By James Tabafunda
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Inspiration can strike in the most unexpected places. As a teenager plowing a potato field in 1920, Philo Farnsworth conceived a system that could transmit images electronically. This system would later be known as television. Alexander Fleming noticed that a mold, Penicillium notatum, killed bacteria in a Petri dish in 1928.
Philanthropist and Japanese American Scott Oki recently watched a video on the performing art of breakdancing, also called breaking. Inspired by what he saw, he wanted to learn the dance style.
“And so, I made some calls,” he said at the inaugural dinner of the Breaking Boundaries Foundation (BBF) dinner, hosted by the Oki Foundation and O’Rear Family Foundation, on May 6 at Seattle’s three-time James Beard Award-winning Canlis. The restaurant was closed to the public during this event.
Eventually, he spoke with Jerome Aparis, a two-time breaking world champion, also known as “Jeromeskee.” Aparis has 30 years of experience, including 20 years as a coach.
Aparis, founder of the Massive Monkeys in 1999, was the only person who responded.
“The first question he asked was, ‘How old are you?’ I couldn’t tell why. I said, ‘I’m 65.’ Silence. But I said, ‘I’m willing to pay.’ So that got him to invite me to his studio to see whether or not I could actually keep a rhythm,” Oki said.
A former musician and former Microsoft senior vice president of sales, marketing, and service, Oki proved he could keep a rhythm and has been taking breaking lessons from Aparis for the last 10 years.
The Massive Monkeys have visited more than 20 schools, engaging hundreds of young people across Washington state as participants.
The start of the BBF
“When we talked about doing a nonprofit, I’m like, a breaking nonprofit. Let’s go. And when Scott wants something, it happens. And this is what happened right here,” Aparis said. “We give back. So, that is always our core. That is always a mission and vision to give back to the community. And now with Breaking Boundaries and Scott Oki and an amazing team, we can scale up, and we’re excited.” He and Oki are the co-founders of the BBF. Oki is co-founder and chair, and Aparis is co-founder and executive director.
Jerome Aparis, BBF co-founder and executive director (left) with Scott Oki, BBF co-founder and chair. (Photo by James Tabafunda)
Oki said during the pre-dinner welcome cocktails, “We just received 501(c)(3) status.”
Aimed at raising both awareness and financial support for the BBF’s mission, the dinner for about 120 people featured Dungeness crab chowder, Canlis salad, and a choice of beef short rib, wild king salmon, or spring vegetables.
Discussing the impact of raising awareness, Aparis said the dinner highlights “the powerful aspect of breaking, how it can unite people, and also foster confidence, leadership, teamwork, and grit. It provides a platform where kids can just be kids and express themselves through the cool, hip way of breaking.”
The BBF’s mission is to empower youth, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and to learn breaking as a lifelong activity. It strives to provide an escape, a sense of accomplishment, and a community where boundaries, both in dance and in life, are meant to be broken.
Jerome Aparis demonstrates breaking at the pre-dinner welcome cocktails (Photo by James Tabafunda)
Oki’s hopes for the impact of the BBF
Oki admitted the BBF is “a really big idea, one that can systematically change societal outcomes by working with kids K through 12-plus.”
“If you provide kids an outlet for something they find joyous, you can start to influence other behavior in a positive way. Their peers start to notice and they will also want to participate. The underlying cornerstones of BBF: We will provide breaking lessons to any child who wants to participate so long as they maintain good attendance and good grades in school. Borrowing from the different colored belt system of martial arts, we have a built-in goal-setting hierarchy that recognizes skills, accomplishment through different colored T-shirts, as well as fulfilling citizenship requirements.”
He discussed the BBF’s financial incentives, saying, “Black T-shirts pay it forward by being volunteer coaches. After a few months, they receive a stipend.”
The accessibility of breaking is one of its most appealing advantages.
“Kids do not pay a participation fee,” Oki said. “There are no costs or an expensive uniform. Kids already come to school wearing their uniform. It consists of tennis shoes, jeans, a T-shirt, a hoodie.” This accessibility has demonstrated that breaking is an inclusive, level playing field open to individuals regardless of socioeconomic status.
Breaking has also evolved into a medium for empowerment, fostering the confidence to overcome personal challenges. It serves as an alternative outlet for the youth to channel their creativity and energy towards a shared sense of accomplishment.
The history of the art form and global phenomenon
Puerto Rican and Black communities in the South Bronx in New York City developed a dynamic style of dance during the early 1970s, one that would later be called breakdancing. It was a dance form that emerged as an escape from the resentment and hardships of widespread poverty and urban decay at the time.
Breaking’s recognition and path to the Olympic medal podium of Paris
Aparis said, “It has traveled all around the world, and now it’s going to the Olympics.”
The road to Olympic recognition for breaking began at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, where the sport made its debut. Following its premiere, organizers of the 2024 Paris Olympics proposed including breaking on Feb. 21, 2019. The International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s executive board took a major step and recommended adding breaking, along with three other sports, on March 27, 2019. This recommendation led to the provisional addition of breaking by the IOC on June 25, 2019.
It officially gained Olympic status, a decision finalized on Dec. 7, 2020.
In competitive breaking, breakers—either solo or in teams—compete head-to-head in battles, taking turns to show a series of imaginative, acrobatic, and improvised moves to a DJ’s beats. A panel of judges observes and selects the winner.
Introduction of BBF board members
“Marka Waechter owns her own event management business, and her expertise is a huge asset for Breaking Boundaries, especially for our inaugural event,” Oki said. “Nancy Cho is the secretary-treasurer for BBF. She also happens to be president of the Oki family office and has been for about 30 years.”
He added, “Larry Estrada (managing director) with Goldman Sachs, who knows everyone and anyone.” Cathy O’Rear worked with Bob Oki, Scott’s father and founder of the Imperials Drum and Bugle Corps. Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke is the seventh BBF board member. “Gary had a conflict, and he could not attend, but he sends his regrets.”
Support for the BBF from a famed American rapper
A fundraising auction followed the introduction of the BBF board. The prize was an afternoon Mack Golf Experience, hosted by Seattle’s own Macklemore, born Benjamin Haggerty, and BBF board member Estrada. In a prerecorded video, Macklemore said, “I want to give a shout out to Scott, to Jerome, and to Larry and the entire Breaking Boundaries team. You guys are crushing it, amazing to see the work that you’re doing with the youth, sending so much love. I wish I could be there tonight, but I know you guys are going to have an amazing event.”
Two individuals won, bidding $7,000 each and nabbing the 9-hole round of golf at Aldarra Golf Club in Sammamish, food and beverages, and a Bogey Boys Swag.
The athletic and dynamic movements of breaking
The dinner’s main event featured Oki’s own demonstration of breaking, as well as a battle featuring 5- to 18-year-old Massive Monkeys.
BBF co-founder and chair Scott Oki demonstrates breaking (Photo by James Tabafunda)
Massive Monkeys perform breaking (Photo by James Tabafunda)
The future of the BBF includes expanding its reach
“Other cities are already expressing interest in learning more about what we are doing,” Oki said. “Yes, we are just getting started. Thank you all for showing confidence in the Breaking Boundaries program. Stick with us. It takes a village, and the one here tonight at Canlis is a pretty darn good place to start.”
The next event for the community to support is the Massive Break Challenge (MBC), a breaking league championship finale with an exhibition-style format. It starts at 12:00 p.m. at the 53rd Annual Northwest Folklife Festival’s Armory Court Stage on May 27, 2024.
“It’s a free event,” Aparis said as his call-to-action for community support. “Please come out, support the kids. It’s all about the kids.”
Many MBC alumni now compete professionally.
Targeted at children and teenagers ages 5 to 18 interested in the dance style, he said, “We are here for you guys. We are here if you want to have fun, if you want to experience breaking in a unique, fun way where there’s no judgment whatsoever. You just go out there, learn some moves. You don’t have to be perfect. You just go and try.”
For more information about the Breaking Boundaries Foundation, go to www.bbf.dance. To watch a YouTube video about the 2022 Massive Break Challenge, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNhQSKwUwzc&t=14s.
James can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.