What is a Flare?

The original movements of flare breakdance can be traced back to a movement performed by professional male gymnasts on the pommel horse. The pommel horse is an apparatus that is very similar to a horse saddle in shape but it is more like a square with legs. Gymnasts hold their bodies on top of the horse by their arms and swing their legs around it without letting them touch.

Gymnasts originally named the flare after the man who was originally believed to have created the movement, but it has become one of the biggest crowd-pleasers for breakdancers who know how to perform it on the floor.

Basically, the flare breakdance move is performed by placing your hands palm down on the floor on each side of your body and then swinging your legs so they stay up off of the floor, rotating the weight of your body from one arm to another while your legs swing around your body. They can never touch the floor!

Types of Flares.

The basic form of a flare was performed down on the ground, much like a gymnast would do it on the pommel horse but without the horse beneath you. There are so many variations of much more advanced forms of flare breakdance movements. Majority of the beginners start learning to do flares on the ground, before they work their way up to doing the more advanced movements.

Most advanced flare breakdance movements are performed more from a handstand position with the arms stretched down to the ground and the legs rotating around in circles, pointing up toward the ceiling. You still have to rotate the weight of your body from one arm to another to keep it going.

Expert breakers can even do this with their forearms on the ground, rather than their hands!

Obviously, flare breakdance movements require a lot of upper body strength, but you also need very strong core muscles. You rely upon your abs, buttocks, thighs, and back to keep the motion going strong and keep your body up off the ground. You are holding the weight of your body on one arm at a time, so it will become easier as you build up strength.

Learning to Flare breakdance

Obviously, flare breakdance movements are not very easy to learn on your own. You need to observe very closely the finer details of how professionals perform this. For instance, when you place your hands at your sides before going into a flare you should have your hands pointing out away from your body, not in toward you.

Once you get a good look at a professional doing flare breakdance movements, you have to spend tons of time practicing the movement and strengthening every muscle in your body.

That close analysis of form is best achieved by purchasing online video tutorials that allow you to see some of the best breakers in the business flaring up close and personal. By following these videos you can practice the moves whilst watching every little subtle details of various moves

If you don't have that kind of confidence just yet and doubt your ability to learn breakdancing, you may be quite surprised at how fast you catch on with online video tutorials. If you find the right program online and dedicate a lot of time practising, you can improve your dancing from a being beginner to a professional.

Practice is how you win any breakdance competition, whether you are a complete beginner or a professional. Yes, even the pros had to start somewhere. They learned from the best instructors out there and made learning to breakdancing their passion. You can do the same thing, now that you have access to some of the best break boys out there through the internet.

Here's a secret about any local breakdance competition that you could enter. Most of your competitors will be just now learning to breakdance like you or they have learned old moves from some dance studio that isn't in touch with the real breakdance culture. Learning the latest moves online will give you the edge over your competitors.

When you get on stage for a breakdance competition it is all about the moves and your confidence. You have to be bigger and bolder to stand out from the others and leave a lingering impression with the judges. You want them to still be thinking about you when the next dancer gets on the stage. You want them to continually think of you when they try to asses other dancers.

You simply want to dominate your breakdance competition because that is what it takes to win.

In order to do that you need to devote a lot of time to three things:

1. Develop a feel for how breakdancers move and learn some basic moves.

2. Learn some uncommon moves and gestures that will impress the judges and the audience.

3. Put together a unique routine that flows together and makes jaws drop open.

If this seems overwhelming or you doubt your ability to pull this off, take a deep breath and remember you have a valuable tool on your side: the internet. There are some real break boys offering step-by-step instruction on some of the hottest moves on the scene right now, as well as a variety of basic moves that will help you choreograph an explosive routine.

To make sure you are doing the moves right, the best programs will offer video where you can watch professionals do the moves over and over. Close study followed by tons of hard core practice will help you totally dominate your breakdance competition. Your competitors are working hard to impress the judges and bring the crowd to their feet, so you had better be putting in your practice time as well. You just have an advantage with online lessons, which most of your competitors will probably not even think about!

Of course, professional breakdancers are not going to teach you the moves one step at a time for nothing. That's why most people who want to learn breakdancing struggle to find someone to mentor them or teach them any real moves. Yet, there are some pros who are now offering on-line instruction programs that can teach you how to breakdance one movement at a time.

These programs are well suited for those who are just beginning and need to learn breakdancing from scratch. Yet, they are also suitable for those who already have some talent with breakdancing because many of the lessons will teach advanced skills that are hard to emulate through a short dance class.

One of the benefits in learning to breakdance on-line is that you can replay your video lessons over and over, looking closely at the smallest details of the professionals demonstrating each move, or even to look at a particular difficult posture by stilling the frame for a while. You cannot expect a teacher to repeat the same move several times while you focus on soaking it all up, but you can watch over and over when you learn breakdancing through an on-line program.

Another benefit is being able to practice in your own home in comfort without anyone else watching. If you are just starting out or are struggling to get down some of the harder moves, you don't have to worry about anyone laughing at you or feeling less competitive with better dancers standing next to you. It's just you and the video so you can relax and really focus on getting it right.

Also, you can learn more street-style moves when you learn breakdancing on-line. The problem with many local dance studios is that they often don't offer legitimate breakdancing classes and when they do, the teacher may not be skilled in the more advanced moves. That is the reason why it is so difficult to learn breakdancing through a dance studio. If you don't live near a high quality New York studio then chances are the breakdancing and hip hop you will learn in a studio will be watered down and less than impressive to professional dancers.

The ability to learn breakdancing on-line is a much better option since you will be learning from professionals who know the best moves. They break it down one step at a time, so learning the harder moves gradually becomes simpler. You don't have to move on from one movement until you have it down so in the end you will be a more skilled dancer.

Further it is very much cheaper to learn breakdancing by following lessons on the internet than by any other methods. You can pay for a whole program of video lessons in one shot, rather than paying a fee on a monthly basis for classes in a dance studio. Biggest advantage is of course the ability to watch and follow a single move repeatedly. If you want to learn breakdancing the way it is meant to be performed, you have to go on-line. However choosing the right on-line program needs some research and thinking.

A group of African Americans in New York City giving life to this exciting dancing type can be marked as the origin of brakdancing in 1960's. In its initial stage it was just a collection of movements copied from all other types of dances and martial arts. Over a period of time it has evolved to become a properly structured dance which is known as breakdancing today.

Tracing the names and types of dances which might have migrated to breakdancing is almost impossible. However, looking at the breakdancing history, some people speculate that breakdancing might have originated from the "Lindy Hop" and also the "Charleston". However just by watching a good breakdancer for a few moments you begin to see some similarities of kung fu moves within the dance, confirming that breakdancing has been derived from other dances and martial arts.

Breakdancing history shows that the true God Father of this wonderful art is James Brown. He enjoyed a huge success in 1969 with his smash hit "Get on the Good Foot". Subsequently a type of dance emerged from this song and it was named after "Good Foot", and was later renamed the "B-boy". Soon after this, a disk jokey (DJ) by the name Afrika Bambaataa popularized breakdancing with various musical changes which have impacted the breakdancing community forever.

Afrika Bambaataa was instrumental in launching breakdancing into a whole new realm of success. With an assortment of new aerobic moves such as head spins and flips, this newly evolved form of breakdancing can easily be distinguished from the old style of breakdancing. Other movements such as body waves and hand stand hops are becoming common practice in modern day, in addition to the head spins and flips.

Looking back at the breakdancing history, old fashioned breaking remained popular until about 1977, when the Freak took over. Then many breakdancing crews including Rock Steady were formed in 1979/1980. Many people did not like Rock Steady saying they are old fashioned. But Africa Bambataa encouraged them to persevere and stick with it, for a better future. True to effort and conviction, Rock Steady started dancing at various clubs and suddenly breakdancing was back again.

In 1981, Charles Ahearn made his Hip-Hop movie, Wild Style, a raw version of rap singing, graffiti, scratching, and breakdancing in the Bronx. Spurred on by Ahearn to do the breaking, Rock Steady became the pre-eminent Breakdancing crew and the new style became even more popular. By 1982 the Roxy was a well established New York roller-skating rink. Although the popularity of roller skating began to fade, Pat Fuji turned the Roxy into a dance club and the Roxy quickly became the Hip Hop centre.

Breakdancing has now made its way into the mainstream of today's life. Popular artists have started introducing elements in breakdancing into their hip hop and pop videos. You would also find that more and more dance centres and academies offering it as a dance option since the dance has been further popularized by an assortment of Hollywood movies. You would also find that more and more on-line courses bring in breakdancing lessons for those who want to learn this art. You need to do some research though, to find the right on-line program. There are so many popular dance competitions especially on TV which have inspired so many youths taking to learn breakdancing.

There are many benefits to learning how to breakdance. It is one of the most fun forms of dance out there and provides enough challenges to keep even professional dancers on their toes. Yet, it is easy for someone with absolutely no dancing background to start with simple breakdancing steps and build up to a high level of skill in a rather short period of time.

Literally everyone can learn breakdancing if they just know how to get started. You have to start with some simple breakdancing steps that will help you develop a solid foundation in the discipline. Learning the simple moves will help you get the feel for how breakdancing requires your body to move, and that understanding will make it easier to catch onto more advanced breakdancing steps.

Yet, you will get nowhere if you don't have the right breakdancing music to practice with. As you walk through the streets in downtown you would never see street performers trying to breakdance to country music or the local radio station. They use special mixers that deliver the beat and vibe needed for really good breakdancing.

The question is where you go to find the best breakdancing music. You could go online and try to purchase music or listen to songs that have the right beat and download them into your MP3 player or onto your computer. The problem with those methods is you won't be dancing to legitimate breakdancing music.

Taking advantage of online programs which give you access to video instruction for dancing steps as well as access to files filled with real breakdancing music is the best option. You can find some top quality products that hand you everything needed to learn breakdancing. These include step-by-step instructions choreographed by some of the best breakdancers out there to breakdancing music that will give you the real feel of how to move your body.

These programs become essential if you are serious about learning how to breakdance. Even if you have a solid foundation in breakdancing you will learn some new steps through the videos, but the biggest value is in the breakdancing music. You can use this music to practice to ensure that you get the breakdance vibe and your body falls into the right rhythm. Without this, you will never become a great breakdancer.

There are many different reasons to learn to breakdance. Many people are using this as a way to get in some fun exercise and lose weight while others use online programs to find breakdancing music and learn breakdancing steps to string together performances for talent competitions at school or in their community. Learning to dance puts you in better control of your body and forms a stronger mind-body connection that will pay off in all aspects of your life. The importance of the right breakdancing music should not be ignored in the learning process.

You need three main things to learn your top dancing steps:

1. Dedication and commitment to learning.

2. Step-by-step breakdancing lessons.

3. Consistent practice.

The starting point is your commitment and desire to learn real breakdancing steps. You need to have that fire inside you to learn and then you need to find appropriate breakdancing lessons that break it down step by step. These lessons you choose must be taught by professional breakdancers or b-boys with years of experience and needless to say that it must be affordable and accessible too.

The easiest and most practical way to find breakdancing lessons that meet all of these requirements is to go online. There are programs that teach real breakdancing steps one move at a time, delivering all the tips and tricks needed to master the moves and combine them into impressive routines. These programs are offered through a series of videos which allow you to see the instructor perform real breakdancing steps so you know how they are really supposed to look. When you take advantage of online video programs you can repeat each lesson as often as you like. Note of caution though is choosing the right program. You will have to do some research upfront for this purpose. Choose a program that will have at least the following basic features.

Step by step instructions on how to progress from minor moves into major ones and to perform tricky breakdancing moves;

Illustrations on breakdancing moves;

Breakdance moves analysis;

List of things you need to get started;

Details on breakdancing strength exercises; Instruction on how to quickly master various impressive skills, such as head-spinning, body waves, handstand hops, etc; and

A comprehensive library of the most commonly used movement techniques.

The best online breakdancing lessons will cover a wide range of breakdancing steps and skills, taking you from a beginner level all the way up to an advanced level without missing any stage in between. These programs are the best bet for your money since they will pick up wherever your skill level may be right now and allow you to advance to harder moves. As long as you are consistent with your practice time and putting your best focus and energy into learning, you will find that you advance quickly from one skill to another faster than you ever imagined possible. It will become a fulfilling accomplishment as you learn to dance one step at a time.

Whether you just want to pick up a few dancing steps to show off at the club, perhaps a school dance, or learn real breakdancing moves and prove to everyone that you know how to dance then go and find the right breakdancing lessons online. Give some serious consideration to the completeness of the program you choose as outlined above. Spending some time researching for the best program is always worth the trouble.

No matter what level of experience you may already possess with breakdancing, you are sure to show great improvement with the right online program. Learning to dance real street-style breakdancing can be done with selected online programs that teach breakdancing step by step. It doesn't matter if you have had learnt other types of dance classes or you are starting with no dance experience at all. Pick the right program and you will pick up real skill in a short period of time.

If you are to really master every move and put them together into show-stopping combinations you need to follow a good structured course in breakdancing step by step. So, what are your learning options?

If you know some experienced breakdancers, you could learn from them if they are willing to teach you. But since you are reading this, chances are high that you don't have that luxury. Another option to learn breakdancing step by step would be to find hip hop classes at a dance studio near your home, but you aren't likely to pick up real breakdancing skills through most studios.

What does that leave? The internet! There are online programs which deliver top quality video lessons that teach breakdancing step by step. This is the best way to go if you want to learn real breakdancing moves since you can rewind and watch the video over and over until you get each new movement down perfect. When you learn breakdancing step by step through video lessons you are more likely to perform each movement with proper technique since you can see your teacher up-close and personal on the screen. This allows you to learn at your own pace.

Finding the best course is not easy as there are quite a number of programs online which teach breakdancing step by step. If the videos were created by real b-boys with mad skills and tons of experience, you will be able to spot the most trustworthy resources by their informative and well designed websites. You should also be able to tell right off what skills will be taught and what comes with the program. This will help you determine whether the price is reasonable for your current needs. In this context any program should consist of the following as a minimum.

Breakdancing moves illustrations;

Breakdance moves analysis;

Step by step instructions on how to progress from minor moves into major ones and to perform tricky breakdancing moves;

List of things you need to get started;

Details on breakdancing strength exercises;

Instruction on how to quickly master various impressive skills, such as head-spinning, body waves, handstand hops, etc; and

A comprehensive library of the most commonly used movement techniques.

These on-line programs are the most convenient and economical way to master breakdancing step by step, if you have no skills at all or have some b-boy experience and think you have some moves already up your sleeves. Do some research and find the best buy. Benefits of finding the correct program will be immense, though it may take some of your valuable time.

Many people find learning breakdance steps a real challenge. Finding a good break dancing school or break dancing course itself is challenging. People who know the art in breakdance steps already, have probably learnt it from their friends. Those who do not know how to breakdance and willing to learn often do not get an opportunity to learn at all. Conventional methods and opportunities to learn breakdancing do exist but are rare and expensive. However thanks to the internet more and more online learning opportunities are now becoming available.

On-Line lessons on braekdance steps are now proving to be a real life-saver for those who aspire to become break dancers all over the world. Perhaps it is more of a stress reliever as well. Gone are the days where people have to look for qualified teachers in the profession and stick to a particular schedule if they are to learn the art of break dancing. This process of learning is not only a hassle and inconvenient but also very expensive.

People start learning breakdance steps for personal pleasure, compete in breakdancing competitions or choreograph and perform their own breakdancing shows. Whatever the reason may be, you need expert guidance either from a coach or a self learning system which will offer the following.

1. A comprehensive library of the most commonly used movement techniques;

2. Illustrations on how to read breakdancing moves;

3. Analysis of breakdancing moves, it being the fastest way to start reading and applying breakdancing correctly;

4. Step by step instructions on how to progress from minor moves into major ones incorporating movement patterns which will add emphasis to your breakdancing;

5. Detailed instruction on how to quickly master impressive skills, such as head-spinning, body waves, handstand hops, elbow spins, hollow backs, turtles/freezes, jack hammers aka crickets, knee spins, Russian kicks, side glides, airflares, monkey flips and many more;

6. List of things such as breakdancing gear, mindset application you need to get started;

7. Step by step lessons on how to perform tricky breakdancing skills; and

8. Detailed revelations about breakdancing strength exercises needed to step up your skills up to the next level.

It is always going to be less expensive, profitable and convenient to learn your breakdance steps by following a good on-line video program. Since there are so many on-line programs available, you need to do some research to find the perfect program at the correct price. The benefits of choosing the right on-line program will definitely outweigh the time spent on research, not to mention how quickly you can master the art of break dancing by owning a perfect on-line breakdance step program.