break dancing

American  

Or breakdancing

noun

1. a style of acrobatic dancing originating in the mid-1970s, often performed to rap music usually by teenage males in the streets, and characterized by intricate footwork, pantomime, spinning headstands, tumbling, and elaborate improvised virtuosic movements.

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Other Word Forms

• break dancer noun

Etymology

Origin of break dancing

The sense of break is unclear; breakdown ( def. )

Example Sentences

He makes clear that the eventual titans of streetwear were scrappy entrepreneurs who merged graffiti, break dancing, hip-hop, punk rock and skateboarding, all gestures of rebellion they cleverly merchandised.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

He endeared himself to fans with his winning record and his habit of break dancing on the pitch after his team's title wins.

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

Jokes were made about who else it might be, such as Raygun, the Australian break dancer from the Olympics who was not particularly good at break dancing.

From Slate • Aug. 22, 2024

Breaking — also known as break dancing — which made its inaugural appearance in Paris, will unfortunately not be making a return in L.A.

From Salon • Aug. 12, 2024

John Tookey showed off this new New York craze called break dancing but went spinning out of control into a group of girls, who toppled like skittles.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell