BREAKDANCER HOME CULTURE 1. The Dance 2. A Non-Violent Alternative 3. A Counter-Cultural Dance 4. Breakdancing in the Mainstream 5. Relation to Technology 6. The Moves 7. References TUTORIAL 1. Rotation in the Human Body 2. Software Tutorial · Menu · Buttons · Joints · Animation · Rotate and Translate · 3D View SOFTWARE TEACHING MATERIALS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS CSDT HOME

A Counter-Cultural Dance

The unique relationship of breakdancing with mainstream culture deserves a special mention here. Like grafitti, breakdancing emerged at odds with mainstream culture, appropriating certain aspects of the mainstream to its own ends. Much like the graffiti-artist's appropriation of New York subways as a canvas or the turnablist's appropriation of the record player as a music producer, the b-boys' unsanctioned use of public space (streets) for dancing can also be seen as a form of appropriation. The emphasis on sharp breaks in the music as opposed to a smooth, regular tempo can also be understood as expressions of resistance in a culture that values order and regularity.