Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Instructor teaches new ways to bust a move

Break dance

Nicky Fuchs / Special to the Home News

Break dancing instructor Ryan Reyes helps Marie Dupree, 11, learn how to do a break dancing pose during a free class offered at Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave.

With a high-energy hip hop beat serving as their backdrop, children of all ages showed off their moves at a free break dancing lesson at the Sahara West Library on Dec. 6.

One of the aspiring young break dancers was 9-year-old Daniel Bourke, who said he was already familiar with some of the athletic moves.

"I've watched it before," he said. "It's a lot of fun."

Daniel's mother, Lorraine Bourke, said her son is quite serious about break-dancing.

"It's one of his favorite things to do and I think he's going to stick with it as he gets older," she said. "Whenever he does his spin moves at home, he finishes by striking a pose."

But when she thinks of the more complex moves that Daniel might learn as he grows older, Lorraine Bourke said she gets a bit more concerned.

"I don't mind the poses, but the hand stands and the head spins get me worried," she said.

Ryan Reyes, a break dance instructor with Las Vegas-based Competitive Edge Dance Center, was the instructor at the event and led his young audience through a wide range of athletic spins, kicks and poses.

Even as Reyes increased the pace toward the end of the session, the children were able to keep up. The lessons culminated with a "freestyle session" where everyone had a chance to show off their newfound moves.

Although many other forms of dance require athleticism, the art of break-dancing, Reyes said, requires passion above all else.

"Having strength and flexibility helps, but your passion overcomes everything and makes it so much better," Reyes, 18, said. "Break dancing is all about expression, and you really have to love your moves. Confidence is everything."

After picking up the art three years ago, Reyes is now an avid break dancer and said his favorite events are "battles," where skilled break dancers gather together and have contests over who has the best moves — either in one-on-one showdowns or competitions that pit teams of dancers against one another.

"I love the battles, man," Reyes said. "It's a whole different level and you get really focused."

Jeff O’Brien can be reached at 990-8957 or [email protected].

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