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It’s been 32 years since the phrase, “Who’s Next? Ozone the Street Dancer!” - from the movie Breakin’. Then, breakdancing was the real thing.
The unmistakable background music by Ollie and Jerry - There’s No Stopping Us - served to amplify the general effect the movie had on our estate heads. It was beautiful to say the least.
Breakin’ was one of the most-watched movies in our time. It featured Lucinda Dickey as Kelly, Adolofo Quinones as Shabba–Doo and Michael Chamber as Boogaloo Shrimp.
Theme songs included Freak Show on the Dance Floor, Body Work, 99 ½, Showdown, Heart of the Beat, Street People, Cut It, Ain’t Nobody and Reckless.
But we all remember the sneak preview of Boogaloo Shrimp dancing with a broomstick outside a shop - that was before the movie came to the theatres.
Curious about the movie, most of us started saving money to watch it at Kenya Cinema.
The Y-Generation might wonder what the excitement was all about. Well, that particular movie changed our lives.
This is how.
Growing up, most of us tried freestyle moves - trying to copy Michael Jackson. It was quite difficult since it was a mzungu thing. Don’t forget that we only watched British Top of the Charts music videos, nothing more. We watched the show at a neighbour’s place, in Kapsiliat Court, Buruburu - the only family with a video machine then.
It was Breakin’ that inspired us to form dance groups and we would perform at variety shows at Buru Catholic Centre. Everybody came here to show their latest dance moves. The burnouts, as they were known, pitted different courts or estates.
I remember the most anticipated burnout was at the present day IMAX at the ground floor. Groups from Lang’ata, Eastlands (mainly Buru) and South C were usually the main contenders, with moves like backspin, headspin, turtlewalk and windmill.
The variety shows made celebs for the first time, the likes of Murumbi, Chalo Ng’ang’a, Alfi, Bonzo, Danny, Yellowman and Aloise.
Murumbi, whose moves I loved, could float in the air. He was the master of Kingtat, a move influenced by Egyptian art.
The Breakin movie also had a hand in matters dressing. Many of us converted our bell-bottom trousers into baggy outfits. Suddenly there was a demand for baggy trousers that kept estate tailors perpetually busy. And there was no sagging, we dressed smartly and respectably.
We had to have an identity, and so many went for unique attires, that set them apart during performances.
I remember that since I was good at Kingtat, I bought myself a pair of white gloves, just like the one we saw characters wearing in the movie.
Murumbi had a sailor’s hat, while Alfi had a golden belt which seemed to emphasise his waistline moves.
As for shoes, the whole estate ran to Bata to get those flat Bata Ngoma shoes. It was cool to be seen wearing Converse shoes, which we saw, for the first time in the movie. Then came flashy flowered shirts and white socks, also inspired by the movie.
Today’s ‘Mahewa Generation’ has dancing styles that are poorly coordinated.
Not surprisingly, the Bamba 40 generation gets all excited when they hear that Spanish DJ Paco Perez is coming to town.
@AineaOjiambo
