One of the main things I want to do with this blog is highlight the individuals whose perspective contributed to my understanding of b-boy culture. And what better place to start than with a couple of videos from KoreanRoc.com of Ken Swift.
Ken Swift began breaking in 1979. Perhaps you didn't hear me: Ken Swift started b-boying 30 years ago. As you can see, he's still at it, and - as far as I'm concerned - he's better than he's ever been. Although he’s not as flashy as some of the hip-hop dancers you might see on TV, his style has many qualities that are often lacking in less-experienced b-boys and b-girls, and which you can observe for yourself in the videos below.
First and foremost, he is actually dancing to the music. The rhythm, structure and vibe of each song are manifested in everything he does. One way to appreciate this is just to drum along on your desk as you watch these videos and notice how often – and how well – his movements correspond to your rhythm. Sometimes, he’s even providing a counter-rhythm that is not actually in the music. On top of that, you may also notice that when he drops to the floor or gets back up again, it’s usually at a major point of change in the song’s larger form (for example, at the end of a chorus). Also, as the first video demonstrates, he frequently responds to the words of the song too.*
Secondly, everything he does, he does with precision. No wasted effort, nothing out of place. Even when he’s doing something complicated with his feet, he never loses track of what his hands are doing, and vice versa. You won’t ever see him attempt a move and then crash.
Third, he never repeats a major move in either of these videos. That’s not something you might notice on first glance, or even think was important if you did notice it, but it’s a big deal. It means that, if you were foolish enough to battle him, you would definitely run out of moves before he does. End of battle.
Finally, he keeps an overall b-boy persona in play at all times. That means facial expression, attitude, clothing and general demeanor. I’ve seen him wearing a pin-stripe suit and he still looks like a b-boy.
*In case you don’t recognize the song, it’s James Brown’s “Give it Up or Turnit a Loose” (1969), a b-boy classic which I also discuss in the book.
