Many in the dance community still do not recognize breakdancing (bboying) as a legitimate dance form. Shows like America's Best Dance Crew and So You Think You Can Dance have helped showcase bboying as both a challenging and beautiful skill that has much to offer the world of dance.
I have been blessed significantly by the time I have spent involved in breakdancing. I have been taught valuable lessons that have helped change my life and the lives of those around me. The lessons can from any activity such as, music, academics or athletics - for me it was bboying.
1. You do not deserve anything.
I am part of the "entitled generation". An entire group of youth who feel that they deserve to have jobs, houses, cars and everything there parents have, RIGHT NOW.
When you go to a breakdance battle they NEVER hand out participation trophies. I have stood across the circle from a variety of different guys knowing that if I did not execute better than he did I would lose. I would get nothing.
I do not feel entitled to anything. My boss doesn't owe me anything. My parents don't owe me anything. I know that in order to receive certain things I need to perform work at the highest level.
2. Practice does not make perfect.
I am part of the "entitled generation". An entire group of youth who feel that they deserve to have jobs, houses, cars and everything there parents have, RIGHT NOW.
When you go to a breakdance battle they NEVER hand out participation trophies. I have stood across the circle from a variety of different guys knowing that if I did not execute better than he did I would lose. I would get nothing.
I do not feel entitled to anything. My boss doesn't owe me anything. My parents don't owe me anything. I know that in order to receive certain things I need to perform work at the highest level.
2. Practice does not make perfect.
The cliche "practice makes perfect" is an attractive belief that can do more harm than good. I can practice a move a thousand times the wrong way and be no better than I was on my very first attempt.
In Preach My Gospel, President Monson told the missionaries that they need to be measuring, evaluating and making course corrections with their goals. If I fail at something a hundred times I must be doing something very wrong. I need to reevaluate my methods and change something.
I can still hear my parents voices from my time as a rebellious teen, "if you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting what you're getting." Practice does not make perfect - practice, with consistent evaluation and correction can make perfect.
3. The greatest success in life comes from serving others.
I love to compete. More importantly, I love to win!
I have won several individual competitions as well as several crew competitions. The emotional and physical high that comes from victory is amazing.
Several weekends ago there was a battle in Salt Lake that was just for juniors (kids who had never battled). I took seven kids up and six made it past the preliminary battles. Two made the semi-finals. One of them won the whole thing. I'm not a parent yet, but I think was given some idea of what a proud parent feels like when they see their child succeed. Watching Keyko win was better than anything I have ever won. Our greatest joys in life will come from our opportunities to serve.
4. Crew comes first.
4. Crew comes first.
Your crew is a second family. You spend a lot of time together training and hanging out. The success of the crew comes before the success of the individual. I know my parents have always put the good of the family above their personal desires. My mom has wanted a little sports car for years and she could have had one a long time ago- but she doesn't. Instead my parents chose to help me and my brother serve missions. They chose to help us as went to college. Family first! I would give anything for my wife. She iseverything to me. I would do the same for my family as well as her family.
5. Faith casts out fear.
It doesn't matter how good you are at something if you do not believe in yourself. I have practiced certain moves tirelessly to the point of mastery and then stood in a circle with doubt in my heart and then butchered the move. Heavenly Father did not send us down here to be filled with fear. You and I were meant to be filled with faith. Believe in yourself and others will believe in you too. You will accomplish more with faith on the worst of days than you ever could with fear on the best of days.
Breakdancing might not seem like the best teacher of life lesson's - but it worked for me. You are being taught lessons everyday by the activities you participate in. The trick for each of us is to recognize and apply the lessons so that we can reach our full potential.
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Photo credit: Barnaby Wasson
