[skatman]

you got your toprocks, which primarily focus on your feet.....

dont forget your handstyles as well......
(watch oldschool kung fu flicks for handstyle concepts)
(dragon style, preying mantus style, claw style, etc......)
(kung fu use a lot of hand movements, good for ideas....)

[artoooor]

I actually got the name 2 step from poe 1 when he came to vancouver to do a last min workshop after the coosh battle.
And yea I can understand it if used from side to side. Basically use that step to dance woth a girl.and if you're gonna dance with a girl you need to use your whole boday.
Then when a dope beat comes on that's when you get crazy with it and the bboyin begins.
"Real bboys dance with girls"

[Zilla]

Originally Posted by skatman fill a hat with different scenarios..... bank robber ground is hot popeye tall short sneaky jumpy wobbly etc...... rotate scenarios every 2 min of tops...... good for character building and developing handstyles.....

thats a REALLY good idea
im adding that to my harder training sessions lol

[artoooor]

Playing with levels helps as well...when you're stepping you could lower your body then make yourself taller the next step...adds variation.

Also, something I've discovered that most bboys do....esp with 2step
aka indian step...your foot that is extended is sort of turned out.
As if like you're showing the person you're battling the design on the inside of your shoe

[beaniekapp]

Originally Posted by artoooor Playing with levels helps as well...when you're stepping you could lower your body then make yourself taller the next step...adds variation. Also, something I've discovered that most bboys do....esp with 2step aka indian step...your foot that is extended is sort of turned out. As if like you're showing the person you're battling the design on the inside of your shoe

you should also try that by stepping and landing with the heel theres many things you can do with it...!! especially if you charlie it... its be all wobbly like and shit haha...!!

[Rath]

skatman, you're right about kung fu flicks helping hand poses. I'm telling you, there've been so many b-boy poses I've worked out just by messing around with my attempt at martial arts at home

Here's a good training method for hand movements based off that idea:
Similar to 'forms' or 'katas' if you're a martial artist, do a b-boy stance breakdown to the song. Every two beats hit something, it's gotta be a sharp pose, preferably standing up since this is for toprock. Best to use levels though 'coz it opens up more possibilities.

Every 2 beat has to be something different, you lose the game when you do something you've done before.

...huh, I'm gonna go post this in b-boy games thread, hehe.

Anyways, after you've done this for a WHOLE song, try rocking the next song normally and you'll find your tops are instantly sharper and more defined.

[yell-O]

i think toprocking. something to make it better is to check out different styles of dance and to utilize them with your tops. im mostly talking about your indian step.

also use the dance floor. something that helps is like pick 2 or more spots. when toprocking. try to move to those points and stuff so you gotta think about how you're going to travel haha.

mirrors help so you can see if you like what you look like.

[beaniekapp]

when it comes to traveling... using the grapevine is a great way to get around... peace...!!

[demonhand]

Originally Posted by Rath Here's a good training method for hand movements based off that idea: Similar to 'forms' or 'katas' if you're a martial artist, do a b-boy stance breakdown to the song. Every two beats hit something, it's gotta be a sharp pose, preferably standing up since this is for toprock. Best to use levels though 'coz it opens up more possibilities.

Requesting instruction of said bboying kata. XD

And... what's a grapevine?

Also, thanks yell-O for the tip on moving during toprock. Makes sense!

[Rath]

Haha I made that sound a lot cheesier than it actually is.

[beaniekapp]

Originally Posted by Rath Haha I made that sound a lot cheesier than it actually is.

actually that is well said... although i do know what ure talking bout regarding katas and such... black belt shotokan right here...!! hahhaa...!! anyways another dope thing that it will help on to is handstyles as well... itll be a lot more sharper... and its good for form training...

[artoooor]

grapevine is kinda like "shuffles" and "scrambles" when you do footwork..except you're standing up...basically crossing your legs over

[MaDD]

Most of my concepts start as simple ideas then I see how far I can expand off them. One I recently came up with is to lock my knees together and not let them move at all and then do my cross side back and whatever other steps I can think of that way. I call it midget rock.

Another recent one specifically involves intentional jerking of the line on the hips, then shoulders, then head.

I also agree that learning other styles (or at least watching them) helps... I've been getting a lot of inspiration lately from watching tecktonic battles.

I'm pretty fond of this one

I think they have a lot of weaknesses especially in their awkward round endings but as a whole I like the ways they use their arms, bodies and heads and I don't think enough people properly utilize their whole body like that in toprock.

[beaniekapp]

yo madd do you mind sharing the 4 corners...? im too lazy too type... haha...!!

[k1ng]

i think a major pitfall of learning from and watching other dance styles is that b-boys will try to incorporate moves before they understand the movement. b-boys will always look for a quick fix. the integration of concepts that gets watered down to moves is always a problem.

prime example is some basic imitation of Salsa. people might think such steps/sequences are appropriate to a latin-flavored song (or any song even), but to me, they can easily overpower the b-boy flavor since the steps are so recognizable and typically done too literally. i see the same issue with c-walking, rocking, and even house. the melding or integration of concepts requires a strong working knowledge of both dances involved.

i believe that unless b-boys really try to understand what motions exactly create the visual, where the weight is shifting, and all these invisible factors of biomechanics & rhythm---they will never successfully incorporate concepts from the outside.

the masters are the first students.