• June 5, 1984 Milton Measure Page 5 ArtS &.Entertainment Breakdancing: Hot New Trend Soreads Slowly at MA , Because of breaking's popular­ dancers, Robledo and Rhodes, ity, swarmsof suburban kids have both [earned to breakdance in flocked to local dance studios to similar ways: by watching videos learn the skill. This classroom with dancing in them, and by [earning defeats the original in­ watching other people and tention of breaking, say the break­ imitating then. Rob[edo, whose ers. "Kids are doing it, and they breaking nickname is "Juice," have no idea where it came from," breakdances with his younger said Robledo. Added Lee Rhodes, brother and friends in a crew, Class IV, "It's better to learn "Ready to Rock." They dance "for [breaking] by watching other kids personal'satisfaction" rather than and trying it yourself. Kids who for money. Rob[edo taught several take lessons can't [earn as well as sixth graders at Mi[ton how to ~ kids who [earn it off the street be­ breakdance for a production of 'E cause they're not used to the "Pippin" in which they used the :6 battles, thecompetition. It's some­ style of dance. ,..,5 thing you have to be a part of, not According to Rob[edo. in the -that you can learn." Bronx, "New crews are popping Headspins (left) as well as head-firstdives (right) aretwo afthe Reaction to the breakdance phe­ up every minute," and the compe­ many breakdance moves Jose Robledo, Class II, has mastered. nomena at Mi[ton has not been en­ tition results in New Yorkers be­ Besides these three categories, a Legs, whose real name according thusiastic. Statements such as, ing better than Boston breakers. fourth, freestyle, encompasses all to Rob[edo is Richie Cologne, "It is a bit overpublicized," by He claims he has seen "no really the moves frequently made up by founded Rock Steady Crew. A Meredith Zinner, Class Ill, are good people in Boston," and noted New York dancers, whose fierce crew is the term for a bunch of widely echoed. Most see it as a that some Be[mont Hill breakers competition requires they be on dancers, usually formed within . passing fad. Kris Hub[itz, Class he saw at a dance "stunk." the cutting edge of new dances. one neighborhood, who practice Ill, speculated, "I think it's just Rhodes, nicknamed "Lazy" and In the South Bronx, New York, together, usually dividing into like Valley Girls. It's a fad this "Kid F[ash," onced danced with a gang warfare used to be a way of groups of "specialists" in certain year and it's going to go away ... It Fa[mouth group called "Pop-a­ Zoids" at a roller skaing rink. He by Josh Gillette life. Now, however, "Gangs are types of breakdancing (Breaking, practically extinct," said Bronx Uprock, etc.). has taught kids at Milton and feels '. .. like Valley that "anyone with coordination It is one of the hottest trends to resident and avid breaker Jose Rock' Steady was under the 'and an open mind withoutfear of hit America since the disco craze Rob[edo, Class II. Gang wars have guidance of Afrika Bambaataa. Girls. It's a fad of theseventies. It is seen on street been replaced by breaking battles, Bambaataa, a New York DJ., led being hurt can breakdance." corners, in TV commercials, at a great boost to breaking as a the Bronx's "Zulu Nation," the this year, and While more boys break than do - dances, and especially in New trend. embodiment of breakdancing's girls, he said, "There's no reason it's going to girls can't break." York discos. Its acrobatics and "Without battling, breaking message. "Bam" inspired kids Rhodes himself first encoun­ seemingly impossible bodily wouldn't be what it is now," Rob- who had "nothing better to do" to go away.' tered breakdancing in West Vir­ movements, done to rhythmic, ledo noted. "Breakingfirst started work toward a goal,conveying the won't be very important in a year ginia, where he saw ten-year-o[d heavy-bass or computerized, as a way to show the other guy 'message that the creativity in­ or so." Bryan Wuthrich, Class I, kids popping and liked it. He electric funk music, always that you're better, that you can do volved in inventing new moves, sees breakdancing's message fad­ taught himself the moves and still attract large, enthusiastic better moves than he can. You try among other things, could help ing to commercialism, saying, practices and works on them. crowds. It is breakdancing, and to burn the guy by doing some kids in the Bronx achieve some­ "It's been twisted from what it Breakdancing has not caught while its progress is slow, it is really bad move right in front of thing worthwhile. was, a celebration of the street, I on at Mi[ton Academy as much as spreading at Mi[ton Academy. his face, without touching him. If Following this advice, Rock suppose. Now it's done by every­ at public high schools across the Breakdancing is divided into Steady Crew won a role for some body ... It used to be non-conform­ country, perhaps because Milton three categories: Breaking, Up­ , the greate t of its dancers in the smash movie, students' busy schedules allow lit­ rock, and E[ectric Boogie. Break­ • ••• "S Flashdance, sk.¥ro.cketing break- ity, not it's conformity. It doesn't tle time for the commitm.ent in­ ing is thegymnastic, more danger­ cultural revolu- dancing to international fame. have the same spirit.it used to have." vo[ved in beconling a good dancer. ous part of breakdancing. A few •• Presently, according to Adam Rob[edo hardly ever practices at breaking moves are the backspin, tlon sInce the Gutowski, Class III, an aspiring Many refuse to accept the schoo[,getting all his breaking the headspin, and the suicide, a invention 0 £ the breakdancer, breaking is popular dancing as a serious movement, forward flip with a flat landing on 'J in his native England, although seeing it only as a thing to be ridi­ done at home. While apathetic and mocking opinions exist, there the back. hula hooh ' "the [English] breakers aren't as culed. Said Rob Sheffield, Class [, Uprock is a battle-oriented type " . ~.~---~--'£:...:-'-:...-....----- good as those in New York." The sarcastically, "[ think it repre­ seems to be enough interest of dancing that looks much [ike a you touch him, that's when fights "-!few ¥r;::k- Times hails breakdanc­ sents the passion of a generation present in this new, fresh form of kung-fu fight. The combatants, break out. .The harder the move 109 as the greatest cultural revo­ and is _one of this generation's dance to speculate that with the however, must avoid touching the better the move, and by doin~ l':I tion in t~e Wes~ern hemisphere greatest recreational activities." <.;oming summer and its free their opponents. E[ectric Boogie, harder moves, you win battles." smce "the lOventlOn of. the hula Faculty reaction has been one of time, - combined with the vast the most widely known type of Battles are held in discos such as hoop. The German Trtbune says interest, however. Kiki Rice, bombardment by the media with breakdancing, is a variety of Manhattan's Rose[and First that breakdancing has now "come dance instructor, said of break­ breakdance movies' songs and moves, all of them giving the Class, and the Roxy, a re~ovated into its own on German railway dancing, "I think it's great ... I television commercials, that appearance that the dancer's body skating rink. stations, concourses, pedestrian wish I'knew how to'do it.:' breakdancing could continue its is being acted upon by some out­ While'breakdancing has earlier precincts, and shopping centers." . Milton's premiere break- growth at Milton Academy. side force. It includes the back roots, many claim it essentially float or moonwalk, popularized by began with the introduction of Michael Jackson; the wave, char­ "Le Freak," a dance to the song by Reel Reviews: acterized by the continuous wave­ the Sheiks that was a predecessor like motion of the dancer's body; to modern breakdancing. The real and the pop, which looks like a key to its explosive popularity QC­ Indiana Jones andRomancing the Stone segmented wave. - curred' about 1978, when Crazy a garland around the sculptured by Liz Davis by Joli Mitra shoulders of a grotesque demon. George Lucas and Steven Spie[­ The fantastic, absolutely im­ "Romancing The Stone" is ac­ Where to Break in Boston berg have put together a cliff­ possible plot includes wonderful tor Michael Douglas' successful hanger which is pure comic-book shots of incredibly lush scenery. attempt to parody the string of by Michael Sabin is usually fairly crowded, there is adventure of the 1930s - the kind This second episode in the life of high adventure/romance movies always enough room for the break of adventure that used to be seria[­ Indiana Jones (which stands as a that have been recently appear- There are two easily accessible dancers who are regulars at the ized and shown every Saturday separate story from "Raiders of . ing. As actor, director and pro­ under twenty dance clubs in the club. afternoon in movie hOl.lses across the Lost Ark") was filmed in Sri ducer of the film, Doug[as pre­ Boston area. Dance Factory, On Friday nights in the same the country. Harrison Ford plays Lanka and Macau locations, as located at 145 Ipswich Street in sents the story of a highly success­ building there is a combination of the dare-devil archaeologist Indi­ well as in London and California Boston, is a short five minute fu[ romance novelist, Joan Wi[del' rollerskating and dancing from analones who startsout in Shang­ studios. walk from either the Kenmore or 7:00 to 11:00. The official Friday (Kath[een Turner), who, outside hai and ends up in India along of her books, leads a very plain, the Fenway stops on the Green night name is Spinoff. At Spinoff, with Willie Scott, the torch singer dull, unexciting life with her cat Line. It is across the street from skaters coast around the outside from Shanghai's Obi Wan Club, Romeo in New York City. Unex­ Fenway Park. Gazebo, the other of the rink, while break dancers and Short Round, a ten-year-old citing, that is, until she receives club, is in the same buildingas the flaunt their stuff in the middle. Chinese orphan boy he has taken an urgent request from her sister Chateau de Ville in Framingham. The music is essentially the same under his wing. in Colombia to bring her a map for It is a thirty to forty minute drive as on Saturdays. The phone num­ Indy is inveigled intogoing after buried treasure. In Colombia she from Milton and is located on ber for both Spinoff and Dance the sacred stone stolen from a poor If you want to see your favorite is accosted by a man who threat­ Route 9 just past Fun and Games. Factory is 437-0000. Indian village and finding its kid­ hero escape from the dark powers ens to kill her for the map, but she Dance Factory is open from 8:00 Gazebo is open from 8:00 to napped children. As lndy and his of Shiva and the diabolical high is saved by the coincidental ap­ to 12:30 on Saturday nights, and 12:00 Friday and Saturday nights, companions beat their way priest rescue Willie from a fiery pearance of Doug[as. Turner does admittance costs five dollars. and admittance costs five dollars through the jungle on the way to death in lava pits, retrieve the a good job of 'portraying a "plain There is a mild dress code, no as well. The scene here is not quite the evil palace, Pankot, in Jaipur, stones of "fortune and glory" Jane" who "blooms" as she falls in sweatpants or sneakers allowed. as high key as at Dance Factory. the audience is literally on the while hanging on to a rope ladder love with Douglas. The acting is From the outside Dance Factory is The floor is a little smaller and edge of their seats, screaming as dangling over a 300-foot-<1eep okay ',\S is the directing, and the just a bland brick building, but in­ less crowded, and the music is not giant vampire bats swoop down, gorge, then go see him in "The dialogue is occasionally mixed side it sports one of the best sound as loud. The music is also mostly laughing as Willie repulses the Temp[e of Doom." If you like audi­ with humorous attention-grab­ systems of any club in the city. Top 40, but a bit more rock is amorous advances of her ele­ ence participation - screams, ap­ bing lines. But if you have nothing The music is primarily popular played here than at Dance Fac­ phant, screeching as Indy discov­ plause, yells and laughter - 'then to do - go ahead and see it. You Top 40, but there is some rap and tory. The phone number for ers blood dripping from freshly­ this summer adventure film is have nothing to lose except a funk mixed in. Although the floor Gazebo is 879·5300. cut hUIDlln fingers strung to form worth the wait in line. couple of laughs. J j... ~; '<' t! I! .