Breakdance

How to combine Buddhist monks and breakdancing

A group of monks decide to do a dedication to Adam (MCA) Yauch of the Beastie Boys who passed away. MCA was a strong buddhist and was the founder and creator of th e“Free Tibet” concert series. These young monks head to union square to put on a show in dedication to him by showing the public a series of break dancing moves and skills preformed by them in his honor. Though the video seems short, it is really heart warming to see them give MCA a proper send off this way. If you are in to break dancing, this is a video worth watching.

The dance was choreographed by New York advertising firm KNARF. Most people didn’t realize that it was a publicity stunt, and more importantly, people didn’t know just what the Beastie Boys and Tibetan Monks had to do with each other, namely that Yauch wasn’t just an iconic rapper but also a devoted Buddhist who dedicated much of his life to the cause of Tibetan liberation. This video may not be as spontaneous as it seems, but it’s a beautiful tribute to his legacy nonetheless.

+ Who

This video is made by someone who was at the scene of the break dancing performance. They captured the dancing of these monks who were dancing to give Adam Yauch a proper send off after his passing. They headed to union square to showcase this dedication. They did this mostly out of respect for Adam Yauch and the Beastie Boys, but also because Yauch was a Tibetan Buddhist himself and was the creator and founder of the “Free Tibet” concerts that raised awareness for Tibet in it’s politics and urge for freedom of choice and religion from the government that rules them.

+ Where

This video was made in the bustling section of Union Square with a camera phone, in the middle of the street where several people could see and watch as they walked by to and from work, or possibly to and from diners and shopping districts in the area nearby them.

+ What

(0:06) Beastie Boys music begins playing as the monks begin dancing. (0:12) One monk flips over another frontwards. (0:17) all three monks begin spinning on their hands. (0:25) One of them jumps in the center and bows, they then begin doing “Matrix” types of dancing. (0:32) The monk in the middle begins slowly spinning on his head. (0:41) He leaves the center and allows another monk to enter it, who then does a front flip and spins quickly on the ground. (1:00) He then leaves as well and lets another enter the center who comes in with a series of kicks and fast spins on the ground ending in a headstand. (1:15) Another Monk enters and begins spinning himself on the ground but using his arms to hold his body in the air going from two hands to just one. (1:28) A monk does a somersault and then begins break dancing in the center, spinning on his knees. (1:46) A monk slides across the ground showcasing break dancing moves and vaults his body in the air. (2:04) One monk does a handstand leading in to his dance act. (2:08) his robes roll over his head. (2:20) A monk starts doing the running man, then jumps in an acrobatic showcase of dance moves. (2:35) The performance winds down as the three of them roll in and pose together.

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B-Boy at the Edgewood Murals

This stunning high definition shows break dancing in ultra slow motion. It was shot with a Phantom HD and a set of Superspeed Zeiss Primes. And the images displayed are truly stunning. B-boy moves that seem to defy gravity at full speed are even more amazing in slow motion, and as you watch you half-expect the dancer to drop to the floor at any moment. The video was shot before a beautiful mural at Edgewood Murals in Washington DC in the United States. The dancer is local b-boy and instructor Geoff Chang, also known as Toys Are Us. The great sound track to the video is provided by DJ Shadow and the song is “Building Steam with a Grain of Salt.”

+ Who

Geoff Chang, or Toyz Are Us, is a b-boy and instructor. He works at Words Beats and Life Academy in Washington, DC. The academy was founded with a mission to transform lives and communities through the presentation and teaching of hip-hop culture. They offer free classes to young people in the elements of hip-hop: DJing, beat production, b-boying, emceeing, and graffiti. Plus they also teach photography, street art, spoken word and chess. Toyz Are Us is one of the most known and respected b-boys in the Untied States. He has been b-boying since 2000 and represents the Lionz of Zion crew. He uses old school techniques with a new school twist. He has won numerous competitions, including Hip Hop Addict 2011 and Break The Floor 2012. 

+ Where

In the summer of 2009, five artists (Decoy, Pose 2, Joshua Mays, Quest Skinner and Chor Boogie) combined efforts on the largest mural in Washington DC. Called “From Edgewood to the Edge of the World,” it began as a wall 280 feet long and 15 feet high. It doubled in size with a project called The Edgewood Mural Jam, as over 65 artists combined to pain the adjacent wall. The mural is located in the parking lot of the Rhode Island Avenue Shopping Center.

+ What

oyz Are Us enters with a couple of flips in front of a stunning section of the Edgewood Mural. At around (0:30) the shot shifts to the b-boy dancing on top of a piece of paper before the same section of mural. The video continues with his dance routine, with some hand work at (0:50), and an overhead shot at (1:00) all in slow-motion. At (1:40) there is a closeup of his pivot hand on the ground and then at (2:00) a closeup of his face straining with the effort of the moves. (2:25) is an overhead shot of some spins. (2:45) a more close in shot of some back spins, showing the strain on Toyz’s face. We move back at (3:10) briefly, and then back in for a long sequence shoulder spins. He pops up at (4:20) and at (4:35) he poses in front of the mural. Then, credits (4:56).

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