Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup Cans (1962).

Why b-boys are obsessed with (not) repeating themselves

You make eye contact with the sweaty Asian guy in front of you — actually you’re both sort of sweaty, because you’ve been inside the crowded venue for a while now. The audience seems to be half asleep during this particular performance. Suddenly, your new friend grins and holds up two fingers, wagging them triumphantly. He seems almost unable to contain his glee. “Twice! That’s twice!”

For better or worse, this scenario is not a memory from a K-pop concert. It actually describes a common occurrence in breaking battles: calling repeats. Competitors generally understand that repeating moves is bad, so they often point it out when their opponents commit this error. Breakers typically call repeats by using hand signs (counting with fingers), and less commonly, verbal statements.

Actual footage of somebody calling repeat on me for doing a knee drop twice.

Most b-boys and b-girls believe in the axiom “repeats are bad.” As with any cultural teaching, this aspect of breaking has plenty of meaning. In the spirit of preservation, I put together this brief explanation of breaking’s disavowal of repeating moves.

Why is repeating frowned on in breaking?

Since it is considered poor form to repeat a move, a dancer must weigh the benefit of using a particular move at any given time, knowing that it cannot be used again later in the battle. “If you repeated a move, then that’s it,” says Trac 2. “We know you ain’t got no more.”

Joseph G. Schloss, Foundation: B-Boys, B-Girls, and Hip-Hop Culture in New York

Breaking, as both a culture and a dance style, has many interwoven values. Repeating moves happens to go against many of those values. Here are the ones that come to mind: Authenticity, skills, originality, being fresh, rawness, freestyle, flava, and character.

There’s a lot of overlap between those abstract terms, so let’s first focus on authenticity. Hip hop is all about being real, being true to oneself. So it makes sense that breaking, the original hip hop dance, emphasizes authentic expression. Giving the same performance regardless of the music, your mood, and other context, is like sending the same pre-written birthday card to all your friends. Even with good intentions, it feels fake and unconvincing to those who are watching.

But the “realest” b-boy doesn’t always win — skills matter, too. Consequently, repeating a technique in a battle is tantamount to admitting that you have nothing left in your arsenal. You’re showing that you literally have less skills than your opponent does, which means you’ve lost.

All the other aforementioned values (originality, rawness, etc.) relate to authenticity or skills. You’ll probably hear some of those keywords if you ask a breaker why repeating is bad.

When you make it past prelims but you’re already out of moves.

When is it okay to repeat?

Try dancing for as long as possible without repeating a single move, and you won’t get very far. It’s just impractical. Many b-boys and b-girls repeat their most comfortable moves in all of their sets. These moves are usually basic steps or small transitions, but the point still stands.

There are two broad ways to use a move again without it counting against you — in other words, to repeat without repeating:

1. Modifying the repeated technique. Variations of the same base move are usually viewed as different moves, e.g. barrel mills are distinct from regular windmills. Other modifications include going in different directions, moving at a different tempo, and anything else that changes the quality of movement. Modifying the technique is how b-boys like Kaku can win while sticking to a relatively small core repertoire.
2. Using the repeated technique in a distinct round. A repeat is less significant when the move in question is not a focal point of the overarching performance. That’s why you don’t see breakers call repeat on moves like the basic toprock two-step or the CC. On the other hand, a time and effort-intensive move like the airflare is often the highlight of a round, and therefore likely to be remembered. Movement combinations or phrases are typically treated the same way.

In summary, make sure you’re changing up your moves, the highlights of your rounds, or both. The ability to understand and manage repetition is key to being an advanced breaker. Judges and peers will recognize your efforts, and you’ll be able to reach new heights soon enough.

As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or feedback. Follow me on Instagram @glissando for the latest updates, and please share to spread the knowledge. Thanks for reading — peace!