Windmill, power move, a roll around the upper back, shoulders, and arms, with open legs swung through the air in circles.

The windmill evolved from the continuous backspin, a move developed by Crazy Legs around 1978 [2] when he accidentally over rotated a chair freeze from a backspin [3,4]. Several windmill variations appear in Breakin' and Beat Street [5,6].

Windmill variations are more frequently referred to in the plural (e.g. "airplanes"). Many of these descriptions are informed by an article written by Kujo [7].

Airplanemill

Also airplane. Windmill with arms straight out to the sides (as if imitating an airplane).

Barrelmill

Also barrel. Windmill with arms rounded in front (as if carrying a barrel).

Bellymill

Also body glide, superman. Windmill where the chest contacts the ground, with arms over the head. The rolling motion can be done around the chest or waist, instead of the shoulders and upper back. Cf. superman windmill.

Caveman

Windmill with hops from shoulder to shoulder, instead of rolling. Developed by Caveman [12].

Double Windmill

Windmill with two rotations in between the back (or hands) contacting the ground.

Continuous Backspin

Also stabbed windmill, stabmill. Windmill with a stab between each rotation, resembling repeated New York backspins. Developed by Crazy Legs [4].

Eggbeater

Windmill with hands on hips and elbows pointed outward.

Genie

Windmill with arms folded in front of the chest.

Handcuff Windmill

Also handcuff. Windmill with hands interlocked behind the back.

Munchmill

Also baby windmill, babymill, crunchmill. Windmill with knees tucked into chest and legs bent. Often, each rotation is accompanied by both legs kicking up and outward.

Nutcracker

Windmill with hands covering the crotch.

Pencilmill

Windmill with body straight from head to toe, with forearms in front of the chest and parallel to the body. Buck4 did floats into a single pencilmill in 1984 [13], while members of Enemy Squad and TDB did continuous pencilmills in 1992 [14].

Strip Windmill

Windmill during which an upper-body garment is removed. Done in 1984 [15], while a variation in which the garment is thrown was done in 1989 [16].

Sumomill

Windmill with hands on knees and legs bent. The position resembles the squatting position of a sumo wrestler.

Superman Windmill

Also superman, body flare. Windmill with arms over the head, lifting the body off the floor when the chest faces downward.

Tapmill

Also Germanmill, dipmill, webmill. Windmill with foot tapping between rotations, resembling a spinning track.

Tombstone

Also pike windmill. Windmill with legs piked. Developed by Gombi in 1994 [17]. May have been developed independently by Jazzy J as well as Babak [18].

Wingmill

Windmill-like move with legs tucked into the chest, ankles crossed, hands grabbing opposite feet, and rolling over the knees. Developed by Wing.

Yan's Mill

Windmill with legs bent in a W and hands grabbing the ankles. Developed by Yan [19].

• Gombi does stylish double windmills

1. Coudntpickname. 2008, "Bboy Storm Powermoves", youtube.com/watch?v=9jdJVpOlAUI (retrieved 31 March 2019)
2. Colón, R. 2015, instagram.com/p/2oSt7Tg-9i (retrieved 4 September 2019)
3. Chang, J. 2005, Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation, New York: St. Martin's Press
4. Arm The Creative 2. 2010, "Crazy Legs Interview 2010," youtube.com/watch?v=vclVM-opdEk (retrieved 24 August 2019)
5. Silberg, J. 1984, Breakin', USA, MGM
6. Lathan, S. 1984, Beat Street, USA, MGM
7. Lyons, J. 1998, "Windmill Glossary," bboy.com (archived, retrieved 1 September 2019)
8. BodyCarnival Kyoto. 2010, "Bgirl Ayumi 2011 Trailer," youtube.com/watch?v=4WEpBn63V-c (retrieved 25 August 2019)
9. nekomon1. 2017, "TENPACHI vs Yu-ki BEST4 BBOY SIDE STREET GAMES 2017 STREET BATTLE," youtube.com/watch?v=34l5b9N041Q (retrieved 4 September 2019)
10. Szenario Mario. 2011, "Eazy Rock (USA) and Gombi Hungary (SLS) 2000," youtube.com/watch?v=HpybTo50J4U (retrieved 3 September 2019)
11. Red Bull BC One. 2008, "Wing vs. Taisuke | FINALS | Red Bull BC One 2008," youtube.com/watch?v=e8m-PQdFqV4 (retrieved 20 August 2019)
12. Squarez. 2008, "LA Breakers VS Boogie Brats," youtube.com/watch?v=8c95QbH0gzs (retrieved 5 September 2019)
13. dpx. 2012, "Rock Steady Crew - Uprock," youtube.com/watch?v=IjeU_Ex9VVo (retrieved 7 September 2019)
14. Suicidal 1ce Lifestyle. 2011, "Battle Of The Year 1992 TDB vs. Enemy Squad," youtube.com/watch?v=Qf7oVFPj0cc (retrieved 5 September 2019)
15. Powercut Productions. 2012, "Glasgow Plaza B Boy Breakdance Battles 1984," youtube.com/watch?v=xb9mKLtJki0 (retrieved 7 September 2019)
16. oldschoolriga. 2011, "Moscow vs Lithuania battle 1989 - Palanga break dance festival," youtube.com/watch?v=XprQnKtYu2A (retrieved 7 September 2019)
17. Suicidal 1ce Lifestyle. 2018, "Bboy Gombi - Suicidal Lifestyle - Tombstone Mills," youtube.com/watch?v=saCE1XqoHA0 (retrieved 5 September 2019)
18. Plewniak, M. 2012, "Krazy Kujo Interview," bboymagazine.com (archived, retrieved 1 September 2019)
19. movediggerz. 2018, instagram.com/p/BrD00JgBgfA (retrieved 10 November 2019)