For 50 minutes, they spin, move, dance and sweat. Then, for the final 10 minutes of the hour-long break dancing class, teacher Tony Azzaro rounds up the boys, ranging in from 7 to 10 years old, and instructs them to make a circle.
“This is how we’re going to end each class,” Azzaro announces. “This is a freestyle circle. When you get in the middle of the circle, you can do whatever you want.
One by one, the boys enter the circle, each expressing themselves in whatever way they see fit – it may be a move they just mastered in class, something they saw on television, or a dance they learned from a classmate at school.
This freestyle circle, Azzaro explains after class, is the essence of hip-hop dance: having the confidence to express your individuality through movement.
“Confidence is 50 percent of the battle,” said Azzaro, whose students call him "T". “You could be the best dancer in the world, but no one would ever know if you don’t have the confidence to get out there.”
The break dancing class, held Wednesdays at the Newtown Athletic Club, is a great way to introduce boys to the world of dance, said NAC Dance Director Kim Chernikovich. There is coed class with girls and boys, but NAC felt strongly about having one session strictly for boys.
“A lot of boys don’t do dance but there’s a need for it,” Chernikovich said, adding that break dancing is the perfect style for boys. “They don’t want to do the girly stuff, they want the boy stuff.”
And certainly Azzaro’s class is far from girly. Hip-hop music by Usher, Michael Jackson, and Justin Timberlake fills the room, as Azzaro, dressed casually in Adidas warm-up pants and a black woolen cap, shows the boys how break dancing is done.
The class, which culminates with a public performance on May 22, will teach children the basics of hip-hop dance, including moon walking, head spins, and much more, Azzaro said.
Azzaro, a senior at Temple University and a Council Rock High School North graduate, has been dancing since he was 14.
“It became something I naturally excelled in,” he said. Now, he enjoys sharing the fun of dancing with children. “I have a blast,” Azzaro said. “I enjoy passing on what I’m passionate about.”
Azzaro said the class is great for any child who’s willing to give it a try – from those who may be timid to the outgoing. If a kid is shy, the class will likely give him confidence to break out of his shell, he said. “Everyone succeeds in their own way,” he said. “We have a diverse group of personalities.”
The current session, which began this month, has 12 children – the maximum allowed, Chernikovich said.
And not only is dancing a good creative outlet and an excellent confidence booster, it’s really good exercise, Azzaro said, adding that the kids typically put their moves to use at school dances and parties. “They really look forward to having another outlet to use it.”
For more information about NAC youth programs, visit www.newtownathletic.com.
