"FOOTWORK" TIPs

Just a few points that have helped me to greatly improve my footwork over the past months (these are not hard and fast rules, but they will help you to notice the difference in appearance of various styles):

1. keep you hips under your center of gravity (i.e. your belly button). this means you will have to keep one foot underneath you at most times by alternating)

2. if your hips are slightly elevated (with your center of gravity still over your feet),your movement will be faster. this means that you should try to support your self on the upper-portion of your palm (where your callouses are), or on your finger-tips (be careful of your thumbs). you can develop good footwork on flat palms, but it's harder.

3. your supporting foot (under your hips) should, for all practical purposes, almost never be on its heel. stay on the ball of the foot.

4. beware of excessive arm-flailing unless its part of your style.

5. try to keep a relaxed face (ex: easy roc). this is just a personal pet-peeve, but it can make a difference.

6. don't just go for speed. change the tempo, and don't forget that it's possible to return to toprock briefly and then reenter footwork.

7. when you're learning, force yourself to freeze after every three (or whatever)revolutions of your six-step. good freezes are oftentimes what separate the real breakers from the wanna-bes who copy you and also grant you time to think of your next move. Hope this helps, and work the style. Make sure that your "Bboying" doesn't turn into a routine a gymnast with no rhythm could imitate. there are, of course, some damn good gymnasts with rhythm, so watch the insults ;). Lastly, learn to love practice as must as performing. Breaking is a labor of love, and make sure your motives match that mentality.

Here is the example of Footwork: