B-boying is a form of hip hop dancing which is popularly known as breaking. It consists of top or up rock, footwork, spi
However, breaking came back with a new generation of b-boys. It was Puerto Rican b-boys who put new life to breaking and took it into next level. They started to put many higner levels of acrobatics and gymnastics into breaking and invented many new moves. B-boys such as Crazy Legs from Rock Steady Crew who were influenced by Jimmy Lee and Joe Joe, members of original Rock Steady Crew developed and invented the new moves such as backspins and windmills.
I want to mention that there are also other b-boys such as Lil Lep from New York City Breakers who should get props by developed b-boying. Also, media stars like Bruce Lee and other Kung Fu film stars and martial artisits had a major influence on b-boying culture. The popularity of Kung Fu films during the mid and late 70s aroudn the world and especially in New York City, has had a great impact on b-boying style. A large number of martial arts moves were incorporated into b-boying. For example, windmills came from a kung fu which is used to get up from the floor. By repeating getting-up move, windmills was born. B-boying became even more popular in 80s. It was first introduced to out side of New York CIty and the rest of world by a movie "Flashdance" in 1983. (Before the "Flashdance", there were already movies like "Wildstyle" and "Stylewars". But the "Flashdance" was the first major movie which featured b-boying.) Even though it was not b-boying movie, the short scene which featured b-boying and popping on a street had a great impact enough to inspire people to start b-boying all over the world. After the "Flashdance", many breaking movies were made such as "Breakin'", "Breaking'2", and "Beat street." "Beat Street" also had a great impact because it had a scene of battle between Rock Steady Crew and New York City Breakers.
B-boying became very popular as "BREAKDANCE" by many media coverages. Because of this too much media coverage, when media stop showing b-boying on TV, people had a sense that b-boying was only a fad. Many people thought b-boying was dead. Some b-boys stopped b-boying influenced by media, also. Media mistreated b-boying. After 1985 or 86, the winter period of b-boying came. Then Resurgence of b-boying happened around 1990. I don't know how exactly it happened. I am sure that it was done by the support of real b-boys who never quit b-boying even during the winter period of b-boying. As far as I know, it was Calfornia where b-boying gained its popularity again early. Nowadays, B-boy events such as B-BOY SUMMIT and ROCK STEADY ANNIVERSARY are organized every year and many b-boys from all over the world get together and keep the culture alive and even try to take it into next level.