You may think him cute but his swagger is unmatched. Sporting a bright red beanie, a four-year-old B-boy is halfway into a clean headspin as surrounding dancers egg him on with loud cheers; hands in the air. The energy is infectious. At Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore on a windy, weekday evening, this loud cypher (when B-boys and B-girls form a circle around a performer) has attracted curious walkers as they gasp at every handstand, spin and freeze by Chennai’s new crop of little breakdancers.
It has been almost 20 years since Chennai welcomed its first generation of breakdancers. The city’s public parks have been their familiar haunt since. Today, as breaking finds a renewed spotlight, with the sport making a debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics that begins tomorrow, Chennai’s own B-boys and B-girls are trying to reignite their community, which faltered through the pandemic.
One of the performative elements of hip hop culture, breaking or breakdancing emerged as a streetdance movement in the late 1970s in New York, and quickly became a regular fixture in popular culture. Ask any Chennai breakdancer why they do what they do and they have an answer at the ready. “Breakdancing is all about freedom. When you throw it down, you feel that you are breaking societal and personal barriers,” says B-girl Ra aka Ranjitha Durairaj, one of the first women breakdancers from Chennai who has been breaking for the last 10 years. As a woman, this resonates deeply with the need to push boundaries, says Ra.
The city is now home to six formal crews who admittedly had their golden age in the late 2010s, which meant regular participation in battles, cyphers and competitions around the country
| Photo Credit:
Thamodharan B
First brush
Chennai’s initiation into breakdancing can be largely credited to the name Antonio ‘Anto’ George, a Malaysian B-boy who mentored young dancers in the city from the early 2000s. B-boy Black aka Thiyagu who entered the scene in 2007 says that it was Anto who first made him realise how this artform is closely tied to personal identity. “None of us had any idea of what hip hop was, before that,” says Black.
“When I was a child, I used to get bullied a lot because of my complexion. When I started dancing, Anto insisted that I take this name, Black and make it my identity. I was proud to be an ‘area boy,’ all thanks to dance,” reminisces Black who is part of the All For One crew. In 2019, Black won the first and only Red Bull BC1 breakdancing championships held in Chennai.
The city is now home to six formal crews who admittedly had their golden age in the late 2010s, which meant regular participation in battles, cyphers and competitions around the country. Some have travelled to Korea and Malaysia to attend international competitions. “Each group had a go-to park or beach they would earmark for practice like Anna Nagar Tower Park, Natesan Park and here. Along the Marina beach, you could spot multiple crews lining up before the pandemic hit,” recalls Black adding, “We have a very close relationship with the city’s parks. This is where it all began.”
Today, though the frequency of cyphers has reduced, parks continue to be favoured stomping grounds. For instance, every evening after 6pm, B-boy Striker aka Jagan and his crew (To Be Decided) meet near the skating rink at Anna Nagar Tower Park for a quick jam, and regular classes. He says he belongs to the second generation of breakdancers who were deeply inspired by the All For One crew. Most of the dancers in his crew have at least six to seven students under them.
“Many kids watch us dancing in the park and are fascinated and curious to learn. We started the Breakdance Academy for these children who look for regular classes,” says the dancer. Same goes for Arun who trains close to 20 students in dance and gymnastics at Mylapore.
Children practising at Nageswara Rao Park, Mylapore
| Photo Credit:
S Shiva Raj
Rise up
Though the pandemic and the consequent short video culture disrupted the pace, breakers are now reclaiming Chennai in more ways than one. A recent battle held at the Alliance Francaise of Madras titled Back to Circle, had 60 breakdancers from the city in attendance. Director of Alliance Francaise of Madras, Patricia Thierry-Hart envisions this as an annual affair. “Next year, we plan to hold the event over two days, with graffiti artistes also in participation. France is well-known for its breaking culture and we plan to invite international breakers to participate in the battle.”
Ra is certain that the conversation surrounding the 2024 Olympic Games would help the artform’s presence in the city. Enquiries for regular classes are now on the rise, she says.
“Olympics will create more opportunities for dancers to be visible. But most of them seem confused about how to get to an international stage, let alone the Olympics,” says B-boy Dzee aka Dinesh from All For One who has been breaking for the last 19 years. He believes that it is important to bridge this gap through regular cyphers and even skill-building workshops. “While the scene was booming in 2015, the culture of battles surpassed cyphers so much so that it pit crews against each other,” he adds. Through monthly cyphers titled Unity is Key, Dzee and crew, attempts to bring the focus back to the artform. “The idea is to take Chennai and South India to the global stage,” adds Black.
“For this, it is important that dancers recognise that we fall under the same umbrella. Only then can we crack larger issues like sustainable careers and help the next generation of dancers in Chennai,” says Dzee. The Unity is Key initiative is a step in that direction.
Back in the park, the evening has just begun. In the span of two hours, the number of dancers has burgeoned from three to almost 20. It is a celebration: as synchronised footwork, with the occasional headstands and freezes take one by surprise, and chart out a “rad” choreography.
“Where else do you find community, if not here?” Black asks. Harshitha, a 13-year old B-girl quips, “This is why I love to dance!”
B-boy Striker
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special arrangement
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