B-boys and b-girls gathered at the Hawaiʻi Aroma Caffe & Gallery in Waikīkī to compete in the Red Bull BC One Cypher Honolulu in May. It’s part of a competitive international breaking championship.
For those unfamiliar with the events, breakdancing has been the popular term for the sport in the past few decades. But for those who considered it a lifestyle, it has — and always will be — breaking.
Winners from last month’s competition will advance to the Northwest regional cypher in August. Their ultimate goal is to make it to the World Final.
Jack Rabanal, or b-boy HIjack, hosted the competition in Honolulu. Last year he won the Red Bull BC One Cypher Boston.
His dancing career began in elementary school when his older brother taught him a street dance style known as popping.
"My older brother Frankie, he came home from Kaimuki Park one day. He learned how to pop from these homeless guys at the park," Rabanal told HPR. "He showed me some music that they gave to him. It was a CD that they got from Tower Records called 'Street Jams.'"
Rabanal began breaking in eighth grade with his friends. They set up an impromptu stage using cardboard boxes and played music from their phones.
He wanted to create a place for local children who love street culture. So Rabanal founded Keiki Breaks in 2016 and now teaches children ages 5 through 16.
"It became more than just a class. They started hanging out outside of class. Their parents started hanging out outside of class. They became their own little family community, which worked so well," Rabanal said. "In my opinion, seeing crews that connect like family, they stick together and grow even more than crews who stick together just for breaking."
Rabanal himself is a member of 808 Breakers — one of the most prominent breaking crews in Hawaiʻi.
B-boys and b-girls practice breaking together and often support each other outside of dancing.
Rabanal is gearing up for competition, training for the Red Bull BC One Finals in September.
He is also a hopeful candidate for Team USA in Paris in 2024.
