The Genesis of Breaking in Aotearoa (1980s - early 2000s)
Breaking, initially termed "b-boying" by DJ Kool Herc, emerged in the Bronx, New York, in the early 1970s, rooted in the climactic "break" sections of funk music. This electrifying dance form, characterised by up-rocking, drops, footwork, power moves (such as windmills and head spins), and freezes, swiftly became a cornerstone of hip-hop culture. Its competitive essence, often seen in short, intense segments ranging from ten to thirty seconds, fuels its constant evolution.
In Aotearoa, Breaking first found its footing in the early 1980s, primarily through Western Samoa. It was embraced by young Māori and Polynesian males, who identified with the imagery of Black American youth culture, influenced by commercial stimuli such as Michael Jackson, Malcolm McLaren's "Buffalo Girls," the film Beat Street (1984), and television shows like That's Incredible. This early exposure also brought with it the associated fashion, gestures, language, and music of hip hop.
The formative years saw individuals like Taupuhi Toki, known as Bboy Papa Smurf, begin his b-boy journey in 1987 in high school, having first explored popping for three years. By 1997, at the age of 14, Toki was inspired by hip-hop, particularly the music video for Run DMC & Jason Nevins' "It's Like That," which drew him into breaking. In 1999, at 16, he co-founded Instance Movement (ISM) with Awa and Heath (both from Nesian Mystik). This crew quickly made its mark, winning the first Raw Stylez national event at Youthtown, Auckland, marking a significant "second wave" of breaking resurgence since the 1980s Boppalympics.
David McCavitt, a key figure in the Christchurch scene, commenced his breaking journey in the 1990s and has since travelled globally representing New Zealand. Similarly, Justin Haiu began his dance journey through Kapa Haka and was profoundly inspired by Michael Jackson's robot moves and later by the Run DMC vs. Jason Nevins video in 1998. He initially joined breakdancing crews such as Triple C squad, which later became Qwik n Ezy, and subsequently Faith City Rockers.
Aron Mahuika, known as B-boy Akorn, started breaking around 2001, primarily self-taught by watching television and the internet, including early websites like 'Style2Ouf' and 'Bboyworld'. His engagement with the wider breaking community deepened after attending a workshop in Lower Hutt with Step Kings around 2004.
The year 2000 saw the formation of Common Ground Crew in Christchurch, a group that would become a formidable force in the New Zealand breaking landscape. Early 2000s Christchurch was described as having a "populated and buzzing local scene" with "loads" of breakers dancing in public.
A significant international milestone for New Zealand Breaking occurred in 2001, and potentially earlier, when the all-star b-boy crew Black Attack travelled to Germany for the Battle Of The Year (BOTY). By 2004, a crew featuring B-boy Leerok would win the New Zealand Battle Of The Year, earning them a trip to the world finals in Germany – a dream come true for the young crew.
The Body Festival in Christchurch in 2006 marked another important moment, featuring legendary UK Hip Hop duo Robert Hylton and DJ Billy Bizzniz, who offered workshops and performances, bringing fresh global perspectives to local professional street dance.
The Rise of National and International Prowess (Mid-2000s - Early 2010s)
The mid-2000s through the early 2010s witnessed a significant increase in the scale and international recognition of New Zealand breaking. This era was characterised by the establishment of major national competitions and the consistent participation of New Zealand crews on the global stage.
Common Ground Crew solidified its reputation during this period. In 2010, two members, Leerok and Grub-D (Davy McCavitt), alongside adopted local b-boy Bebo, remarkably won the Hip Hop International Dance Championships 3v3 b-boy showcase in Las Vegas, despite low expectations due to a missing member. In 2011, New Zealand crews collectively dominated the Hip Hop International competitions, securing three out of four divisions.
The crew's members, particularly Akorn (Aron Mahuika) and Grub-D (Davy McCavitt), were selected in 2012 to represent New Zealand at the prestigious Red Bull BC One Asia-South Pacific Qualifiers in Auckland, facing fierce competition from across the Asia-Pacific region. While they did not reach the world finals in Brazil that year, Grub-D had previously served as the Asia-Pacific representative in the top 16 in 2011. The Red Bull BC One Cypher continued in 2013, showcasing top breakers such as Roxrite, the final battle between Grub-D vs Akorn, and quarter-finals involving Sette, Nature, Rush, Stretchmark, Nippy, Indo, and Reason, among others.
Numerous battles and events became integral to the breaking scene:
- Aotearoa Hip Hop Summit (2013): This summit featured intense battles, including the final between Wellington's VOLTRON and Auckland's FLESHMAZE. Other notable matchups included FLESHMAZE vs LOKOMOTION 2, VOLTRON vs COMMON GROUND, and several B-boy battles like U KNIGHTS 2 vs SUPREME SURGEONS, NATE's CREW vs COMMON GROUND ROOKIES, U KNIGHTS 2 vs FLESHMAZE, COMMON GROUND ROOKIES vs LOKOMOTION 1, U KNIGHTS 1 vs VOLTRON, and COMMON GROUND vs NATE's CREW.
- Bonnie & Clyde Battles (2013): This event showcased pairs such as BOODA & LILS vs EDZILLA & KATTO, NIPPY & BG vs EDZILLA & KATTO, BOODA & LILS vs NOSSY & MARKY MARK, and REASON & AWA vs EDZILLA & KATTO, with Jamie Park (YT) also competing.
- Battle Of The Year (BOTY) Prelims (2014): This highly anticipated event featured performances and battles from BBOY YNOT (Rock Steady Crew), LIL KIDS, and individual battles including CATCH vs COPPER, FLUX vs FLURO, UNKNOWN vs MARKIE, HAPPY FEET vs BOODA, NATE vs O1, TAI vs NJ, REASON vs TONY, and SILO vs UNKNOWN. Andrew "Copper" Cheung was among those battling, and Jamie Park (YT) also competed.
- Battle Cry: The crew Loko Motion, which Jamie Park (YT) was a member of, won the biggest crew battle in New Zealand, Battle Cry, in 2014. Common Ground also achieved 3rd place in both 2012 and 2013.
- Swag Fest: In 2014, Kristle Tan secured a Top 2 finish in the SwagFest 2-on-2 Freestyle Battle in Auckland, while Jamie Park (YT) was a runner-up.
- Hopskotch Welly Weekend (2014): This event featured battles like SHELDON vs MANNY, CONNOR vs KOKONUT, TWIN OMEN vs MARKIE MARK, LEVI vs MAUI, GIRL AYZ vs KATTO, THOMAS vs BLU, RENEE vs MASE, BGIRL H vs SARAH YU, and SANDIP vs P-STYLEZ.
- The One: All Styles Dance Battle Series (2013): The final saw JAHSTICE vs IWACK.
- NZ BOTY 2015: Further battles included Akorn vs Discover, Akorn vs MarkieMark, Bgirl Battle, Copper vs Booda, Discover vs Copper, Manny vs Discover, NJ vs MarkieMark, Savage vs Hugga, Seth vs Hugga, Seth vs Kbigs, and Shanz vs O1.
Beyond competitions, individuals and crews were instrumental in fostering community and education:
- Josh Mitikulena (Kokonut), founder of Hopskotch Dance Crew (2008), aimed to actively participate in both the hip-hop (new school) and b-boying scenes. Hopskotch was also associated with the "City Dance every Friday night" popping jam. In 2014, Mitikulena received the DANZ Award for Most Innovative Choreography at the National Hip Hop Championships.
- Jamie Park (YT), a prominent breaker for 7 years, was part of Loko Motion. He had learned from pioneers and internationally renowned b-boys such as Ken Swift, Wiggles, Bounce, YNOT, Bonita, Profo-Won, Gamblerz, Jinjo, and Just Rock. He actively competed in events both locally and overseas, including Red Bull BC One (Sydney), Destructive Steps 3 and 4, and various local battles. He also created events like Just Rock It Jam and Break Even.
- Taupuhi Toki reformed Instance Movement in 2013 after a knee injury and surgery, expanding it to over 10 members, and continues to be active in battling and judging major events like HHINZ and Battle Of The Year.
The Olympic Era and Contemporary Challenges (Mid-2010s - Present)
The most recent period in New Zealand Breaking is marked by its provisional inclusion in the Olympic Games and the subsequent discussions around its infrastructure and representation.
In 2016, Auckland hosted the Battle of the Year Pacific qualifier for the first time at the Mangere Arts Centre, a significant step in establishing a regional circuit for Pacific dancers. Andrew "Copper" Cheung battled Jared "Fewer" Boyle from Christchurch's Common Ground at this event. Kent "Step" Christensen, the event organiser and veteran breaker, expressed hope that this would encourage local scene growth, as previously, regional contestants often travelled to Australia for more established events or through the Asia Pacific qualifier.
B-boy Leerok, a world champion breaker from Christchurch and a founding member of Common Ground, was set to perform at the Auckland Arts Festival in March 2016. He shared the impact of the Christchurch earthquakes, which led to the loss of three training spaces and forced him to move to Australia for opportunities. However, by 2016, he was back in Christchurch with community projects planned to elevate local youth in breaking.
The year 2022 saw the return of Parley, a gathering designed for breaking crews and members from across New Zealand, presented by Boodah, Copper, FPM, Reach Out, and On Track, and sponsored by EnBeat Dance Academy. This event included city vs. city battles and featured DJs STRETCHMARK and HAPPYFEET.
The Pop, Lock & Break it series, a 3v3 street dance battle format incorporating B-boying/B-girling, Popping, and Locking, has been a recurring event. In July 2022, the battle at Potters Park in Auckland featured DJ Mano and MC Bboy Papa Smurf, with international judges like Bboy Ducky from Seoul's Drifterz Crew, Mele Taeiloa (NZ Lockers, Projekt Team), and Mr Zee (603, EnBeat). Winners included Mighty Zong Kitchen (Sejoo Han, Tanky Zong & Daniel 'Simba' Jang), with 2 & a Half Men (Samuel 'Kiddxiii' Han, Bboy Rei & Jack Lian) and ALM!GHTY$ (John 'Happyfeet' Vaifale, Keith Fata & Andy Ha) as finalists. The event returned in February 2024 as part of the Lunar New Year celebrations at Aotea Square.
The Street Talk Summits in 2016 and 2017 included break dance workshops and battles, fostering community through Christian hip-hop events. Taupuhi 'Taups' Toki coined the name 'Street Talk' in 2015 alongside Dianamite, inspired by Sydney's Krosswerdz events, aiming to integrate faith with hip-hop culture. Street Talk also hosted "The Art of War Battles" in February 2025, which included Breaking battles judged by NJ, with Taups aka Bboy Papa Smurf as MC.
The year 2024 brought Breaking to the global spotlight with its debut at the Paris Olympics. However, it was confirmed that Breaking would not return for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, causing sadness within the dance community. The discussion was heavily influenced by the viral performance of Australia's B-Girl Raygun at the Oceania Olympic Qualifier in Sydney. Team Aotearoa New Zealand sent seven dancers, three crews, and one judge to this qualifier. Akorn performed well, making it to the top 8, but Australian dancers secured the top spots.
New Zealand representatives like Bgirl H and Bgirl TnT competed in the qualifier shortly after giving birth, facing immense challenges. Bboy Markie Mark also represented Aotearoa, highlighting "short notice, lack of funding and a lack of support" as primary reasons for limited New Zealand and Pacific representation. He personally spent over $1000 to attend. Dujon Cullingford, co-leader of the Aotearoa New Zealand Breaking Association Olympic team, clarified that the Olympic qualification process is strictly skill-based, judged by an international panel, debunking theories of "white privilege" or unfair selection. He underscored the low breaking participation in Oceania and the need for significant resource investment to support New Zealand dancers on the world stage.
Despite the challenges, the New Zealand Breaking community remains resilient. Aron Mahuika ('Akorn') and David McCavitt, both from Common Ground, agree with B-Girl Raygun's assessment that Christchurch, despite a "drought" of engagement and declining numbers due to dancers aging, lost training spaces from earthquakes, and the craft's underground nature, remains the "cream of the crop" for producing top-quality breakers. They assert Christchurch's level is "the best" due to its strong-willed culture across all hip-hop elements.
The Christchurch Hip Hop Summit continues to support breaking, with Common Ground delivering workshops and battles.
The broader New Zealand street dance scene, while not exclusively focused on breaking, features collectives like The Projekt Team, founded by Josh Mitikulena, which strives to create accessible spaces for street dancers and hosts events like the Britomart Backyard Dance Battles. Members like John Vaifale (Happyfeet), a winner of the Red Bull Dance Your Style NZ qualifier, and Sheldon Rua (a krump dancer), are part of this collective, which encompasses a wide range of street dance styles, including breaking.
Institutions like En Beat Dance Academy, co-founded by Rina Chae and Zed Nufable (Mr. Zee), offer foundational training in Breaking among other street styles. Mr. Zee is also a respected judge in the New Zealand and Australian street dance scenes.
The journey of New Zealand Breaking reflects a deep passion and resilience within its community. While facing challenges such as geographical isolation, limited funding, and the pressures of a highly competitive landscape, its history is marked by continuous growth, the emergence of world-class talent, and a steadfast commitment to the art form's core values. The debate surrounding its Olympic future serves as a critical juncture, prompting introspection and calls for greater investment and diverse opportunities to ensure its enduring legacy.