The origin of the term "breakdance" is unknown. It was used by hiphop pioneer Kurtis Blow in a 1980 profile by Bill Adler in the New York Daily News. The term is frequently used to refer to the dance in popular cult… See more

Many elements of breaking developed before the 1970s. Even Colonial American dances such as the minuet, Juba, the quadrille, and the waltz have may have contributed elements. The Juba, for example, i… See more

This section describes the development of breakdancing throughout the world. Countries are sorted alphabetically.
Ismael Toledo was one of the first breakers in Brazil. In 1984, he moved to the United States to st… See more

There are four primary elements that form breakdancing: toprock, downrock, power moves, and freezes.
• Toprock generally refers to any string of steps performed from a standing position. It is usually t… See more