From Disco Fever to Olympic Breakdancing: How Dance Keeps Evolving

(Photo: Ezra Shaw - Getty Images)

Dance is a universal human activity that crosses cultures, periods, and societies. Humans dance for many reasons, such as social bonding, a form of expression, and innate human instinct. Scientists believe the urge to move to a rhythm is as essential to human biology as breathing. 

Now, just because everyone can dance doesn’t mean everyone is *good* at it. Some people take their dance skills to the next level, turning it into a full-blown art form or sport. Think ballet, figure skating, gymnastics, and, of course, breakdancing. These aren’t your average wedding reception moves—these disciplines take years of training, a ton of discipline, and a little magic to master.

Take ballet, for example. You don’t just wake up one day and decide to be a prima ballerina. It takes years of training to get those elegant moves just right. Then there’s figure skating and gymnastics, where athletes turn jumps, spins, and flips into smooth, dance-like routines. And let’s not forget breakdancing, which started on the streets of New York City and ended up in the Olympics. 

Breakdancing emerged from the creative energy of African American and Latino youth, alongside other elements of hip-hop culture such as DJing, MCing (rapping), and graffiti. The dance style was influenced by DJ Kool Herc, who observed that young people would start dancing during the instrumental breaks in the music he played. What began as a way for marginalized kids to express themselves has become a worldwide sensation, earning respect for its creativity and athleticism.

Speaking of the Olympics, breakdancing made its big debut in Paris this year, and it was a big deal. Everyone was on edge, wondering if breaking could hold its own on the world stage. And then, Raygun—a 36-year-old Australian b-girl who, let's just say, didn’t strictly stick the landing. Raygun, a lecturer at Macquarie University in Sydney, focuses her research on breaking, street dance, and hip-hop culture. Her PhD? All about gender and breaking culture in Sydney, so she knows her stuff.

But when Raygun hit the Olympic stage, things got... interesting. She busted out some seriously unconventional moves—think floor flopping, awkward freezes, and kangaroo hops (because what else would an Aussie do?). Her performance was so… unique that people started questioning how she got there. Was this some kind of mix-up? Or worse, corruption? Some people came to her defense, pointing out that Raygun actually had the technical skills and creativity the judges were after. Raygun recently broke her silence and asked for people to stop hating on her performance. 

Despite all the drama, Raygun’s Olympic adventure highlighted something important: dance is still evolving, whether being studied in a classroom or performed on a global stage. Dance and storytelling have always gone hand-in-hand. Just look at movies like Black Swan (2010) and La La Land (2016), which used dance to dive deep into their characters’ psyches. In Black Swan, the intense ballet scenes mirror the main character’s mental breakdown, while La La Land uses dance to show off the characters’ hopes and dreams—and a few jazzy dance moves.

Now, if you want to talk about dance in film, you’ve got to go back to the late 1970s, when disco was at its peak. Movies like Disco Music Fever (1979), directed by Oscar Righini, captured the energy of the time. The film follows disco-loving teens living on the dance floor, competing in high-stakes dance-offs.

In Disco Music Fever, you've got Raf, who works at a coffee bar that doubles as a hangout for disco-obsessed teens. His dream? To become the best disco dancer in town. And then there’s Tony, an action photographer by day and disco king by night. The two biggest disco clubs in town are hosting a dance competition, and both Raf and Tony are ready to strut their stuff to see who will be crowned the Disco King.

Just like Raf and Tony were dead-set on owning the dance floor, today’s breakdancers are pushing the limits of what’s possible. Whether it’s in the retro disco clubs of the 1970s or on the Olympic stage, dance keeps proving that it’s one of the coolest ways humans can express themselves. And let’s be honest, it’s way more fun than standing still.

Looking for even more ways to watch and enjoy excellent movies & TV series?!? Head on over to YouTube and subscribe to Grapevine Documentaries, Multicom Entertainment, and TheArchive.These channels are dedicated to aficionados and lovers of cinema. You’ll find rare, retro, and restored films and TV, ranging from indies and series to Oscar-winning docs, unearthed MOWs, a killer horror library, and MORE!  

TheArchive channel is dedicated to aficionados and lovers of story, craft, and silver screen fun – streaming rare, retro, and restored films and classic TV. From indies and series, to Oscar winning documentaries, unearthed MOWs, and a killer horror library, TheArchive delivers forgotten, never-before-seen gems for free and many in 4K. Marilyn, Karloff, and Orson Welles stream alongside Reese, Keanu, and Samuel L. Jackson. Find true stories of Queen, Hendrix, and Sinatra, an LGBTQ library, MLK bios, and world history docs. TheArchive has the movies and shows you either saw, should’ve seen, or should be watching now!