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How to Balance to Do the Cricket Breakdance

Breakdancing is a style of dance that is constantly evolving with new moves. A popular facet of breakdancing is the ground-based moves in which the dancer performs an act that often requires balancing in a precarious position while spinning or dancing. The cricket combines both balance and spins, as the performer gets down on two hands with his body parallel to the ground and uses his legs to kick up off the ground while spinning around in place.

Instructions

    • 1

      Practice performing a handstand, supporting your weight entirely on your hands, with your body straight over your hands, perpendicular to the ground. Mastering the handstand will make learning other hand-balancing moves easier.

    • 2

      Learn to support your weight in the starting cricket position. Tuck your elbows in tight to your body, extending your forearms perpendicularly away from your midsection, and transfer your weight onto your hands slowly, until you are holding all your weight on your hands with your body parallel to the ground and your legs spread apart. It is important to be comfortable balancing in this position before advancing with the move.

    • 3

      Practice walking and moving around on your hands with your elbows tucked in close to your body. Practice lowering and raising yourself as well as turning slightly side to side without losing your balance. This will get you comfortable in many body alignments in the position, making it less likely you will lose your balance during the motion of the cricket, as you will not always land a hop with your body positioned directly over your hands.

    • 4

      Learn to lower yourself slightly, then explode upward with your arms while also kicking up with both legs to provide extra momentum, propelling yourself off the ground. It is okay if the jumps are small at first. Practice will enable you to jump higher.

    • 5

      Use your hands to turn about your center of gravity as you kick off the ground. Just as you are about to leave the ground, push off with your hands. Angle your push with one hand so that it is pushing you up but also pushing your weight back towards your feet slightly. With your other hand, push up and slightly toward your head. Both hands will thus be spinning your body around your center of gravity, clockwise if the left hand is pushing up and towards your head, counterclockwise if your left hand is pushing up and toward your feet. It's okay if the turn is minimal at first, as you will learn to turn more and more with practice.

Break Dancing

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