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I see all these styles of dance as stemming from the same root I see all these styles of dance as stemming from the same root, the same human spirit. I think it's pointless to be so confrontational regarding who created what, and when and where it was created. Anyone who's been paying attention to these debates over the past few years should know that locking and the funk styles came into existence in the West at roughly the same time as rocking and breaking came into existence in the East. Whether or not breakers in the East were influenced by lockers in the West, or vice versa, is irrelevant. But the fact remains that all of the above dance forms are still around and are constantly evolving into ever more intricate and beautiful forms. It is my firm belief that EVERYONE who contributes to the evolution of these dance forms, whether in large part or small, is a pioneer in every sense of the word. But what I do see is this: Certain well-known pioneers of breaking in the East have refused to acknowledge the relevance, and even the existence, of pioneering bboys in the West. To my knowledge, many moves and ideas were developed by bboys on both sides of the country, and many places in between, at roughly the same time. The fact that breaking originated in the East does NOT diminish the importance of any and all contributors to the dance who inhabit other parts of the country, as well as the rest of the world. So what do we do about this? Anyone can claim to have invented anything at any given point in time. We have to discern whose claims are valid, and whose claims are based on clouded memories. Let's look at an example: the air track (or air flare, critical, etc.) has been claimed to have been invented by bboys from both the East and West. I sincerely believe that none of those who claim the creation of this move are suffering from any mental disabilities or lapses in memory. But I also believe in the concepts of Collective Consciousness and Synchronicity. Two or more people, or two or more groups of people, located in separate and distant parts of the world, can be perfectly capable of having the same idea at the same time. It has happened innumerable times throughout history, and continues to happen to this day. So with that in mind, why does it matter so much who created what, and when? What is truly important to the continuity of our culture(s) is the fact that there actually ARE contributions, and many of them at that. Every day, a new move or concept is introduced to the art forms. Every day, another person decides that he or she wants to learn to dance. Every day, whether we realize it or not, we are inspiring someone to climb on our shoulders, to absorb our knowledge and wisdom, and to evolve higher and higher, using our contributions and ideas to contribute their own ideas. Every day, we change lives, hopefully for the better. We are all miracle workers. The creation of a move, or a movement, is a very symbolic act, much like the creation of a child. As dancers, our very existence proves that there is still magic in the world. The fact that we are able to move the way we do, and to create anything our minds can imagine, is a gift of the highest order. Every time we dance, we create miracles. It is our choice whether to use our miraculous abilities, our gifts of creativity, for positive or negative effects...for the betterment of our culture and the world we inhabit, or for our own personal gain. Many of our disputes are merely contributing to the vast sea of negativity already inherent in our culture. But for what purpose? How is this perennial debate about who did what, where, and when, contributing to the furtherance of our culture? Simple. It's not. Instead of talking about who did what, and instead of worshipping the ground they walk on, let's focus on what really matters...our magic. Let's show the younger generation a miracle or two, and let's show them that they, too, have the power to make the impossible possible. Without them, there is no future. |
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