Ten Rules to Break Dancing

10) Ground-work is a neccessity. Without that element, even with your style, without that magical touch, your dancing won't have that 'flavor' to stay alive when battling with other breakers. Ground-work/Footwork.. is a spice that creates flame.

9) Balance yourself. Too much power moves/ too much footwork, isn't neccessarily a bad thing. but a true bboy has divided skills in all parts of the breakdancing repertoire molded into his own style. To put it into simpler terms, mix your style. Bust out with a 'six-step/ flare' combination now and then. A 'windmill -freeze' wouldn't hurt the judging panel either. Mix and Match. Power Moves and Footwork are meant to be merged, take full advantage of that fact.

8) Collect. After each battle, regard-less if you were burnt or you served, always collect knowledge from how you performed and even from how your opponent performed. Battles DO make a name for yourself, but next to that, battles should also be used as training grounds, in terms of you learning. Learning from mistakes.

7) Wearing a helmet when head-spinning doesn't make you a fake. I've seen breakers who wear helmets burn the shit out of the best top-notch breakers out there. Wearing helmets or NOT wearing helmets.. means jack-shit. Besides.. a 'headspin' is ONE move.. compared to the hundreds of other moves in the breakdancing dictionary. Just because you cannot perform a headspin without a helmet, doesn't mean you 'suck?' I've seen helmet-wearers initiate the best windmills or the most stylish air-flares.. Helmets are just an aid, people shouldn't judge a breaker and call them a 'sorry' dancer, just because he?she wears a helmet.

6) Respect. Your mother always told you to treat others, the way you want to be treated. And to respect everybody around you. Well.. same goes for the breakdancing culture. people may dance differently, others may have a funky-looking up-rock. Doesn't matter. Despite how other breakers dance, you should always respect their skill. Old School, New School.. We are all in this together, and there is no reason why ANYBODY should be making fun of others. Breakers who don't have respect for one another are a disgrace.

5) Flowing with the music. Another important element you may need to get the crowd going. Techno, Hip Hop, Rap, Country!?! Ya know.. doesn't matter. Every breakdance routine should always connect with the music. Even if you have Barry Mandelow's soft and slow melodies on the radio, your routine should still match with the music, even if it means to do a super slow six-step and whatnot.

4) Creativity. I don't know how many of you out there read my articles. But if you notice.. i heavily stress that creativity is a necessity when it comes to breakdancing. Learn to Imaginate! I say it before, I say it again.. 'Copying can take you so near to notorious ill-fame, Correctitude can only bring you so far, but Style is what separates you from the whole crowd, and it shows who YOU are as a breakdancer.'

3) Never imitate. Imitating the skill of others will just get you bitch-slapped. It's awright to analyze and innovate moves ... but it's not OK to just mimic every single move that another dancer does. Sure you have topnotch breakdancers who create the upmost stylish techs ever.. but who's to say you can't to do the same..? By choosing to learn the craft, you put yourself in a position to create your own style. And that's a job you have to uphold in order to be recognized.

2) Getting use to Battlegrounds. You walk into the mall and come across another breakdancer who challenges you.. the floor is a smooth and white porcelain. Another scenario.. maybe you're walking in an alleyway with your boys, and come across this other crew who challenges you. The alleyway street is rough and rocky. You mght even meet up with another bboy/bgirl on top of a house (on the roof?).. who knows. Regardless of where you are, you always have to be prepared to battle.. The ground on which you battle on is a huge factor as to you wanting to battle. You might be terrified to get scarred up when doing a windmill on the rough streets, or how can you possibly smooth out a backspin on grass? Therefore.. you have to practice on all types of terrain and get the feel of all battlegrounds.

1) You are a breakdancer. You don't dance to impress girls and things to that effect.. (although, some of us do that.) And it's pretty normal. I see dancers who dance just to gain attention and popularity. But behind all that bullshit. You have to trace yourself back and realize that you are part of a beautiful culture. Breakdancing is an art.. Breakdancers are the artists..Always represent the breakdancing class in a positive way. Represent yourself.. not as 'the kid who has the dope dancing skills'.. but rather the 'breakdancer, who can be the best he/she can be'.