Joey Hahn runs the JK Dance Studio, teaching a style of dancing that found its popularity nearly sixty years ago.
MIDLAND, Texas — It’s a style of dancing that became popular on the streets almost 60 years ago.
“The history of breakdancing starts in the Bronx of New York in the late 60s to early 70s,” said Joey Hahn, the owner of JK Dance Studio. “They were using breakdancing as a way to dispute arguments. They’d get into fights and they would settle it without violence so they started battling against each other.”
Breakdancing, better known as breaking, would eventually set the stage for a wider culture of hip hop dancing.
So much so that it would eventually earn a spot on the international stage.
Hahn, a dance instructor in the Permian Basin, is one such breaker. He’s getting ready to expand to Midland at the JK Dance Studio, teaching kids all types of choreography.
Hip hop dance, however, is a dance he is very familiar with.
“Hip hop is something I try to bring to the community. It’s something new that people didn’t know about,” Hahn said. “Plus my style is different. I learned from different places, like LA, New York. I learn from different choreographers for many years so I share my knowledge with the community and hope it keeps growing.”
According to Hahn, breakdancing has four main elements.
“Four elements you’ll have in breakdancing include your top rock, which is all your movements standing up. Then you’ll have groundwork or ground rock where you do the breakdancing moves on the ground, then you’ll have your freezes where you’re holding a position and stopping yourself,” Hahn said. “Then you have your power moves where you do your big fancy flips, twists and stuff.”
Even if someone has all four elements locked down, it takes a lot of athleticism and years of practice until someone can make it to the big leagues.
“The amount of strength, balance and coordination that they have, they train from young to old, they train in the streets, they learn from different elements that make them stronger and better as a dancer,” Hahn said. “They’re on a different level than your regular dancer.”
Perhaps that’s why breaking is being recognized at the international level. It’s a place where breakers can represent their country and earn a medal around their neck.
“It’s a proud moment for somebody who has had to be uncomfortable to go and grow with the industry with the elements,” Hahn said. “To watch people come from nothing, to win a gold medal from the country, that’s a huge accomplishment for this sport itself.”
It doesn’t matter if you’re an Olympic level dancer or if you’re just learning how to move and groove. Breakdancing is a healthy and fun way to show off a side that one doesn’t even know they had.
“You can do it with comedy, you can express emotions through movement, through attitude, it’s a good way to get rid of anxiety,” Hahn said. “I use all sorts of elements. If I’m mad, I move around trying to get rid of energy and it really does help release that built-up tension.”
So whatever emotion is going through a breaker’s mind… all it takes for them to break it down is to make the first move.
“Don’t be scared! Don’t be scared! Go in there and try it! Be prepared to be uncomfortable and have fun with it!” Hahn said. “Because it’s all goofy movements that everybody is putting together and we’re all enjoying it so you might as well have fun with it while you’re doing it.”
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