Breakdancing in Brixton

First of all, I have a little confession to make. For all my initial enthusiasm, my plans to learn lindy-hop have now been put on hold for the foreseeable future. It's not that I'm capricious - if it wasn't for the busy schedule of my ballet dancing friend who was supposed to be my partner, I'd be lindy-hopping away every spare minute. But alas, these days my friend only has one evening off a week, and this evening is sorely needed to rest and recover from his many injuries.

Well. What other dance, I thought to myself, could possibly compare to lindy-hop in coolness and impressiveness? Moreover, what dance had these qualities and was also a dance that required no dance partner? The answer is now obvious: Breakdancing!

As it turns out, I've had to trek to Pineapple Studios in Covent Garden to find someone who could teach me this oh-so-cool art. But that doesn't mean that the southside is a stranger to breakdancing. In fact, for years the Brixton Academy has been chosen for the noble purpose of hosting the annual International Bboy Championship. And every summer Clapham Common is the site for the Sprite Urban Games, which has its own b-boying stage both for performances and practice. For those of you who require a more frequent fix, check out Plan B, which hosts regular b-boy throwdowns. The next night will be sometime in February, can't wait!