Your tag, your crew
Ready when: A first toprock (b2) done.
What you are learning
Making a short move of your own, teaching it, and joining moves into a crew routine. In breaking a dancer's own style matters as much as the steps, and crews build routines by sharing moves.
Words on this card 8 counts, Toprock, Tag, Motif, Crew
- 8 counts
- Counting the music "1 to 8" and starting again; every move is danced on these counts.
- Toprock
- The standing-up part of breaking, danced on the beat.
- Tag
- In these cards, a short 8-count move that belongs to one dancer.
- Motif
- A short set of moves that is repeated and changed.
- Crew
- A group of dancers who dance together.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Make up 8 counts of your own: two toprock steps and one angular shape.
- Dance it 5 times exactly the same way.
- Teach it to your child slowly, counting each move.
Your part while they practise
Dance along; ask each person to show their move.
Step by step
- Each person makes a tag: 8 counts that are theirs, using toprock steps and angular shapes.
- Each practises it 5 times.
- Each teaches theirs to the others.
- The crew joins two tags into one crew motif.
How much: 2 tags and 1 crew motif 20 min a session once a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Show and copy
Each person shows their tag once; the others copy it on the next 8 counts.
Who plays: 2 to 6 dancers, as one crew.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- One dancer shows their tag once
- Everyone copies it on the next 8 counts
- Next dancer, until everyone has shown theirs
- Then dance all the tags one after another without stopping
- Fair play
- A younger dancer shows their tag twice.
- Points
- 1 point for each tag you copy on the beat; 1 point to the tag's maker when everyone copies it right.
- Fouls
- No point
- Losing the count
- Stopping in the middle
- Laughing at someone's tag (that player also loses a point)
- Winning
- The crew wins together when all the tags link without a stop; beat the crew's record.
- 3 points for 1 star
- 5 points for 2 stars
- 8 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Make a tag in pairs.
Repeat the crew motif with one change each time.
What you will see, and what to say
- the child stops when watched
Keep going, make it yours
Finish the 8 counts, whatever happens. - the teaching is too fast
Slow, and count to 8
Half speed, one count at a time.
Self-check
The crew dances 4 linked tags, one eight-count each, without stopping.
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 copying, confidence to perform, creativity, short routines.
Basic is done when the child can do the self-checks on b1, b2, b5 and b6 on two different days.
awiseathlete.com/sports/breaking/breaking-b7