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Breakdancing 0809

Page history last edited by ecop 14 years, 10 months ago
Break dancing - Street dance of life saver?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: Sam Kang

 

 


Description and Rationale

  

 

Break dancing – more than meets the eye

 

 

Rising out of the streets of cities such as Los Angeles or New York in the early 70’s through legends such as Afrika Bambaataa (Global), break dancing has evolved from a social street activity into an art form. Though many people associate break dancing with hip hop and rap music, the two are not in the same category. People from every nation in the world, such as Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, have been a part of this art form and have helped it spread globally. Break dancing is spreading and growing very rapidly in our current generation and will continue to do so because of its popularity.

 

 

So how exactly could break dancing concern the people of the Philippines and help the basic welfare of the country? Do flashy dancing moves have any involvement in bettering the environment of the Philippines? Why would something that has a chance of injury be beneficial to the poor squatters who are already in bad physical condition? Wouldn’t the physically demanding training of break dancing hurt the people more than it would help them in their already physically demanding labor?

 

 

Is it possible to turn this art form of the streets into something that would be beneficial to the squatters or the average people of the Philippines? Would it be difficult to tell the squatters the health benefits of break dancing because it is generally regarded as a street activity that is considered to be a waste of time? The squatters in areas such as Valley Golf are usually involved in some physically involved labor that usually requires strength and endurance. However, not all of them are fit to do this because their muscles aren’t flexible enough so they end the day with terrible back sores. Because flexibility is heavily involved in break dancing, the benefits of a flexibly body are very conspicuous. People who have taken up Yoga consistently have seen positive results such as increased flexibility, strength, balance, avoiding mental stress, healthier control over their breathing, etc. For example, lowering your blood pressure through Yoga’s stress and physical release has been proven to improve your immune and respiratory system (nursingdegree). The combination of break dancing and Yoga would greatly help the squatters because it would help their muscles to be more flexible and strong, and to help relieve their mental stress which can affect their health (ABC). With all these benefits in mind, what would be some of the ways to share the results with the squatters who work in places such as Valley Golf?

 

 

The initial purpose of this project will be to research the muscle physiology of break dancing and how it benefits people in ways besides flashy appearance. Through observing the benefits of break dancing that have impacted people from around the globe combined with my own experience at it, these findings will help in the experimentation process so the key variables would be known in order to help the people of the Philippines. Because the benefits of break dancing don’t start to appear until months of practice are exercised, a brochure with a workout plan based on break dancing will be provided to the locals of Valley Golf so that they will be able to practice by themselves. This brochure, or a plan of action, will give the locals an exercise they can work on so that it will help them avoid muscle sores and give them stronger muscles.

 

 

It is hoped that the commonly disregarded art form of break dancing might help improve the daily lives of the squatters in the Philippines through informing them of break dancing so they may improve the physical status of their body. With first-hand experimentation and a thorough knowledge of the art form itself, the squatters of Valley Golf will hopefully be able to use this to better their physically-stressful lives.

 

 

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Biology

 

Organ Systems:

 

 

1)     MUSCULAR SYSTEM: Muscles that are crucially involved in break dancing are the joint muscles that give you body the flexing motions. These muscles need to be developed in order to be able to flex your body to the level required in break dancing. The major muscle in the connectivity of the muscle tissues are called fascia (human). The muscle contraction, which the muscular system utilizes when flexing our bodies, are able to contract because of thick filaments called cross bridges (human). Our bodies use energy from the flexing and contraction of the muscles when the cross bridges breaks, and then is refilled with the return of calcium to the sarcoplasmic reticulum (human). The sliding of the two main proteins of muscle cells, myosin and actin, slide together to shorten the muscle fibers allowing our bodies to contract or extend (spark).

2)     SKELETAL STRUCTURE: Break dancing utilizes the stability of our bones to help our bodies to stay still. “Freezes” in break dancing require our bones to be strengthened by calcium (science) in order to be able to endure the weight of your body. Our skeletal structure consists of 206 bones, which consist of 60 percent calcium and 40 percent collagen. Each skeleton is linked to each other through a connective tissue called cartilage (science). The skeletal system can be divided into two groups: the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. The axial skeletal system is mainly associated with the spine of our body (science). The spine in our skeletal system allows us to keep our body straight, but also to bend our upper body without dropping our entire body. The spine is essential in break dancing because it keeps our body at a constant position or it allows us to adjust our bodies without losing our balance. The appendicular skeletal system is mainly associated with the shoulders and hip (science). The free movement of our shoulders is an advantage in break dancing because it enables the body to be able to move around quicker and be able utilizes its momentum easier. This attachment on our shoulders is called the pelvic girdle and it is strong and dense (science).

3)     NERVOUS SYSTEM: Our bodies’ basic movements are controlled by the Cerebral Cortex (the outer layer of the cerebrum) and it is the cortex that allows us to be able to apply our hand-eye co-ordination in break dancing (hallvord). When break dancing, our body’s repetitive movements cause our nervous system to memorize the patterns of our movements. The increasing repetition causes our bodies to become more and more efficient at those certain movements because our central nervous system has already memorized the patterns. The general senses that are picked up by our cerebral cortex are touch, pressure, temperature, pain, and body position (human). This “memorization” of the brain is caused by a receptor (human), which aids in sensory adaptation. Receptors are classified by the type of adaptation they do. For example, Mechanoreceptors detect the physical change, such as muscle tension, pressure, or touch. These mechanoreceptors are what make our cerebral cortex able to create these pathways so that our bodies learn things faster.

4)     DIGESTION/NUTRITION: Besides just building your body in strength and flexibility for break dancing, another important aspect in preparing your body is the nutrition it gets. The digestive system is categorized into two organ groups: the alimentary canal and the accessory organs (human). The process of breaking down food is called Mechanical digestion (human) and the movement of food through the alimentary canal is called Propulsion. When our body intakes food, the protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and other minerals it receives are called nutrients (human). Carbohydrates are essential in break dancing because it is the fuel food, or energy, that our bodies use to be able to perform the moves required in break dancing. A lack of carbohydrates can result in lack of energy, which makes break dancing very difficult. Another important nutrient is calcium. A healthy intake of calcium strengthens the bones so that they may withstand pressure and stability, which is heavily required in break dancing.  

 

 

 

Muscle Physiology

 

 

The muscular physiology involved in break dancing has one major function: the movement of your body. There are two major types of muscles in our bodies involved with break dancing called skeletal muscles and cardiac muscles. Each type of muscle has a specific function for the basic movements of our bodies

Skeletal Muscles: The muscles that are connected to your bones give your body the ability to move around freely through the contractions of the muscles. These muscles are called the skeletal muscles (spark) and are crucial in break dancing because these are the muscles that our body utilizes to keep our bodies stable

Cardiac Muscles: The cardiac muscles are responsible for the pumping of blood to your heart. This is extremely important because this allows us to breathe and keep our bodies fresh. In break dancing, the lack of breathing will cause our bodies to have a major blood rush to the head, which not only damages our brains but also keeps our muscles from achieving a tight flex for stability.

The most abundant type of connectivity muscle is called the fascia, which is divided into two groups: the superficial fascia and the deep fascia (human). The deep fascia are the muscle tissue that surrounds and supports all the other muscles, therefore it serves as a unifying link between the major and minor muscles.

 

 

 

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Muscle cellular and chemical level

 

 

Vertebrae cells in the muscles, known as microfilaments (spark), are found throughout our entire bodies and are composed of two proteins called actin and myosin (spark). The microfilaments give our muscles the ability and force to contract, which makes our body able to move. A myosin’s job can be summarized as a molecular motor, which is a protein which converts energy as ATP to mechanical energy that is used in our body’s movement (ncbi). The actin’s job can be summarized as a cytoskeleton that enables the muscle tissue to “crawl” across each other (ncbi).

 

 

 

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Muscle tendon level

 

 

When the vertebrae cells are densely packed into one group, they form fibers called myofibrils (spark). Each of the fibers pack together in lines to make the muscles look like stripes, which makes them called striated muscles. The striated muscles act as tendons which help in the flexibility of your body in break dancing. Each chain of myofibrils is called Sarcomeres, which are crucial in the mechanics of muscle contraction (ncbi). Each chain of sarcomeres aid in the flexing of each muscle fiber and are what makes our body flexible, or be able to train to be flexible.

 

 

 

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Mechanic/ Training program

 

 

In training for break dancing, the key factor to improve is constant practice. The repetitive motion your body undergoes in training for every break dance move will begin to make your brain recognize these “patterns” and will eventually make your body more efficient at them. This type of training is called synaptic facilitation (hallvord). The cerebral cortex located in the central nervous system helps build nerve “pathways” to help recognize the pattern the body is doing and the repetition of the moves makes the body better because of the newly created “pathways” (hallvord). Constant repetition in break dancing training will make the body more and more efficient because training aims to create and improve the body’s recognition of these pathways. Another approach to the training and toning of the body is weight lifting. Expanding the muscles and letting them grow stronger will aid in break dance training because it enables the body to be more efficient at break dance moves that demand strength.

In terms of nutrition and dietary supplements, calcium and protein are excellent because it strengthens your bones and muscles so your body may physically be more prepared for the training for break dancing. This training program for building the body for break dancing will help people in the Philippines because it will help them condition their bodies and also it may help fight arthritis. A good training program for break dancing is stereotypically a week where everyday a different aspect of break dancing is exercised. For example, a training program may look like this:

 

 

MONDAY: Stretch, handstand stalls, handstand pushups

TUESDAY: Stretch, footwork (top rock and floor work)

WEDNESDAY: Stretch, push-ups and/or sit-ups, swimming laps

THURSDAY: Stretch, freezes, power moves

FRIDAY: Stretch, power moves

SATURDAY: Stretch, push-ups and/or sit-ups, swimming laps

SUNDAY: Stretch, weight lifting (light weight)

 

 

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Potential Solutions

 

 

So can break dancing really help the people of the Philippines? Though break dancing may seem as an act purely for show, people who have been break dancing for years stand as a testimony to the health benefits of break dancing. The poorer people of the Philippines need to be informed of this because of the health benefits it will provide for them. There are many squatter villages in the Philippines, for example in Valley Golf, whose residents spend everyday having to survive life with jobs that involve manual labor. If the residents of these villages can be informed of the benefits, than it is possible that break dancing can help improve their lives by having them build their bodies better for the conditions in their lives. Below are three possible solutions with an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages for each. Along with each possibility is a current status report of progress made to date on each of the possibilities.

 

 

Possibility 1 - PERSONAL TUTORING

 

 

According to the world’s break dancing website, bboy.org, a school for break dancing called the “Urban Groove” has been made in Manchester, Britain (bboy). At Urban Groove, 21 break dancing professionals tutor 250 students at the school and help them improve their skills at break dancing. By tutoring the students personally, Joel Tan, the chief instructor of Urban Groove, quotes, “It’s dangerous because there is no qualified instructor to watch over you (bboy)” regarding people who learn by watching videos on the internet.

 

 

Advantages:

 

 

  1. Personally tutoring the locals would make it easier for them to learn break dancing by having a personal coach watch over them. If people, such as me, would go up to locals regularly and tutor them, it would be free for the families of the locals and would therefore cost them nothing to be able to be a part of break dancing.
  2. Prevent risks of injuries from occurring if something goes wrong as they practice. In break dancing, when one attempts to do a power move he should be careful otherwise he could seriously hurt himself. By standing by the people when they practice, the tutor can prevent them from furthering their mistakes.

 

 

Disadvantages:

 

 

  1. The disadvantage of personal tutoring is the fact that the tutor may not always be there to help the students. If the tutor is busy or can’t make it because he is sick, then the students would miss their session and will end up being inconsistent. Because the tutor will not be paid or rewarded in any way, he may also be hesitant to spend everyday teaching the locals how to break dance.
  2. The second disadvantage is taking away time from the locals. If the locals were tutored personally, then it would force them to take their own time to practice break dancing instead of doing things they’re required to do, such as their jobs or spending time with their families. Personal tutoring in break dancing would be difficult to do because it requires time for both the tutor and the student, and the tutoring would have to consistent in order to be effective.

 

 

 

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Possibility 2 - Brochures

 

 

Another possibility of teaching break dancing to the locals is to just give them a plan of action, or a brochure. By handing the locals a brochure with a training schedule and a list of the health benefits that will interest them, there will be no need for a planned schedule by the tutor, but only a schedule fitting for their own time. Instead of a brochure, the majority of break dancers in the world use videos on the internet to learn; however the locals have no access to such facilities therefore a brochure would be most appropriate for them.

 

 

Advantages:

 

 

1.       Handing the locals a brochure with a training schedule will not only avoid having to have a tutor with them constantly, but also it will give them the freedom to practice when they have the time. With a brochure there will be no time conflicts and therefore it will not hinder the locals from doing things that are crucial in their lives, such as their jobs or spending time with their families.

2.       Because a brochure is merely a piece of paper with the training schedule on it, the only resource it requires is time. This way the locals would have to give up no financial sacrifice in order to be a part of break dancing and develop their bodies.

 

 

Disadvantages:

1.       Having no experienced tutor to guide the locals personally, risk of injury may be present. If something was going wrong, the other locals near by may not know what to do because they can’t tell whether the move is executed properly or not because they have no first-hand experience themselves.

2.       Also having no set schedule for a break dancing session, the locals themselves may get lazy or too busy to practice, which would lead to inconsistency. If the locals became inconsistent in their practice, they won’t be able to keep their body in proper shape which makes the entire process of their training pointless. Inconsistency in practice will cause the body to slowly return to the way it was before it started to break dance.

 

 

Interview with John Glynn, a break dancer of 6 years

 

 

1.) In the years you have been break dancing, have you noticed any major change?

 

I think through break dancing (bboying) I have noticed many changes within myself. It has filled with me with a much greater sense of confidence and self awareness, not only as a dancer but in all aspects of my life. Also before I starting break dancing is was quite an angry person, it would not take much to make me throw and break things in my house, but break dancing has given me a release for this. The art form lets me vent all of my anger in a positive way.

 

2.) From break dancing for so long, have you found it easier to do any type of manual labor?

I suppose break dancing has helped me find manual labour much more manageable due to the dance working all muscles of your body and for a lot of the time you will be holding or controlling your own body weight. On the other hand if you fully commit to the dance and put all into the training you wouldn't be fit for much the day after a session, your body needs to rest and repair the muscles ready to train again.

 

3.) Do you have a specific diet for your break dancing training? if so, please specify

Personally I don't have a specific diet, I just try to eat a balanced diet. I  drink at least 2 litres of water a day, usually more. Other than that I don't regularly drink alcohol and I don't smoke or take drugs.

 

4.) Would you recommend break dancing for people of all ages? why?

 

I would definitely recommend break dancing to anyone. As long as they are doing it for the right reasons they will love it and hopefully it will give them as much as it has gave me. I don't think I would be the person I am today if i didn't do it.

 

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Bibliography

 

 

Chen, Grace. "A school for breakdancing - Bboy.org." Bboy.org | The #1 Bboy Community. 07 May 2005. Star Publications.inc. 11 May 2009 <http://www.bboy.org/forums/interviews-articles/64656--school-breakdancing.html>.

 

 

Cooper, Geoffrey M. "Actin, Myosin, and Cell Movement." The Cell: A Molecular Approach. 23 Sept. 2000. Sinauer. 11 May 2009 <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=cooper.section.1790>.

 

 

Hammer, Warren. "Fascial Connection." Dynamic Chiropractic. 14 Dec. 1998. Dynamic Chiropractic.inc. 11 May 2009 <http://chiroweb.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=37617>.

 

 

 

 

Ophardt, Charles E. "Nervous System." Virtual Chembook. 2 Aug. 2003. Elmshurst College. 11 May 2009 <http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/661nervoussys.html>.

 

 

 

 

Steen, Hallvord. "Nervous system and Dance training." Hallvord. 13 Apr. 2005. Hallvord. 11 May 2009 <http://hallvord.com/dance/bio-nerveramme.en.htm>.

 

 

Stiff, Mel C. "Muscle Physiology." Sport Science. 12 May 2001. Sport Science. 11 May 2009 <http://sportsci.com/sportsci/january/muscle_physiology.htm>.

 

 

 

 

         Wingerd, Bruce D. Human body concepts of anatomy and physiology. Fort Worth: Saunders College Pub., 1994.

 

 

"The Muscular System." Spark Notes. 2 July 2007. Spark Notes LLC. 11 May 2009 <http://sparknotes.com/101/biology/the_integumentary_skeletal_and_muscular_systems/the_muscular_system.html>.

 

 

"The Skeletal System." Science Clarified. 17 Oct. 2007. Advameg.Inc. 11 May 2009 <http://www.scienceclarified.com>.

 

 

Email interview with John Glynn, a break dancer of 6 years. moosemode@hotmail.com

 

 

 

 

Chen,

 

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