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Who invented break dancing?


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Origin: From Street to Dance
Street Corner DJ's (in legend it is DJ Kool Herc who was first) would take the breakdown sections (or "breaks") of dance records and string them together without any elements of the song per se. This provided a raw rhythmic base for improvising and further mixing. Thus the name.

Popular speculations of the early 1980s suggest that breakdancing, in its organized fashion seen today, began as a method for rival gangs of the ghetto to mediate and settle territorial disputes. In a turn-based showcase of dance routines, the winning side was determined by the dancer(s) who could outperform the other by displaying a set of more complicated and innovative moves.

It later was through the highly-energetic performances of funk legend James Brown and the rapid growth of dance teams, like the Rock Steady Crew of New York City, that the competitive ritual of gang warfare evolved into a pop-culture phenomenon, receiving massive media attention. Parties, disco clubs, talent shows, and other public events became typical locations for breakdancers, especially for gang members, where dancing served as a positive diversion from the threats of city life.

Though its intense popularity eventually faded in the 1980s, introduced street breakdancing remains a mainstream phenomenon, maintaining exposure by the media through often comical portrayals in commercials and movies. For enthusiasts, breakdancing remains an enjoyable pastime and, for a few, a serious competitive dance where annual exhibitions and competitions of all levels take place.