B-Boying and B-Girling
Lesson 3: Breaking Foundation
Objectives:
- To look at the different styles that makes up the foundation of B-Boying (break dancing)
Materials:
- Enough space for participants to dance comfortably
- Boom box/speakers
- Gym mats
Procedure
Demonstrate, explain, and teach to the participants the following foundational moves and support participants in practicing.
The Moves Defined
Top rocking and up rocking: is the part of the dance, which is used to make a connection with the music. It is an essential part of the dance.
Footwork and leg work: is about making patterns with your feet using various leg movements that are designed to draw the eye towards the dancer’s feet.
Freezes and poses: when you finish a combo and you end off in a frozen position to show that you have finished a set.
Power moves: a part of the dance where you use different parts of your body to generate speed to spin in to different ways.
Question & Answer (Informal Evaluation)
Time for learners to ask questions, give comments and feedback about anything they found interesting from the workshop.
Lesson 4: Historical implications of Breaking
Objectives:
- To show the historical link of Hip-Hop to Capoeira and slavery as well as show that slavery still exists in different forms today. To break down the relationship between corporations and slavery.
Materials:
- Projector
- Lap-top
- Internet access
Procedure
Debrief Breaking from previous class – how did you like the breaking we did last week?
Discussions & Videos
Discuss how Breaking is made up of different forms of movement that draw inspiration from other thing such as Capoeira, martial arts, and various cultural dance forms.
Video 1: “B-Boy Past and Present” (documentary video)
Play clip from video (up to the point where they start talking, a least 5:40 min).
Discuss:
- Discuss the different styles seen in the video, one of them was Capoeira
Video 2: "Capoeira Showreel” (documentary video)
Play clip from video (from 0:20 - 1:30).
Discuss:
- History of Capoeira. (facilitator’s note: use this as a segway into talking about slavery)
- Discuss how slaves who were brought from Africa to Brazil used Capoeira as a way to practice fighting but disguised it as a dance to fool the slave masters because they were not allowed to practice martial arts.
Discussion:
Ask the group:
- What is slavery?
- Can anyone think of examples of slavery?
(Facilitator may give example(s) to prompt discussion.) - Does slavery still exist? In what form(s) does it exist?
(Facilitator’s Note: fill in the gaps after they have answered, use examples of sweatshops, prostitutes, drug addicts)
Definition
Slavery: The condition of a slave; the state of entire subjection of one person to the will of another. OR A condition of subjection or submission characterized by lack of freedom of action or of will.
- dictionary.com
(Facilitator’s note: write the following definition or have it projected onto the board for the group to see.)
Video 3: “The Corporation” (documentary video)
Play clip from video (first 1:15 min).
Break down the following statements featured in the documentary:
- 0.3% of sales goes to the worker
- 6.6 mins to make 1 shirt, means the worker gets paid 70 cents per hour, = 8 cents per shirt. The person who made the shirt was paid 0.3% of the price it was sold for.
- If it cost 8 cents to make it and it was sold for $27.00 that equals $26.92 profit for the company
Activity: Class Debate: Do you think that is slavery?
Setup:
- Separate the class into 2 sides
- Side A: argues that, yes, this is slavery and the people are being exploited and treated like slaves
- Side B: no, this is not slavery, we are giving the people jobs and wages who would otherwise starve without our help
Discussion:
- Look at the clothes you wear, the clothes of Hip-Hop, are we contributing to slavery/exploitation?
How? Why?
(Facilitator’s Note: This is a segway into discussion about media and media influence, ideas about fashion and status, which will be discussed in the next lesson).
