Jill Murray

This is a working title for either my second or third novel, depending on your perspective. (Definitely not a final title, but I couldn’t just call it Bob and keep working.) Like Frienemies Forever, it’s also a YA novel. And what’s even more exciting, it’s about breakdancing girls. I’m really happy about this project because I get to combine my dedication to b-girling with my longtime desire to steal the plot of every single dance movie ever made and put my own spin on it. (No pun intended, yo.)

I’ve been watching the incredible b-boy documentary, The Freshest Kids, over and over again. The movie is awesome because it traces the dance all the way back to its roots and The Birthplace of Hip Hop has an actual street adress. (1520 Sedgwick Avenue, the Bronx.) There’s even archival footage of Cool Herc driving around in his car, inventing hip hop, back in the day. That kind of thing blows my mind.

In the movie, they point out how black kids invented the dance, puerto rican kids introduced spinning on your back and such, and the LA heads brought in power moves and head-spins, not to mention popping, locking, electric boogaloo and all kinds of waving styles (I know, I know, not technically b-boyingbut you can see traces of all these styles in b-boying.) The movie traces the evolution of the dance from early beginnings to commercial success in the eighties, after which point it headed back underground, to now, where it has quitely prospered in select circles the world over.

What I keep thinking is: what comes next? I’m hoping that one of the answers comes in the shape of b-girls. There have always been women involved in breakdancing, but I think now is the time for them to step up to centre stage. I think girls and women have a lot to bring to the dance. With all the strengths and qualities we have, and minds and bodies that are simply different from men’s and boys, there’s a whole other dimension of movement we have to offer. The dance is young and our era is still to come.

I practice hard, but I’m not a natural. I see this book as a way to contribute that goes beyond my levels of talent and skill in breakdancing.

This is the message I want everyone to get: Everyone has something to contribute. Experiment outside your comfort level, and always, always find a way to use your strengths.