Principal dancer Irina Brigita Laiciu (center) performs as cast members (left to right) Choung Woo Hyun, Messiah Brown, and Adrian T. Martin look on in Breakin’ NYC at Theater 555.
With Breakin’ NYC, director and choreographer Angel Kaba transforms the stage into a pulsing time machine, tracing hip-hop dance’s rise from the pavement of the Bronx to the global spotlight of the Olympic Games. More than a dance showcase, the production is a celebration of resilience, rhythm, and rebellion—told through the language of hip-hop. After a popular holiday run of 20 performances last year, Breakin’ NYC returns with its vibe intact. The charismatic Ajalé Olaseni Coard hosts the 75-minute show and keeps everything moving along.
Principal dancer Jihad Ali executes a power move—one of the four foundational elements of breaking. Photographs by Russ Rowland.
Set designer Peter R. Feuchtwanger provides a kinetic canvas for the production’s nonstop movement, anchoring the stage with graffiti-splashed panels that echo the bodies in motion. Silhouettes of dancers loom large across the walls, evoking the raw energy of street art. At center stage, a large screen flashes archival footage of Hip Hop royalty—fleeting glimpses that trace the culture’s roots back to the sidewalks and soundscapes of the South Bronx in the tumultuous 1970s.
Audience participation—often the bane of traditional theatergoers—bookend this production and flow into its lifeblood. Early on, Coard invites several audience members onstage to show off their own dance moves, giving them space to freestyle before stepping in as an enthusiastic dance captain. She then leads the group through a playful, Hip Hop–inspired routine tailored for beginners. The results are genuinely delightful, with one pint-sized audience member dubbed the “princess” of breaking.
With nine principal dancers strutting their stuff across the stage, Breakin’ NYC dazzles not just through physical virtuosity, but also through the performers’ engaging commentary on their craft. The show unfolds through nine high-energy vignettes that chart the evolution of hip-hop dance from its roots to the present day. While each segment offers something distinct, several stand out for their vitality and cultural insight.
“Urban street dancers build a wide vocabulary of movements so they can improvise and adapt”
A classic B-boy battle sees dancers Jihad Ali, Choung Woo Hyun, Justin S. Herbin, and Messiah Brown squaring off in an exuberant freestyle exchange, each improvising on the spot with athletic flair. The company also delivers a stunning showcase of “locking”—marked by sudden freezes and exaggerated poses—freezing mid-motion in positions that seem to defy anatomy.
“Krump,” defined by its explosive energy and raw emotion, is powerfully rendered by Nicholas Porter and Kayla Muchotrigo. And “litefeet” displays a style characterized by quick, intricate footwork, performed with agility and charm by Messiah Brown.
A standout moment comes from Justin S. Herbin, who delivers an impromptu popping master class—calling out muscle groups like “chest,” “quadricep,” and “diaphragm” while isolating and activating each in real time. The result is a striking visual anatomy lesson, as individual muscles pulse with crisp, rhythmic contractions. Herbin then shifts gears, blending popping with robot-inspired movements before introducing the technique of “waving.” In a moment of insight, he explains that urban street dancers build a wide vocabulary of movements so they can improvise and adapt—choosing the right tool for the moment, much like jazz musicians riff.
Principal dancers Nicholas Porter (left) and Kayla Muchotrigo show off form.
While Coard nods to DJ Kool Herc (Clive Campbell), the Godfather of Hip-Hop, she takes a deliberate pause to honor artists who paved the way for hip-hop—figures like Alvin Ailey, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and, more unexpectedly, Frank Sinatra. Coard clearly relishes the moment she utters Sinatra’s name, aware of the irony: he’s neither a Black artist nor a rapper. Yet the connection resonates. Like hip-hop, Sinatra’s music often conjured the energy and complexity of urban life—especially New York City, whose streets also gave rise to hip-hop’s earliest beats.
Breakin’ NYC isn’t for the faint of heart—and it doesn’t sanitize hip-hop culture or gloss over the complexities surrounding breakdancing’s roots. In the show’s second half, instrumental music washes over the stage as a video montage captures the A train pulling out of a New York City subway station. It’s quickly followed by a clip of former Police Commissioner William Bratton addressing public concerns over breakdancers performing on subway platforms and inside moving trains. Rather than offering didactic commentary, Coard lets the juxtaposition speak for itself, prompting the audience to consider the tensions between formalized, studio-based dance forms, like ballet, and the raw, street-born vitality of breaking.
While Breakin’ NYC isn’t without its rough edges—ensemble numbers could benefit from tighter blocking and sharper synchronization—it delivers something far more valuable than polish: authenticity. It’s a vibrant celebration of hip-hop dance culture, reimagined with heart and purpose for the theatrical stage.
Eric Krebs Theatrical Management’s Breakin’ NYC plays through July 27 at Theater 555 (555 W. 42nd St.). Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; matinees are at 2 p.m. on Thursday, 3 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday; there are no performances on July 3 and 4. For tickets and more information, visit theater555.venuetix.com.
Direction & Choreography: Angel Kaba
Scenic Design: Peter Feuchtwanger
Lighting Design: Joan Racho-Jansen
