Street dancers throw destructive steps

If someone told you that windmills, air flares, coffee-grinders and swipes were all in full effect in a warehouse in Chippendale, you might respond with a quizzical look. Yet that’s what happened on the afternoon of Saturday July 16, as  participants in the third annual Destructive Steps dance battle threw down their moves. The above are a few of the colourful names for moves in the gravity-defying discipline of breakdancing, or “breaking”.

There was no danger of the cold outside seeping indoors, as hundreds crowded around the dancefloor to take in the intricate steps and routines, the bravado, rivalry, rhythm and flair in effect. The body heat being expended and the thrill of competition kept temperatures cozy.

Competitors from across the country descended on Sydney for the event, travelling from Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne. International special guests, highly-awarded dancers hailing from Korea and Japan, awed the crowd and proved formidable battle opponents.

Alongside the breaking battles, a tournament in the related street-dance style of “Popping” was held. Organisers say this was the biggest Popping competition by number of entrants in Australian dance scene history, reflecting the growing popularity of the style.

The event’s director, Jo Yoon (J-One), started Destructive Steps in 2009 as a way to engage, connect and share between breakers in Australia and Korea. This has now expanded to Asia in general. “Australia is at the doorstep of South-East Asia, and Asia itself is a major powerhouse of street dancers and hip hop culture.”

As a member of the Liverpool St Familia, who jam after dark at the Downing Centre forecourt on Liverpool St, J-One wants the event to “nurture and build the dance scene, by having our local talent compete against world-class international dancers.”

Poppin Jack, whose crew won the Popping competition, said that Destructive Steps has “brought a lot of Australia together, to show that we have talent on an international level.”

Does the popularity of events like Destructive Steps, and the numerous street-dance oriented Studios cropping up around the city, mean that the culture on the rise in Sydney?

Poppin Jack thinks so. People often approach him when he goes out dancing, and shows some tight moves. And yet, “people don’t know there’s a community. It’s important to let them know it’s there, and getting bigger and better… Young kids are the future, it’s important to involve them in the fun and great community that it is.”