BREAKING AND ENTERING: INSIDE INDIAN HIP-HOP'S DANCE BATTLES

HIP HOP'S BATTLES ARE TAKING PLACE NOT JUST THROUGH DISS TRACKS, BUT ALSO ON THE DANCE FLOOR. PIONEERS OF INDIA'S UNDERGROUND HIP-HOP SCENE OPEN UP ABOUT THE BURGEONING SCENE, ITS CHALLENGES, AND THE FUTURE THEY WISH TO LEAVE BEHIND.

- By SHARANYAA NAIR

The world watched in awe as the 2024 Olympics debuted its breakdancing segment. B-girls Ami Yuasa and Dominika Banevič transformed the dance floor into a battle arena, throwing a series of effortless yet precise counterattacks at each other. Beneath the explosive propeller kicks and kick spins, there was a distinct camaraderie between the contenders onstage, one that was forged in the underground world of hip-hop. Closer to home, Mumbai witnessed an electrifying moment, as MT Pop and T-Rai grooved it out to Punjabi MC's revered “Mundian To Bach Ke” at Redbull India's “Dance Your Style” 2024 Finale. The dance floor has always been the beating heart of hip-hop, a cultural anchor that ties the scene together. Now, it is embedded into the gargantuan social media landscape – be it through music videos, viral challenges, or pop culture trends.

One of the most underrepresented aspects, breakdancing constitutes one of the five pillars of hip-hop, alongside MCing, knowledge, rapping, and graffiti. From being an underground collective to now an Olympic sport, it's a sociopolitical tool that stands for freedom, identity, rebellion, and defiance of the norm.

Originating from the Seventies Bronx block parties, it was a form of protesting against systemic oppression. Tied to African-American roots, its styles contain cultural multitudes that intersect with queer and ballroom cultures. Some of the popular styles are: Krumping, Locking, Popping, House, Breaking, Voguing, and Waacking. Technique, creativity, and athleticism remain paramount in these cyphers. Sizing each other up through moves, they tune into the pulse of the beat, the roar of the applause, and the frenzy of the audience. These dance battles are pivotal to the essence of hip-hop culture. What started out as a series of dance cyphers in select cities has transformed into global competitions, even from an Indian context.