Find the beat
Ready when: nothing, this is the first card.
What you are learning
To hear the beat of the music and move on it, counting in eights. Every breaking move is danced on the beat, so this comes first, together with the hip-hop posture.
Words on this card Hip-hop posture, 8 counts, Freeze
- Hip-hop posture
- Feet apart, knees slightly bent, leaning a little forward.
- 8 counts
- Counting the music "1 to 8" and starting again; every move is danced on these counts.
- Freeze
- A still pose held for a moment, ending a move.
Set up
A music track with a clear beat. An empty floor.
Weather: any weather indoors
Show it first for the one teaching
- Play the track and clap on each beat, counting "1 to 8" aloud, then start again.
- Stand in the hip-hop posture: feet apart, knees slightly bent, leaning a little forward.
- Bounce in the knees on each beat for 8 counts, then step side to side for 8, then forward and back for 8.
Your part while they practise
Clap with the child on the beat, counting 1 to 8 aloud; then clap off the beat and ask which is which.
Step by step
- Stand in the hip-hop posture.
- 8 counts of a bounce in the knees.
- 8 counts of a step side to side.
- 8 counts of a step forward and back.
- Repeat all three, 6 times.
How much: the three patterns 6 times 5 min a session 4 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Music freeze
When the music stops, freeze in an angular shape, then start again on the beat.
Who plays: 1 to 4 dancers; you control the music.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- The dancers bounce and step on the beat
- Stop the music at a surprise moment
- Everyone freezes in an angular shape: sharp angles, such as bent elbows and bent knees
- Start the music again; the dancers start on count 1. 10 stops
- Fair play
- For a younger child, say "freeze" as the music stops.
- Points
- 1 point for freezing within a second; 1 point for starting again on the beat.
- Fouls
- No point
- Still moving a second after the music stops
- Moving during the freeze
- Starting again off the beat
- Winning
- The most points after 10 stops.
- 8 points for 1 star
- 13 points for 2 stars
- 18 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
A slow track.
A faster track, add arm movements.
What you will see, and what to say
- the child moves off the beat
Listen for the one
Count 1 is where each 8 starts. - the body is stiff
Bend your knees, bounce
Soft knees move with the music.
Self-check
16 counts in time with the music, twice.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains musicality, rhythm, posture.
awiseathlete.com/sports/breaking/breaking-b1