Ages 8 and up
Breaking
Toprock, footwork and floor basics, taught on mats and built up one skill at a time.
Breaking is the oldest part of the culture: toprock on your feet, footwork low to the floor, and freezes you hold. We teach the floor in small steps, always on mats, and a dancer moves on to a new skill only when the teacher has watched them do the last one cleanly. Nobody is asked to try a move they are not ready for.
A class
What a class is like
- 01
Step 1: Warm-up and wrists
Wrists, shoulders and ankles first, then a few minutes of toprock.
- 02
Step 2: Toprock
The upright steps that start every round, with a bounce and a bit of attitude.
- 03
Step 3: Footwork
Low steps around your hands, built from a slow six-step to a quick one.
- 04
Step 4: Freezes
Held shapes one dancer at a time, with the teacher right beside you.
- 05
Step 5: Cool-down
A stretch and a look at what to practice at home.
The details
Before you come
What to wear
Long pants and a long-sleeve top, so the floor does not grab your skin. Knee pads are welcome. Clean sneakers stay in the studio.
Class length and size
An hour for ages 8 to 15, and an hour and a half for 16 and up. Classes of up to 12 dancers.
Levels
Beginner and intermediate groups. Your teacher tells you when it is time to move up; there are no tests.
Your teacher
Nico teaches every breaking class, and he keeps the mats in order.
Try a breaking class
Book a class from the schedule, or call the studio and ask which group fits.