced alongside the global businessman and pulled out the infamous kangaroo hop. Mr Branson said Raygun was plucky, brave, courageous and original. 'Hats off to her for being so bold and different. Since we have a couple of kangaroos on Necker, that move in particular certainly got me smiling,' he said. But the controversy did not end at the Olympics. Back in Australia about four months after the Olympic Games, a comedian was about to stage Raygun: The Musical when a legal storm erupted. Creator Stephanie Broadbridge cancelled the show after she was contacted by lawyers representing Raygun over fears it would damage her reputation. She later rebranded the show to Breaking: The Musical. The comedy club that was going to stage the show was also sent a letter demanding $10,000 from Raygun's lawyers. The comedian alleged the lawyers told her that she was not allowed to perform the dance moves because the kangaroo dance was owned by Raygun. Ms Broadbridge told the ABC that she was captivated at how Raygun handled the situation and was excited that a woman her age was behaving like that in public. 'She's the hero that Australia needed, the female Shane Warne. The one that's flawed but we love her anyway,' she said. 'I wanted to tell that story. I wanted an Australian larrikin story that was a woman.'
