B-Boy Blog Post

Over the course of this semester’s inquiry about b-boys, I discovered many exciting things and thoroughly enjoyed watching, dancing, thinking about dancing. My professor leant me a movie that gave some background on the founding of b-boy culture and the train writers. I created a digital story summarizing my learning about some of the beginnings of b-boy culture in New York, and collected a few videos, and b-boy blogs on a baby blog of my own. I investigated a variety of fascinating texts on my journey.
The first was a blog called b-boy videos, where I remembered the term “battling” and wondered about this form of battle. No one on this blog posted about this of course, battling being a given part of life. In the “BattleMonkeys vs. Super Crew vs. KillerFornia” battle, I watched crazy spins and stops, wide circles of controlled muscle, some playing among dancers reminiscent of capoeira (Brazil) synchronicity, that inverse bodies look of playing off of each other. The dancing was so athletic, and the battle so fierce, judges called players to back off more than once.
Another blog that I found extremely interesting was breaker nyc.com, which was a networking page for b-boys and b-boy lovers. There was a calendar of events whose contents is a mystery to me because I don’t speak b-boy.
I listened in on a lively discussion about the meaning of biting, where all sorts of folks chimed in, from a wise 35-year old b-boy to a fresh young class advocate (railing against b-boys comin up who never had to “struggle a day in they life”). I saw an incredibly beautiful tribute to some New York talent, across what seemed like a great many years, some original signature moves? It is a much sunnier way to use the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys song than on it’s own (the song seems cold and overplayed at this point on its own).
The collection of videos kept me watching and watching, and I began think about the crowd’s role. I noticed that the crowed cheered for every excellent move and even though this was a “battle,” there seemed to be good and happy energy among dancers and spectators alike, unlike the previous scene where, feigned as anger could be, referee type people where calling people off of each other. Perhaps the hard in your face is from the gritty streets of New York and the love-infused community is a more polished presentation?
A distinct silence in this inquiry is the train. That is where I first found the b-boy, and all of the information I’ve read has been video footage and commentary about non-train performances. Although some train riders I interviewed shared spots to search with me (the A downtown, the D or F at night… Brooklyn) none of those people seemed in with the b-boys, so I didn’t go out of my way and investigate.
Finally, this inquiry presented an interview opportunity with a real b-boy, suddenly I found out that one of my colleagues was one of the dancers himself, and found myself completing an assignment with him one evening. I hope he didn’t mind my asking questions! He told me about battling and running into another crew and putting down the stereo and saying let’s go, and competing, and I asked how they chose a winner? He said the crowd chose the winners. I asked where? He said people’s houses. I asked him if he knew Crazy Legs, one of the original dancers in “Style Wars” (Bronx, late 70s early 80s). He did! He saw him dance back in the day, said he still dances. I wonder, would it be possible for me to meet this man someday? I would love to interview him!! I have more steeping myself in b-boy culture before I can be prepared for a text as rich as one of the founders of b-boy.
I intend to keep following beat boy threads and loving the beats and the beautiful moves!