Modern break dancer and black & white photos of DJ and break dancers

View Stock/Getty Images (dancer); Shutterstock.com (background, spray paint); Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images (DJ); Eddie Barford/Mirrorpix/Getty Images (Eastwood Rockers)

The Amazing History of Breaking

How a style of dance created on the streets of New York City took over the world

By Anna Starecheski and Mary Kate Frank

From the May 2024 Issue

Learning Objective: to synthesize key ideas from a nonfiction article and an interview

Lexiles: 900L, 740L

Featured Skill: Synthesis,

Other Key Skills: key ideas and details, summarizing, interpreting text, text structure, text features

Listen to this story read aloud.

AS YOU READ

What drew people to breaking?

The Amazing History of Breaking

How a style of dance created on the streets of New York City took over the world

By Anna Starecheski and Mary Kate Frank

Courtesy of Reggie Peters

Reggie Peters

When Reggie Peters was your age, the playground was the place to be—but not because of the swings and slides.

It was the summer of 1979 in New York City. Every day, people came to the playground with crates of records and turntables. Others brought drums, horns, and flutes. Teens showed up in striped tracksuits and flashy sneakers. Young people—from kindergarteners to college students—would gather to enjoy the music. But enjoying the music meant more than listening. It also meant dancing.

As the music played, kids laid out a piece of cardboard on the concrete. Then the real show would begin.

One after the other, the teens stepped up to the cardboard to show off their moves. They flowed through fancy footwork. They spun on their heads. They flipped upside down.

With each trick, the crowd would go wild.

You might know this form of dance as breakdancing, but its creators called it breaking.

Reggie, then 11, was mesmerized.

“I needed to learn this art,” he remembers thinking.

He wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Breaking was a whole new form of dance. And it was about to take over the world.

When Reggie Peters was your age, the playground was the place to be. But not because of the swings and slides.

It was the summer of 1979 in New York City. Every day, people went to the playground. They brought crates of records and turntables. Others brought drums, horns, and flutes. Teens showed up in striped tracksuits and flashy sneakers. Young people gathered to enjoy the music. But enjoying the music meant more than listening.
It also meant dancing.

As the music played, kids laid out cardboard on the concrete. Then the real show would begin.

One after the other, the teens stepped up to the cardboard. They showed off their moves. They did fancy footwork. They spun on their heads. They flipped upside down.

With each trick, the crowd would go wild.

You might know this form of dance as breakdancing. But its creators called it breaking.

Back then, Reggie was 11. He was mesmerized.

“I needed to learn this art,” he remembers thinking.

He wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Breaking was a new form of dance. And it was about to take over the world.

Breaking Begins

Shutterstock.com

In the 1970s and ’80s, DJs used turntables to play music on plastic discs called records.

Breaking got its start in the early 1970s in a part of New York City called the Bronx. At the time, the Bronx was a tough place to live. Gangs ruled entire blocks, and crime rates were high. Many people lived in poverty.

The Bronx was also a vibrant community full of creative young people. Many of them were obsessed with a kind of music called funk. Their idol? Singer and dancer James Brown.

During his concerts, Brown saved his best moves for what is called a break—the part of a song when the vocals take a backseat to the instruments. The break gave Brown a chance to dance in ways that were difficult while singing. In one of his most dazzling moves, he would crouch to the floor, spring up, then drop into a split!

After seeing Brown dance on TV, Black teens in the Bronx began imitating his style at parties, adding their own moves to the mix. And just like Brown, they would save their best moves for the breaks in the music.

Bronx DJs took note. They began looking for creative ways to extend the breaks of songs so dancers had more time to shine. One DJ, known as DJ Kool Herc, would buy two copies of a record and play the breaks back-to-back on two different turntables. Along the way, Kool Herc and other DJs began creating what we now know as hip-hop music.

Meanwhile, dancers with nicknames like the Amazing Bobo, Cholly Rock, and Sister Boo developed unique styles. Their moves were inspired by everything from traditional African dances to kung fu movies.

These dancers were known as break-boys and break-girls—or B-boys and B-girls for short. Eventually, the dance style they were developing would come to be called “breaking.”

Breaking began in the early 1970s in the Bronx, a part of New York City. At the time, the Bronx was a tough place to live. Gangs ruled entire blocks. Crime rates were high. Many people lived in poverty.

The Bronx was also full of creative young people. Many of them loved a kind of music called funk. Their idol? Singer and dancer James Brown.

During his concerts, Brown saved his best moves for the break—the part of a song when the vocals take a backseat to the instruments. During the break, Brown could do dance moves that were too difficult while singing. In one of his moves, he crouched to the floor, sprang up, then dropped into a split!

After seeing Brown dance on TV, Black teens in the Bronx began imitating his style at parties. They added their own moves. And like Brown, they saved their best moves for the breaks.

Bronx DJs took note. They began extending the breaks of songs. That gave the dancers more time to shine. One DJ was known as DJ Kool Herc. He would buy two copies of a record. He played the breaks back-to-back on two different turntables. In this way, Kool Herc and other DJs began creating what we now know as hip-hop music.

Meanwhile, the dancers developed unique styles. Their moves were inspired by everything from traditional African dances to kung fu movies. The dancers had names like the Amazing Bobo, Cholly Rock, and Sister Boo.

These dancers were known as break-boys and break-girls—or B-boys and B-girls for short. They created a dance style called “breaking.”

Superhuman Moves

Shutterstock.com

As breaking took off, many teens danced to music played on boom boxes.

As breaking gained popularity, house parties could no longer contain the dancers. Breakers moved to parks and other outdoor spaces. That’s when the dance really began to spread, including among the Bronx’s large Puerto Rican community.

By the late 1970s, Puerto Rican breakers were putting their mark on the dance. Known by names like Crazy Legs and Frosty Freeze, they came up with superhuman moves—like spinning on their heads or backs in a seemingly impossible whirl. Groups of dancers called crews began battling each other in thrilling dance-offs.

This incredible form of dance was about to go global.

Breaking gained popularity. House parties were too small for all the dancing. Breakers moved to parks and other outdoor spaces. The dance really began to spread, including among the Bronx’s large Puerto Rican community.

By the late 1970s, Puerto Rican breakers were putting their mark on the dance. They were known by names like Crazy Legs and Frosty Freeze. They came up with superhuman moves—like spinning on their heads or backs. Groups of dancers were called crews. They battled each other in thrilling dance-offs.

This incredible form of dance was about to go global.

From Streets to Screens

Breaking soon spread far beyond the Bronx. Millions of people got their first glimpse of breaking in the hit 1983 movie Flashdance. More movies followed, including one Reggie remembers being filmed at his local playground. Kids he knew were dancing in front of the camera.

Suddenly, it seemed like everyone wanted to be a breaker. Frenzied fans bought how-to videos and special breaking mats. In 1984, more than 100 breakers performed alongside singer Lionel Richie at the closing ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics. A year later, breakers performed at the White House.

Meanwhile, breakers were going on tour. At 15, Reggie became one of them. He joined a professional company called New York Express. Its mission was to share breaking with the world. Reggie and his fellow dancers performed at art festivals alongside ballet dancers and classical musicians. They toured through Europe and Asia—but only during school breaks. Like Reggie, most of them were still in high school.

Upon returning home, Reggie couldn’t help but brag to his friends.

“You’re still dancing in Times Square,” he teased. “I was at the Eiffel Tower!”

Breaking spread far beyond the Bronx. Millions of people first saw breaking in the hit 1983 movie Flashdance. More movies followed. Reggie remembers one of them being filmed at his local playground. Kids he knew were dancing in front of the camera.

Suddenly, it seemed like everyone wanted to be a breaker. Fans bought how-to videos and special breaking mats. In 1984, more than 100 breakers performed alongside singer Lionel Richie at the closing ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics. A year later, breakers performed at the White House.

Reggie would brag to his friends.

“You’re still dancing in Times Square,” he teased. “I was at the Eiffel Tower!”

Breaking for Gold

Over the next few years, breaking groups formed everywhere, from Asia to Australia. Soon, breaking competitions sprang up around the globe. As it grew more popular, breaking became increasingly athletic and acrobatic. And this year, breaking will make its debut as an Olympic sport at the Summer Games in Paris.

Still, 50 years after it started, breaking remains much the same. It doesn’t require pricey equipment or expensive training, just a desire to express yourself. Maybe that’s why it continues to attract teens everywhere.

Reggie, who now works at The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx, couldn’t be prouder of how far breaking has come.

“It’s big for people from the Bronx to see kids in places like Japan and Afghanistan loving this thing we created,” he says.

Over the next few years, breaking groups formed everywhere, from Asia to Australia. Soon, there were breaking competitions around the globe. Breaking became more athletic and acrobatic. This year, breaking will make its debut as an Olympic sport at the Summer Games in Paris.

Still, 50 years after it started, breaking remains much the same. It doesn’t require pricey equipment or expensive training. And it continues to attract teens everywhere.

Today, Reggie works at The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx. He is proud of how far breaking has come.

“It’s big for people from the Bronx to see kids in places like Japan and Afghanistan loving this thing we created,” he says.

Meet an Olympic B-Girl

Over the past few decades, breaking has transformed into an international sport. In competition, B-boys and B-girls are judged on creativity and personality—and, of course, their dance moves. This summer, breaking will debut at the Olympic Games in Paris. Sunny Choi, 35, is a B-girl with Team USA. We talked to her about discovering breaking, conquering fear, and going all in to achieve her dreams.

Scope: You were a gymnast as a kid. How does gymnastics compare with breaking?

Sunny Choi: They’re both extremely physical. Both involve being upside down a lot, which I love! But with gymnastics, you’re doing a planned routine. You have to be perfect. With breaking, you’re improvising. Breaking is really about showing who you are as opposed to trying to be perfect.

Scope: How did you discover breaking?

SC: I stopped doing gymnastics when I got to college. I was looking for something to do. One day, I saw some people dancing on campus. They were the breaking club. I watched for a while, and they invited me to take a class. Initially, I was too scared to dance in front of anyone. And then I slowly started coming out of my shell.

Scope: Last year, you quit your job to focus on breaking. Was it scary?

SC: Yes! I had a good job, but I wasn’t happy. I was really scared of giving that up and failing at breaking. I had to tell myself that even if that happens, it’s OK. It’s worth it to do what I love.

Scope: What makes breaking special?

SC: One of the coolest things is the international community. What we share transcends language. No matter where you go in the world, you can dance with somebody and share a moment of connection. I also love how anyone can try it: All you need is a floor and music. So you have people from all walks of life. It’s a super diverse community, which is a beautiful thing.

Scope: How does it feel to be heading to the Olympics as a member of Team USA?

SC: It doesn’t feel real most of the time. I don’t have any recollection of this, but my mom told me I watched the Olympics as a 3-year-old and was obsessed with the idea of winning gold. I never thought that opportunity would come. It’s wild but super exciting.

Writing Prompt

Imagine you’re a sports reporter introducing B-girl Sunny Choi and Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Record a segment (audio or video) that gives viewers a brief overview of breaking’s history and enduring popularity.

Writing Prompt

^{This article was originally published in the May 2024 issue.}

_{This article was originally published in the May 2024 issue.}

video (1)

Audio ()

Activities (8)

Quizzes (1)

Answer Key (1)

video (1)

Audio ()

Activities (8)

Quizzes (1)

Answer Key (1)

1. Prepare to Read

2. Read and Discuss

3. Write About It

4. Connected Reading

Essential Questions: What makes something an art form? What makes something a sport? How does an activity become popular?

1. PREPARE TO READ (15 MINUTES)

Preview Vocabulary (5 minutes)

Project the Google Slides version of Vocabulary: Definitions and Practice on your whiteboard. Review the definitions and complete the activity as a class. Highlighted words: improvising, mesmerized, transcends. Audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud of the definitions are embedded on the slides. Optionally, print the PDF version or share the slideshow link to your LMS and have students preview the words and complete the activity independently before class.

Watch a Video (10 minutes)

Watch the Beyond the Story video, which takes students into the world of breaking and will be helpful for any students unfamiliar with the style of dance. Have students respond to the Video Discussion Questions (available in your Resources tab) in small groups or pairs.

Preview Vocabulary (5 minutes)

Project the Google Slides version of Vocabulary: Definitions and Practice on your whiteboard. Review the definitions and complete the activity as a class. Highlighted words: improvising, mesmerized, transcends. Audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud of the definitions are embedded on the slides. Optionally, print the PDF version or share the slideshow link to your LMS and have students preview the words and complete the activity independently before class.

Watch a Video (10 minutes)

Watch the Beyond the Story video, which takes students into the world of breaking and will be helpful for any students unfamiliar with the style of dance. Have students respond to the Video Discussion Questions (available in your Resources tab) in small groups or pairs.

2. READ AND DISCUSS (45 MINUTES)

“The Amazing History of Breaking”

Invite a volunteer to read the As You Read box on page 14 or at the top of the digital story page.
Read the article once as a class. (Differentiation: Share the lower-Lexile version of the article.) Optionally, have students listen to the audio read-aloud of the article while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.
Divide students into groups to read the article again and respond to the following Close-Reading Questions, also located in the Resources tab.

Close-Reading Questions (25 minutes)

What role did singer and dancer James Brown play in the rise of breaking? (key ideas and details, summarizing) James Brown played a key role in the rise of breaking. As the authors explain, in the 1970s, Brown was a popular singer and dancer who was known for the innovative dance moves that he would do during the break of a song. Black teens in the Bronx who idolized Brown would imitate his dance style at parties. DJs began devising ways to extend the break in songs to give dancers more time to dance. Eventually, these dancers began developing their own unique style, which would ultimately become known as breaking.
The authors write, “As breaking gained popularity, house parties could no longer contain the dancers. Breakers moved to parks and other outdoor spaces.” What do they mean? (interpreting text) The authors mean that as more and more people started breaking, the dance style began to spread beyond house parties. You could also interpret the line more literally and take it to mean that breakers started to want more space to do their moves, so they started dancing outside.
How does the section “From Streets to Screens” contribute to the article? (text structure) The section “From Streets to Screens” describes how breaking gained popularity beyond the Bronx, where it originated, to eventually become popular around the world. The section explains that the 1983 movie Flashdance exposed breaking to millions of people, and that after that, “it seemed like everyone wanted to be a breaker.” Around the same time, breaking companies began going on tour, which exposed even more parts of the world to this new art form.
Consider the sidebar “Global Moves.” Why might the authors have included it? (text features, key ideas and details) The authors may have included the sidebar “Global Moves” to emphasize that breaking draws on influences from many different places and cultures. In the article, the authors write, “Their moves were inspired by everything from traditional African dances to kung fu movies.” The sidebar emphasizes that breaking has many influences by listing additional art forms that breaking draws on.

“Meet an Olympic B-Girl”

Break students into groups again to read and discuss the interview. Optionally, have students listen to the read-aloud of the interview while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.
As a class, discuss the following Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions, some of which apply to both the article and the interview.

Close-Reading Question (5 minutes)

Sunny says she loves breaking because “anyone can try it: All you need is a floor and music. So you have people from all walks of life.” What does she mean? Find a line or lines in “The Amazing History of Breaking” that express a similar idea. (interpreting text, synthesis) Sunny means that because anyone can easily try breaking, it attracts all different kinds of people with different backgrounds. In the article, this idea is expressed in the lines “Still, 50 years after it started, breaking remains much the same. It doesn’t require pricey equipment or expensive training, just a desire to express yourself.”

Critical-Thinking Questions (5 minutes)

The article explains that breaking gained global popularity in part thanks to movies and television. How do dances gain popularity today? Answers will vary but students will likely say that social media plays a large role in making dances popular today.
Sunny says that breaking is more about showing who you are than trying to be perfect. What might be valuable or helpful about approaching an activity this way? Answers will vary. Students might offer that it could be a relief not to feel like you have to live up to some sort of standard created by others. Students might also talk about the satisfaction of self-expression and how knowing that you don’t have to be perfect makes it easier to take risks.
In general, what criteria do you think a sport should meet to be included in the Olympic Games? Answers will vary.

“The Amazing History of Breaking”

Invite a volunteer to read the As You Read box on page 14 or at the top of the digital story page.
Read the article once as a class. (Differentiation: Share the lower-Lexile version of the article.) Optionally, have students listen to the audio read-aloud of the article while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.
Divide students into groups to read the article again and respond to the following Close-Reading Questions, also located in the Resources tab.

Close-Reading Questions (25 minutes)

What role did singer and dancer James Brown play in the rise of breaking? (key ideas and details, summarizing) James Brown played a key role in the rise of breaking. As the authors explain, in the 1970s, Brown was a popular singer and dancer who was known for the innovative dance moves that he would do during the break of a song. Black teens in the Bronx who idolized Brown would imitate his dance style at parties. DJs began devising ways to extend the break in songs to give dancers more time to dance. Eventually, these dancers began developing their own unique style, which would ultimately become known as breaking.
The authors write, “As breaking gained popularity, house parties could no longer contain the dancers. Breakers moved to parks and other outdoor spaces.” What do they mean? (interpreting text) The authors mean that as more and more people started breaking, the dance style began to spread beyond house parties. You could also interpret the line more literally and take it to mean that breakers started to want more space to do their moves, so they started dancing outside.
How does the section “From Streets to Screens” contribute to the article? (text structure) The section “From Streets to Screens” describes how breaking gained popularity beyond the Bronx, where it originated, to eventually become popular around the world. The section explains that the 1983 movie Flashdance exposed breaking to millions of people, and that after that, “it seemed like everyone wanted to be a breaker.” Around the same time, breaking companies began going on tour, which exposed even more parts of the world to this new art form.
Consider the sidebar “Global Moves.” Why might the authors have included it? (text features, key ideas and details) The authors may have included the sidebar “Global Moves” to emphasize that breaking draws on influences from many different places and cultures. In the article, the authors write, “Their moves were inspired by everything from traditional African dances to kung fu movies.” The sidebar emphasizes that breaking has many influences by listing additional art forms that breaking draws on.

“Meet an Olympic B-Girl”

Break students into groups again to read and discuss the interview. Optionally, have students listen to the read-aloud of the interview while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.
As a class, discuss the following Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions, some of which apply to both the article and the interview.

Close-Reading Question (5 minutes)

Sunny says she loves breaking because “anyone can try it: All you need is a floor and music. So you have people from all walks of life.” What does she mean? Find a line or lines in “The Amazing History of Breaking” that express a similar idea. (interpreting text, synthesis) Sunny means that because anyone can easily try breaking, it attracts all different kinds of people with different backgrounds. In the article, this idea is expressed in the lines “Still, 50 years after it started, breaking remains much the same. It doesn’t require pricey equipment or expensive training, just a desire to express yourself.”

Critical-Thinking Questions (5 minutes)

The article explains that breaking gained global popularity in part thanks to movies and television. How do dances gain popularity today? Answers will vary but students will likely say that social media plays a large role in making dances popular today.
Sunny says that breaking is more about showing who you are than trying to be perfect. What might be valuable or helpful about approaching an activity this way? Answers will vary. Students might offer that it could be a relief not to feel like you have to live up to some sort of standard created by others. Students might also talk about the satisfaction of self-expression and how knowing that you don’t have to be perfect makes it easier to take risks.
In general, what criteria do you think a sport should meet to be included in the Olympic Games? Answers will vary.

3. WRITE ABOUT IT: SYNTHESIS (45 minutes)

Have students complete the Featured Skill Activity: Synthesis. This activity prepares them to respond to the writing prompt on page 17 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page:

Alternatively, have students choose a task from the Choice Board, a menu of culminating tasks. (Our Choice Board options include the writing prompt from the magazine, differentiated versions of the writing prompt, and additional creative ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of a story or article.)

Have students complete the Featured Skill Activity: Synthesis. This activity prepares them to respond to the writing prompt on page 17 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page::

Alternatively, have students choose a task from the Choice Board, a menu of culminating tasks. (Our Choice Board options include the writing prompt from the magazine, differentiated versions of the writing prompt, and additional creative ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of a story or article.)

CONNECTED READING

Connected readings about the rise of popular activities from the Scope archives:

Paired Texts: “The Wave Catcher” and “Monster Waves”
Paired Texts: “Ready. Set. Jump!” and “Skateboarding Takes Off”

Connected readings about the rise of popular activities from the Scope archives:

Paired Texts: “The Wave Catcher” and “Monster Waves”
Paired Texts: “Ready. Set. Jump!” and “Skateboarding Takes Off”

Text-to-Speech

The Amazing History of Breaking

The Amazing History of Breaking

How a style of dance created on the streets of New York City took over the world

By Anna Starecheski and Mary Kate Frank

Meet an Olympic B-Girl

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

Table of Contents

1. Prepare to Read

2. Read and Discuss

3. Write About It

4. Connected Reading

1. PREPARE TO READ (15 MINUTES)

2. READ AND DISCUSS (45 MINUTES)

3. WRITE ABOUT IT: SYNTHESIS (45 minutes)

CONNECTED READING

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The Amazing History of Breaking

The Amazing History of Breaking

How a style of dance created on the streets of New York City took over the world

By Anna Starecheski and Mary Kate Frank

Meet an Olympic B-Girl

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

Table of Contents

1. Prepare to Read 2. Read and Discuss 3. Write About It 4. Connected Reading

1. PREPARE TO READ (15 MINUTES)

2. READ AND DISCUSS (45 MINUTES)

3. WRITE ABOUT IT: SYNTHESIS (45 minutes)

CONNECTED READING

Help/Support

Help/Support

About Us

Subscriber Information

Connect with Us

1. Prepare to Read

2. Read and Discuss

3. Write About It

4. Connected Reading