Swipe (breakdance move)

The "Swipe" is one of the most recognizable power moves in breakdance. The breaker leans back, whips his arms to one side to touch the ground, and his legs follow closely behind, twisting 360 degrees to land on the ground once again. An example many might remember is the swipe performed by the character Samir in the movie Office Space.

tep-by-step

1. Start in a standing position and lean back as far as possible.2. From the leaning position, raise your right knee to mid rib cage, keeping your shin parallel to the floor (it should look like an upside down “L”) and lean back farther so your entire body is parallel to the floor.3. Swing both arms to your left side, then using some momentum swing them back to the right side, starting to swing your legs around just as the left hand hits the ground. You should keep your legs in the same position the whole movement and jump high so as to not hurt your feet.4. Now both of your hands are touching the ground and your legs and body are swinging around. Go with the momentum and bring your right hand off at the same speed and time as your legs. Your left foot should hit the ground and then your right arm should swing around in a circular motion and touch the ground.

Tips:
*Try to keep the back straight.
*When jumping, imagine trying to jump up (weakly) into a handstand.
*Imagine yourself doing a handstand

Variants

Normal swipes begin from the crab position, or they may be Air Swipes in which the breaker jumps back directly from a standing position into a swipe, sometimes ending up in standing position once again. (The Air Swipe is described in the opening sentence and the step-by-step section). Regardless of the beginning, there are several swipe variations that basically differ in terms of which parts of the arms hit the ground.

*X - swipes - Swipes with legs crossed
*Baby Swipe - essentially a footwork move, often launched from the 6-step, that employs a twist of the hips similar to the swipe.
*Elbow Swipe - Elbows replace the hands.
*Forearm Swipe - Forearms replace the hands.
*Head Swipe - Head replaces the hands.
*Master Swipe - Both hands leave the ground at the same time, and both legs lift simultaneously as well.
*Superman Swipe - An exaggerated Swipe that is very open and more powerful-looking. The hands should be placed farther apart.
*Flight Swipe - Only one hand, usually the hand on the outside of the rotation (i.e.- if swiping to the left, use the right hand).
*One-Footed Swipe - One leg in the air, often pointed straight out, usually the leg on the inside of the rotation.
*DOHC (Dual Over-head Cam) Air Swipe - Similar to the baby swipe. It utilizes the momentum and the torque gain from the air flare. Both legs are held tightly together to increase rotational speed.

ee also

*List of breakdance moves

External links

* [http://hem.spray.se/sammorling/airswipe.html Three One-legged Air Swipes clips (Quicktime)]
* [http://hem.spray.se/sammorling/headswipe.html Head Swipes clip (Quicktime)]
* [http://dopemoves.com/readarticle.php?article_id=5 Dope Moves Central] Master Swipe - Master Swipe Guide