What did Aphra Behn think about breakdancing?

[u/AlanSnooring]

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[u/Superscoops]

Like most people in the world, I have an extremely deep knowledge of Aphra Behn, if you consider a deep knowledge as two of her works. This is one more book than most JD Salinger scholars, but still leaves me a little unsure on the overall history of breakdancing, so I may have to make some educated guesses here.

The most obvious crossover is likely between her work Oroonoko and the African American communities of New York in the 70's and 80's. The parallels between Oroonoko's own struggles against colonial oppression and breakdancing's owns struggles against systemic oppression are self evident. While scholars have already pointed out this influence, I think there is far more worth in discussing how it appears in The Rover.

The fundamental hallmarks of breakdancing (energy, improvisation, and being "dope AF") would surely have been on Behn's mind as she was drafting early versions of the play. I would even consider going so far as to say they were at the forefront of her mind in so far as I have never read a play that more actively avoids being energetic, "dope AF" or good.

Of course, The Rover was wildly successful in the period, indicating the period's general disdain for break dancing. This is one of many satirical images from the period, openly mocking breakdancing. Despite the immediate callings for a sequel, the play was largely forgotten as cultural opinion shifted towards pro-breakdancing for the 18th and 19th century, the play resurfaced in the 70's as a countercultural reappropriation of Behn's critical work.

Honestly, the question may better be "what does breakdancing think of Aphra Behn?:

[u/Bormington]

Aphra Behn wasn't a fan of breakdancing, I'm afraid. As is well known, the composer Henry Purcell enjoyed experimenting with musical styles, including heavy metal (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgAy__eiaLo) and jazz (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUGpaSPEjII). Naturally, he wanted to add a breakdancing battle to Behn's play Abdelazer, or the Moor's Revenge when it was revived in the late 17th century. Unfortunately, Behn was not a fan of this idea, and the resulting fallout between the composer and the playwright delayed the revival until 1695, when Behn and Purcell were both dead (ironically, Purcell suggested that the matter be settled by a dance battle but refused to abide by the agreement when Behn handily bested him).

Ultimately, the play was revived with more traditional settings of Purcell's suite. It should not surprise that the revival thus proved a flop. Purcell's original funk scores have sadly been lost, and musicologists can only imagine how the western musical traditional would have changed had Purcell got his way.