Class Description
To some, popping is a dance which is plenty in and of itself. To others, it is a dance as well as a way to express in an illusional manner just about any aspect of the imagination. This could come from your interpretation of a robot in your mind or emulating one that already exists. It could be inspired by a character from your favorite cartoon or CGI-enhanced movie. Basically, popping allows you to choose what you want to be, whether it comes from something outside of yourself or from within your own mind. In this class, I’d like to show a window into this world by explaining some of these styles that fall under popping such as waving, gliding, animation, sinbadding, twist-o-flex, to name a few. We will experience the more aggressive act of hitting, which is a rapid-fire constriction of the muscles to create a controlled twitch effect, all the way to the fluid and often gentle, patient style of waving.
About Todd “PopNTod” Breithaupt
Todd âPopNTodâ Breithaupt has been regarded as one of Southern Californiaâs innovators in the dance form, popping, specializing in the sub-styles such as waving, robot, and animation. It was through spending innumerable hours street performing on Hollywood Blvd., subways under New York City, or in Portland, Oregon, that PopNTod was able to develop a mastery with the robotic styles and attain âincredible upper body isolationâ as So You Think You Can Dance judge, Mary Murphy, once described. He has appeared in a number of commercials and other media including Chris Brownâs music video, âI Can Transform Yaâ, which he also co-choreographed. Todd has also performed for Carnival Cruise Lines, claimed victor to numerous dance competitions across the continent, & shared the stage with E-40, Ludacris, Common, etc, to name a few of his accolades. One of his most recent endeavors has been performing with Team iLuminate (3rd place finalists in Americaâs Got Talent season 6) throughout the world in the technological dance and light fused off-Broadway success, Artist of Light. He currently resides in Harlem, New York.