Take your Time and Listen to the Music
Top Rock Bunch has been active in the field for the last three years from May of 2018, with it’s whole purpose around promoting and supporting the Greek Breaking community. It focuses in TopRocks which is the introductory part of B-Boys and B-Girls.
The idea behind the establishment of Top Rock Bunch, was creating a platform that introduces the most important B-Boys and B-Girls element, Top Rocks. It’s the first time you show who YOU are and what YOU can do. Always with respect to the ArtForm.
In the Showcase videos, B-Boys and B-Girls are asked to “rock the floor” for 1 minute full on Top Rock.No cuts, no video editing. Just ONE shot.
You got this?
DROP KNOWLEDGE
Top Rock is what a B-Boy and B-Girl does before they hit the ground.
What we refer to as TOP ROCK, is actually a combination of African American and Latino. It is generally referred to as the vertical dance style used to set up the Drop, Go Down, and Ground work of Breaking.
We must emphasize on this point that Top Rock isn’t a dance style on it’s own, but an integral part of Breaking (Top Rock, Drops/Go Downs, Footwork or Downrock, Freezes, Spins, Power Moves). Some people confuse Top Rocking with another style of dance called Rocking or Up Rocking, but they are completely separate and different. Rocking evolved in the late 1960’s in Brooklyn as part of gang culture.
The expression “Top Rock” didn’t exist in the early 70’s, but came in during the mixing of both African American and Latino styles to form the foundation of Breaking we have today. It’s the vertical dance style of Original Bronx B-Boys.
Some of the influences:
James Brown is considered the biggest influence for the B-Boy mentality and musical inspiration. Other artists were great dancers and inspiration, such as Jackie Wilson, Billy Preston, and the Jackson 5.
Also let’s not forget SAMMY DAVIS JR and NICHOLAS BROTHAS were very influential as well.
One of the biggest and most undeniable influence within the black community of the late 60’s and early 70’s was the original LINDY HOPPERS and JITTER BUG styles.
Eventually the Latino Mambo flavored ROCKIN styles would mix into the Black BREAKIN styles to formulate what we now recognize as BBOYING/ BREAKIN.