I’d rather dance like me than like Ken Swift, and that’s no disrespect to Ken Swift. He’s a better BBoy than me, but that’s not the point. BBoying at it’s core means: “You do you”. It’s nice getting a reminder from Toyz that to rise up in a culture that values individual creativity, the best way to get recognized is not to imitate what other successful people are doing, but to do you, however different you are from the role models in the culture.

I think there are boundaries…if a ballerina jumped in the cypher and gracefully pirouetted and jetted, that would not be BGirling, but I think any style done aggressively and with flavor can integrate into breaking. There’s the big contributors like gymnastics, capoeira, martial arts, yoga but I’ve seen people work jazz, tap, swing, club dance, house and plenty of purely original moves into their breaking and make it work 100%. I think finding inspiration in other styles is the fresh blood that keeps street dance evolving. It’s one of the many things that separates it from stale, dead arts like ballet that are already fixed and established instead of growing and personalized.

Anyway, great article guys. And Toyz, if you end up reading these posts, you’re dope man seriously, keep it up. A battle shouldn’t be purely competitive, it’s a collaborative chance for everybody there to do what they love. There’s nothing that makes me happier then seeing someone in the cypher who looks like there is no where else they’d rather be. I respect cats like Bebe and Alien Ness that are cut throat in the cypher because they are doing the dance the way that feels right for them, but it’s nice being reminded that’s not the only right way to break, Toyz is trailblazing the way for other bboys to freely kick mad style with a smile.

Best idea of 09

Watch everyone start smiling and being happy in battles now…haha

My alter-ego..is not a nice guy and it makes me feel relieved I can bring him out in bboying and no where else, that’s my take.

Great article for a great dude.

Cheers