Rebecca Edwards – www.rubek.co.uk
Old School Break Dance Moves
Please note: some of the moves in the new school era are the same as old school but with a different name.
Pose – All crews have their own unique pose. Many B-boys and girls also have their own style of pose that is used throughout their performance.
Top Rock – Moving to the beat to get you started.
Uprock – Like Top Rock but psyches the opposition out.
Bodypopping – Dancing around, isolating parts of your body to make it look like you are a Robot.
Animations – Using the Body-popping to act out a small story.
Moonwalk – Sliding your feet backwards in a walking motion to give the impression that you are walking on the moon (with less of a gravitational pull).
Floor work – Like Top Rock but moving about on the floor, usually involves six steps.
Six Step – A floor move with six steps around your body to get you in position for more moves.
Crab – Balancing backwards on all fours, pushing the pelvis to the ceiling.
Crab Walk – Walking sideways in this position using hands and feet to travel.
Turtle freeze – Both elbows into the stomach to support your full body weight, legs are usually bent in the air.
1 Handed turtle freeze – like the Turtle freeze but with only one elbow into the stomach and one hand under the shoulder for support.
Freeze – Like a handstand but looking through your arms at the opponent, your legs are positioned in a certain way, you should be able to hold this position for 3 – 5 seconds to give it more effect.
Chair Freeze – Using one arm to balance on like a shelf, using the other arm to prop yourself up. You can keep your head touching the floor for extra balance.
Original Freeze – Balancing, (usually upside down in some way), with your body twisted in an unusual way, you should be able to hold this position for 3-5 seconds to give it more effect.
L-Kicks – like half a cartwheel but you stop like a freeze, bring one arm up to the side of your leg and return to standing back the way you came.
Four step – Like the six step but with only four steps.
Three step - Like the six step but with only three steps.
Knee Rolls – Balancing on your knees, use your arms to propel you round. (knee pads are advised for this move)
Swipe – Start with your weight on your hands and feet, looking up, and flip over onto just your feet.
Helicopters – Using one leg to balance on, you swipe the other leg underneath you and hop over it. It makes a full circle like a helicopter’s propeller. (This is also known as a coffee grinder)
Backspin – spinning on your back, usually with your legs tucked into your body.
Nickel – Similar to the knee rolls but turning on the spot (as if on a nickel – American coin). (knee pads are advised for this move)
Apple Jack – Jumping back onto right arm and left leg while throwing left arm and right leg out in front of you, then switching arms and legs.
Worm – Rippling your body close to the floor from feet to head as if you were a worm.
Caterpillar – Rippling your body to the floor from chest to feet as if you were a Caterpillar.
Two Legged Apple Jack – Like the apple jack but throwing both legs in front of you.
Flashback – Jumping back onto both hands and throwing both legs out and up (this move should be held for a couple of seconds).
Windmill – Moving your body round in a circle from front to back, your legs need to be open and straight and the weight of your body is exchanged from your hands to the top of your back and back to your hands.
Flare – Throwing your legs around your body, supporting your weight with only your hands.
Headspin – Spinning on your head (the experts usually start with their legs straight, bend them mid spin for extra speed then straighten them again towards the end of the move).
1990 – Like a one handed handstand but you spin round in the air.
Personal Trick – Something unique to you that you can do with your body, which will impress the crowds and psyche the opposition.
All images were found at Google images.