Late into the a.m. before a packed house of cheering spectators at the UW Memorial Union, break dancers from across the globe are breaking the laws of physics to the eternal sounds of the funky drummer.
As the DJ samples the James Brown beat, teams compete for the reaction of the crowd, which is piled up everywhere outside the dancers’ expanse of hardwood.
The event, now in its fourth year, is called “Breakin’ the Law,” and its size and scope demonstrate what an organizing force hip-hop has become for this generation. The show is just one part of “Hip-Hop Week,” which the UW Multicultural Student Coalition has been filling campus venues with this week.