EVOLVE OR DIE.
ORIGINS OF THE ABSTRACT STYLE.
The Abstract Style was originated off of the Freak/Circus style in the early 2000’s. It was a style evolved from Hip Hop Culture and Breaking. The style came from original crews from the West Coast, including Sour Patch Crew, Knuckleheads Cali, Circus Runaways, and The Freak Show. It was a time in the scene where we wanted change. We didn’t want to follow the norm.
It was all about evolve or die. To create, to think differently, and to respect the art form. To be different was an understatement.
The Abstract Style was about thinking outside the box. Using threads, concepts, flow patterns, character, and creating movements and concepts with style. Evolving powermoves, tricks, freezes, contorting your body into crazy shapes, blowing it up to the highest level. Tricks and Blows.
Having a sense of style to your presence, character, it was just a different level to Breaking. Some original BBoy pioneers would not accept our style and many in the scene would hate until they saw us in a cypher or had to compete against us in a battle. It changed the perspective of who we were because when we danced, we blew it up and in due time, we would become undeniable in the competition circuit. Little did we know, we were starting a revolution and the style would soon attract attention from dancers and artists worldwide.
THE FREAK SHOW.
It was a time in Breaking culture where we were sick and tired of the norm. Everything from the music, to the approach to the dance, to the control of needing to fit into a certain box of what it means to be a BBoy or BGirl. We wanted to do something different.
We connected with underground music scenes and surrounded ourselves with art, music, films, and anything creative that was different and pushed the norm. We listened to darkwave 80’s, punk, house, and electronic music to take our art to a different level and challenge our minds. We were trying to figure ourselves out and find our own style.
Instead of just being associated with The Abstract Style, we separated ourselves. We wanted to do it all and not be stuck in another box. We flipped every aspect of the dance and started to find ways to tell stories and express new ideas in ways that we hadn’t seen been done before within the Breaking scene. We wanted to evolve the style to a higher plateau. And Tricks and Blows was born.
A VISION FOR THE FUTURE.
Today, our Fourth Generation Freaks have been dominating the competition cirucit Nationally and Internationally, traveling state to state, carrying on traditions to build with the culture, representing through our dance, getting top stats, and winning high level competitions. The movement has even made its way into the Youth Division, with our youngest Freak representing and making waves at only 12 years old.
We continue to expand and connect with the next generation, to educate the culture and the future generations to come of how important it is to express yourself and create your own identity while respecting the origins of where it originated from.
We believe that Tricks & Blows is an effective, historical, and important style and should be integrated into the competition circuit properly. It’s time the Abstract Style gets its proper recognition and acknowledgement to be added to the Breaking Culture.