Backspin
Backspins by Airborn [1].

Backspin, power move, a spin on the back.

Contents
  1. History
  2. Variations
  3. Examples
  4. Footnotes
  5. References

History

The backspin is one of the oldest power moves, having entered breaking in the mid-1970s. It was developed by JoJo in 1976 [1,2,3,4,5,6], although the move may have arisen independently within the Zulus1 around the same time. According to Willie Will, "I don't know where the spinning came from, but it was out in 1976. The Zulus had footwork, headspins, backspins. We used to break in Belmont Park. If you did a backspin, you'd only spin around once or twice" [7]. Supporting this, Cholly Rock and Beaver had backspins [8,9]. JoJo "came up with the backspin by mistake," when he slipped onto his back while doing a buttspin and kept spinning [2]. The move appears in all early breaking films, including Wild Style, Flashdance, Style Wars, Breakin', and Beat Street [10,11,12,13,14].

Backspin by Crazy Legs in 1981 [15]. Jimmy Dee (center) and JoJo (right) look on.

Early transitions into the backspin included from a buttspin and from a neck move [2,16,17]. Around 1980, Crazy Legs developed the whip backspin [17]. The California backspin was developed no later than 1983, as it appeared in Breakin', and Beat Street [13,14] (released in 1984, but filmed in 1983). The backspin led to the development of the continuous backspin, shoulderspin, and sidespin.

Variations

For historical reasons, different entrances into the backspin are included as variations.

Combo with airplane backspins by Maurizio [18].
Combo with airplane backspins by Maurizio [18].
Hopping backspin by Spider [19].

Airplane Backspin

Backspin with arms straight out to the sides.

California Backspin

Backspin started lying down on one's back or side, initiated with a kick. Mr. Freeze may have been describing this variation in 1981 when he said, "Once I was laying on the floor and I kicked my leg and I started spinning" [20].

Continuous Backspin

v. windmill

Hopping Backspin

Also backspin hops. Backspin punctuated by hops off of one's back. Done by Spider in 1984 [19].

New York Backspin

Also whip backspin. Backspin started from a stabbed position, initiated with a kick. Developed by Crazy Legs around 1980 [17].

Traveling Backspin

Backspin while moving horizontally.

Footnotes

  1. Referring to the b-boys and b-girls in the nascent Zulu Nation, i.e. the Zulu Masters, Zulu Kings, Zulu Queens, Shaka Zulus, etc. [21].

References

  1. Herold, P. & Wendle, K. 1983, The Big Breakdance Contest, USA, WABC-TV
  2. Aldave, C. 2002, "JOE-JOE: Rock Steady Roots," Elemental Magazine, 4(42)
  3. Brenner, E. I. 2002, The Freshest Kids: A History of the B-boy, USA, QD3 Entertainment
  4. Guzman-Sanchez, T. 2012, Underground Dance Masters: Final History of a Forgotten Era, New York: St. Martin's Press
  5. Sirviö, J. 2018, "THE CREATION OF THE BACKSPIN!," bboydojo.com/the-creation-of-the-backspin (retrieved 18 September 2019)
  6. bboyskee. 2019, "INTERVIEW WITH KARATE MANNY (TBB/CRAZY COMMANDOS)," bboyskee.com/2019/02/13/interview-with-karate-manny-tbb-crazy-commandos (retrieved 26 February 2019)
  7. Hager, S. 1984, Hip Hop: The Illustrated History of Break Dancing, Rap Music, and Graffiti, New York: St. Martin's Press
  8. Michael Waynetv. 2016, "EARLY HIP HOP WAS ABOUT THE DANCERS - CHOLLY ROCK DOING THE FREAK DANCE," youtube.com/watch?v=GVHdt6d-ixg (retrieved 15 February 2019)
  9. Norin Rad. 2018, "Interview with the Original B-Boy Beaver (The Little Zulu Kings)," preciousgemsofknowledge79.blogspot.com/2018/05/interview-with-original-b-boy-beaver.html (retrieved 13 April 2019)
  10. Ahearn, C. 1983, Wild Style, USA, First Run Features
  11. Lyne, A. 1983, Flashdance, USA, Paramount Pictures
  12. Silver, T. & Chalfant, H. 1984, Style Wars, Canada, Public Art Films
  13. Silberg, J. 1984, Breakin', USA, MGM
  14. Lathan, S. 1984, Beat Street, USA, MGM
  15. Afrika Bamabaataa & The Soulsonic Force. 1982, "Planet Rock," USA, Tommy Boy Records
  16. Pabon, J., Lemberger, M., Mateo, L., & McGlasson, C. 1999, DMC B-boy Foundations, USA, self-produced
  17. Arm The Creative 2. 2010, "Crazy Legs Interview 2010," youtube.com/watch?v=vclVM-opdEk (retrieved 24 August 2019)
  18. PIPICZIMI suicidallifestyle. 2012, "Ultimate B-boy Session Stuttgart 1998 - Europe vs. USA," youtube.com/watch?v=0_DRb_5TklA (retrieved 3 August 2019)
  19. ToroRossoColonia. 2010, "1984 Dynamic Rockers Breakdance Let the Music Play Break Dance," youtube.com/watch?v=HAFTuq0mH0U (retrieved 5 July 2019)
  20. Banes, S. 1981, "Physical Graffiti: Breaking is Hard to Do", Village Voice, April 22, via Cepeda, R. 2004, And It Don't Stop: The Best American Hip-Hop Journalism of the Last 25 Years, New York: Faber and Faber
  21. Norin Rad. 2018, "Interview with B-Boy / DJ Afrika Zambu (The Zulu Masters)," preciousgemsofknowledge79.blogspot.com/2018/08/interview-with-b-boy-dj-afrika-zambu.html (retrieved 13 April 2019)