Bboy: Swipe Variants

The Swipe is one of the most recognizable power moves in break dance. 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.

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
  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.