You may find him cute, but his elegance is unmatched. Dressed in a bright red cap, the four-year-old b-boy twirls his head wildly while the surrounding dancers cheer him on loudly; hands raised in the air. His energy is contagious. At Mylapore’s Nageswara Rao Park, on a breezy, weekday evening, this vigorous cypher (when b-boys and b-girls form a circle around a performer) has attracted legions of curious pedestrians, as they watch in awe every handstand, spin and tumble by Chennai’s new crop of tiny breakdancers.
It’s been almost 20 years since Chennai welcomed its first generation of breakdancers. Since then, the city’s public parks have become a familiar haunt for them. Today, as breaking is getting a buzz again, and the sport is officially making its debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics, starting July 26, Chennai’s own b-boys and b-girls are trying to rekindle their community, which was crippled due to the pandemic.
The first generation of Chennai’s breakdancers at Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore | Photo credit: Thamodharan B
One of the performative elements of hip hop culture, breaking or breakdancing emerged as a streetdance movement in New York in the late 1970s, and soon became a regular fixture in popular culture. Ask any Chennai breakdancer why they do what they do and they have an answer ready. “Breakdancing is all about freedom. When you do it, you feel like you are breaking social and personal barriers,” says B-girl Ra aka Ranjitha Durairaj, one of Chennai’s first female breakdancers and has been breakdancing for the past 10 years. As a woman, it connects deeply with the need to push boundaries, says Ra.
The city is now home to six formal teams, whose heyday was in the late 2010s, which meant they regularly took part in battles, ciphers and competitions across the country. Photo credit: Thamodharan B
First brush
Chennai’s introduction to breakdancing is largely credited to Antonio ‘Anto’ George, a Malaysian b-boy who has trained the city’s young dancers since the early 2000s. B-boy Black aka Thiyagu, who entered the field in 2007, says Anto was the first to make him realise how deeply the art is connected to personal identity. “None of us knew what hip hop was before that,” says Black.
“When I was a kid, I was bullied a lot because of my colour. When I started dancing, Anto insisted that I keep this name, Black, and make it my identity. I was proud of being an ‘area boy’, all thanks to dance,” recalls Black who is part of the All For One crew. In 2019, Black won the first and only Red Bull BC1 breakdancing championship held in Chennai.
The city now has six formal teams, which spent their heyday in the late 2010s, which meant they regularly participated in battles, ciphers and competitions across the country. Some have travelled to Korea and Malaysia to participate in international competitions. “Each group had a park or beach they designated for practice such as Anna Nagar Tower Park, Natesan Park and here. With Marina Beach, you could see several teams lined up before the start of the pandemic,” recalls Black, “We have a very close relationship with the city parks. That’s where everything started.”
Today, though the frequency of cyphers has reduced, parks still remain the favourite spot. For instance, every evening after 6pm, B-boy Striker aka Jagan and his crew (To Be Decided) meet near the skating rink in Anna Nagar Tower Park for a quick jam and regular classes. He says he is from the second generation of breakdancers who were heavily inspired by the All For One crew. Most of the dancers in his crew have at least six to seven students.
The dancer says, “Many children see us dancing in the park and are curious and attracted to learn. We have started a breakdance academy for these children who are looking for regular classes.” The same applies to Arun, who trains around 20 students in dance and gymnastics in Mylapore.
Children practicing at the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore | Photo courtesy: S Siva Raj
disembark
Though the pandemic and the resulting short video culture disrupted the momentum, breakers are now reclaiming Chennai in more ways than one. Recently, a battle called Back to Circle was held at Alliance Francaise, Madras, which saw 60 breakdancers from the city take part. Patricia Thierry-Hart, director of Alliance Francaise, Madras, sees this as an annual event. “Next year, we are planning to hold a two-day event, which will also see graffiti artists participating. France is famous for its breaking culture and we are planning to invite international breakers to take part in the battle.”
Ra is confident that the talk about the 2024 Olympic Games will help the presence of arts in the city. She says inquiries for regular classes are now on the rise.
“The Olympics will give dancers more opportunities to make a mark. But most of them are confused about how to get to the international stage, let alone the Olympics,” says DG, aka Dinesh, the b-boy of All For One. He believes it is important to bridge this gap through regular cyphers and even skill-building workshops. “While the scene was growing rapidly in 2015, the battle culture overtook the cyphers so much that it pitted crews against each other,” he says. Through monthly cyphers called Unity Is Key, DG and the crew try to refocus the art form. “The idea is to take Chennai and South India to the global stage,” says Black.
“For this, it is important that dancers recognise that we come under the same umbrella. Only then will we be able to address bigger issues like sustainable careers and help the next generation of dancers in Chennai,” says Dizzy. The Unity Is initiative is a step in that direction.
Back in the park, the evening has just begun. In the space of two hours, the number of dancers has grown from three to nearly 20. It’s a celebration: synchronized footwork, occasional standing on the head and skipping movements that surprise you, and create a “spectacular” choreography.
“Where else will you find community if not here?” asks Black. Harshita, a 13-year-old b-girl, quipped, “That’s why I love dancing!”
B-Boy Striker | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
