By Tina Nguyen
An interview with Khang Nguyen, one of the heads of BBoy Club.
Mustang News: What is BBoying?
Khang Nguyen: Bboying is a dance that is part of Hip-Hop culture. Hip-Hop, to put in its most basic form, is made up of four elements: rapping, graffiti writing, DJing, and Bboying. Bboying is most widely known as breakdancing. It’s famous for its acrobatic stunts that can be seen in gymnastics and martial arts. However, it should not be forgotten that it is still a dance form, with its primary objective being to express and unite.
MN: Why did you want to start the club?
KN: We started the club because we wanted to share something special with Medford High. Bboying, or any art form even, can be very liberating. For me especially, it has become my metaphor for the world. I take what I learn in the most physical manner, whether it be endurance or creativity, and then I apply it to my life. It has helped me grown a lot as a person, so sharing that with other kids at the school would be great. Plus, it’s really fun and can become a great hobby and possibly something more.
MN: Where do you guys practice?
KN: We teach and practice in Mr.Bowen-Flynn’s room, C209. He’s been kind to lend us his room and time.
MN: Is the club open to everyone?
KN: The club is open to everyone, and we encourage everyone with the tiniest bit of interest to come and learn. Bboying knows no boundaries. If you look at its journey throughout the world, the dance has traveled to probably every country. Male or female, young or old, it is danced. I’ve seen a 70-year-old woman holding a mean headstand. I’ve seen an 8-year-old boy spinning endlessly on his hand. I’ve even seen a guy with one leg dancing better than I could hope to. The dance really shows how alike we all are as humans. We all have bodies so we all are able to move it. The concept is as primitive as it gets.
MN: Do you have any future plans for the club like some kind of showcase?
KN: Since we are seniors, we are sadly unable to continue the class next year. It is unfortunate, but I hope that what we are able to teach will stick with the kids so that they can pursue the dance on their own. We grew up without teachers. We relied on watching some videos online but mostly, through word of mouth as we talked and shared with other dancers in Boston. I just hope we get across how amazing and powerful this dance is so that our members don’t drop it after we leave. I think teaching steps is the easy part. The hard part is sparking that internal hunger to learn and grow. The dance goes deep. It’s emotional and spiritual value goes deep. But as for future plans, a possible showcase at the end of the year sounds possible. But nothing’s for certain!
BBoy is very much for everyone. Here is a video of one of their classes showing beginners some basic BBoy moves.
