Scoring Criteria of Breakdance Education According to Trivium Value System ()
1. Introduction
Breakdance is a popular dance style that originated in the Bronx, New York, USA (Schloss, 2009; Shapiro, 2004). In the course of its development over four decades, breakdance has evolved from a street dance to an internationally recognized cultural art form and an Olympic competitive sport (Ioc, 2019; Ling et al., 2024a; Yang et al., 2022). In this context, World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF) released the Trivium Value System, a scoring tool used for scoring breakdance competitions, which is at the core of all WDSF breakdance competitions, providing the rules and organizational requirements of breakdance competitions to ensure the fairness and standardization of the competitions (Gunn, 2019; Ng & Fogarty, 2023; Wdsf, 2023).
With the opening and acceptance of society to multiculturalism, breakdance has been gradually professionalized from a sport and a form of artistic expression (Kopytko, 1986; Mabingo, 2022; Abdullah, 2006), and with the increase in market demand for breakdance talents, colleges and universities have opened breakdance education to cultivate breakdance teachers and performers (Li & Vexler, 2019; Ling et al., 2024b; Wei et al., 2023). However, due to the constraints of the diversity of breakdance dance styles and the flexibility of discipline settings, breakdance may vary in the degree of implementation of vocational education in various colleges and universities, and it is difficult to standardize the results of education evaluation (Foley, 2016; Ling et al., 2023). In addition, the existing breakdance scoring program, which in turn lacks specific evaluation indicators, how to effectively evaluate the learning outcomes of breakdance education has become an urgent issue.
Compared to other scoring systems, Trivium Value System not only refrains from relying on the scoring of a series of preset standardized movements but also allows judges to directly compare the performances of each dancer, emphasizing the holistic, artistic, and improvisational aspects within the cultural framework of breakdance. Therefore, the present article attempts to design Scoring criteria of breakdance education based on Trivium Value System criteria issued by WDSF in order to effectively identify the competency level of breakdance students. The evaluation tasks include evaluation items, item interpretation and scoring.
2. Research Questions
Due to the lack of in-depth research in the existing literature on scoring criteria for breakdance education, this article will focus on the design and implementation of scoring criteria for breakdance education. For this reason, the study addresses the following two research questions:
1) What is the design of a scoring criteria for breakdance education based on the Trivium Value System?
2) How was this scoring criteria for breakdance education designed? What are the specific elements and indicators included to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of students?
3. Methods
3.1. Research Method
This article has collected evaluation tasks related to breakdance scoring criteria from the Web of Science, JSTOR and SAGE databases. Considering that breakdance arose in the United States (Lefebvre, 2012; Tsiouti & Wyon, 2021), this study focuses on the area of breakdance education scoring criteria using English-language journals as the primary research subject. In order to effectively obtain high-quality articles on the scoring criteria of breakdance education, the researchers conducted a literature search using “Breakdance”, “Trivium Value System” and “Breakdance scoring criteria” as subject terms for literature search. In addition, according to existing research, breakdance began in the late 1960s (Boyd, 2004), so the time period of searching literature was set as January 1969 to May 2024. This article emphasizes Asking questions as the starting point and Solving problems as the guide, which is in line with the goal of the Trivium Value System (Riippa, 2024). To ensure our review was appropriately justified, we used Stern et al.’s six aspects of validity to validate Evaluation related to breakdance scoring criteria (Stern et al., 2014). The following inclusion criteria included:
1) The content of the included articles must be related to breakdance.
2) The type of study included is a qualitative or quantitative study of breakdance.
3) It must be literature with Breakdance students as research subjects.
4) Included articles must include items or criteria related to breakdance evaluation.
5) Must be published literature in English.
6) The articles were published between 1969 and 2024.
3.2. Research Process (See Figure 1 for Details)
1) Preparation stage
Investigate the existing scoring standards for breakdance education and related research literature, analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the existing standards, and provide a theoretical basis for this article.
2) Analyzing stage
Based on the research results of the literature review, develop a preliminary draft of the scoring criteria. Including technology, creativity, expressive collaboration and other aspects.
3) Design phase
Based on the research results of the analysis phase, the final design is carried out to form the final version of the comprehensive breakdance scoring criteria.
Figure 1. Research process.
4. Results
In order to ensure the authority of the research data source, the literature published in journals in the Web of science and Scopus database were selected on the basis of the preliminary literature retrieval, and a total of 132 pieces of original materials were obtained. Of the approximately 132 full-text reviewed publications, 7 were deemed to meet the previously stated inclusion criteria (Li & Vexler, 2019; Ling et al., 2023; Shen et al., 2020; Wdsf, 2023; Wei et al., 2022; Yang et al., 2022). Despite breakdance scholar Wei et al. (2022) called for the evaluation of learning outcomes for breakdance students, evaluation research in breakdance education is still in the developmental stage, a phenomenon that may prevent breakdance teachers from more accurately evaluating students’ learning outcomes. Based on the articles by Wei et al. (2022) and Wdsf (2023), we summarize the following three possible reasons for this situation:
1) Breakdance has just been approved as a competitive sport by the Olympics not long ago, and evaluation research related to breakdance has just been conducted not long ago.
2) Some breakdance evaluation literature may be missing.
3) The debate on the definition of breakdance has not stopped. The debate about whether breakdance is an art or a sport has affected the development of breakdance evaluation research.
5. Literature Review
After compiling and analyzing the existing studies, the researchers found that the existing studies mainly focused on the culture and technology of breakdance (Osumare, 2002; Petchauer, 2015; Schloss, 2009; Shimizu & Okada, 2020), which were designed to cover different levels of dancers, from beginners to professional levels, with the aim of developing scoring criteria applicable to all stages (Foley, 2016; Shen et al., 2020; Wei et al., 2022). The focus of previous studies included movement skills, creative expression, stage performance, and teamwork in order to establish a comprehensive scoring system (Petchauer, 2012; Shimizu & Okada, 2018; Wei et al., 2022). Its disadvantages are: 1) Criteria differences. There are certain differences in criteria between different studies, leading to inconsistency in the evaluation system. This may make different organizations or educators use different criteria in their evaluation, reducing the objectivity of the evaluation (Mabingo, 2022; Schloss, 2009; Shimizu & Okada, 2020; Wei et al., 2022). 2) Lack of consensus. As an emerging vocational course, breakdance still lacks a general consensus on evaluation standards. Existing studies, while providing relevant recommendations, have not resulted in universally accepted standards (Ling et al., 2023; Osumare, 2002; Yang et al., 2022). 3) Excessive focus on technology. Some studies have focused excessively on technical evaluation, ignoring non-technical elements such as creativity and performativity. This may lead to a one-dimensional evaluation system that fails to fully demonstrate other aspects of students’ career-related abilities (Ling et al., 2023; Wei et al., 2022). 4) The literature lacks a detailed description of the evaluation program, with a clear indication of the actionable scope of the evaluation program (Foley, 2016; Wdsf, 2023).
Trivium Value System, with its structured approach to evaluating artistic merit, technical skill, and presentation, directly addresses the inconsistencies in educational scoring by providing a clear framework for evaluation. This system standardizes the evaluation process, ensuring that breakdance education is evaluated consistently across different institutions, which is crucial for the credibility and comparability of educational outcomes in breakdance. By aligning with the Trivium Value System, educational institutions can ensure that their breakdance programs are not only fostering individual talent but also adhering to a globally recognized standard of excellence. Overall, previous studies have provided some useful insights into the establishment of scoring criteria for breakdance education, but they also face issues that need to be addressed. For example, the completeness and universality of the scoring criteria. This article is committed to enhancing the consistency of the scoring criteria for breakdance education and promoting the formation of a more consensual scoring framework within the industry to better guide the development of Breakdance education.
6. Evaluation Task Design
6.1. Evaluation Framework
The breakdance scoring criteria emphasizes four key qualities: physical quality, musicality interpretative, artistic quality and classroom performance. Table 1 describes the scoring criteria for breakdance education:
1) Technique (20%)
Evaluates the student’s ability to utilize physiological characteristics including relative strength, speed, endurance, flexibility, and agility. High scores will be given to students who can effectively utilize their physical potential and turn potential disadvantages into advantages.
2) Versatility (10%)
Focuses on evaluating the student’s ability to demonstrate a rich variety of movements in a performance and to avoid repetitive use of the same movements.
1) Performance (20%)
Evaluates the way in which the student’s technique excels in performance, including the construction and expression of movements. High scores will be given to participants who are able to demonstrate their skills vividly and impressively.
2) Musicality (10%)
Focuses on evaluating the student’s understanding of music and its elements, as well as how they use breakdance movements in their performance in synchronization with the music.
1) Creativity (20%)
Evaluates the student’s ability to demonstrate creativity in performance, including the development of new concepts and movements. High scores will be given to those participants who are uniquely creative and expressive.
2) Personality (10%)
Focuses on the ability of the student to demonstrate personality and individuality.
This part will additionally consider factors such as student feedback and classroom participation to Evaluate the performance of the learner in the learning environment.
Table 1. Breakdance scoring criteria based on Trivium Value System.
Scoring items |
Sub-item |
Score Percentage |
Detailed description |
Physical Quality |
Technique |
20% |
Evaluates the student’s ability to utilize physical characteristics including relative strength, speed, endurance, flexibility and agility. High scores are given to students who can effectively utilize their physical potential and turn potential disadvantages into advantages. |
|
Variety |
10% |
Focuses on evaluating the student’s ability to demonstrate a rich variety of movements in performance and to avoid repetitive use of the same movements. |
Musicality Interpretative |
Performance |
20% |
Evaluates the way in which a trainee’s skills are performed with excellence, including the construction of movements and the way in which they are expressed. High scores are given to trainees who are able to demonstrate their skills vividly and impressively. |
|
Musicality |
10% |
Focuses on evaluating the student’s understanding of the music and its elements, as well as how they use Breakdance moves in synchronization with the music in their performance. |
Artistic Quality |
Creativity |
20% |
Evaluate the student’s ability to demonstrate creativity in performance, including the development of new concepts and movements. High scores are given to those learners who are uniquely creative and expressive. |
|
Personality |
10% |
Focuses on the learner’s ability to demonstrate personality and individuality. |
Classroom Performance |
|
10% |
Factors such as student feedback and classroom participation are considered to evaluate the trainee’s performance in the learning environment. |
6.2. Scoring Description
This article uses Likert scale as a scoring tool (Joshi et al., 2015). Each item required a Likert scale score on a 5-point scale that included: Very consistent, Consistent, Uncertain, Inconsistent, and Very inconsistent.
6.3. Item Description
In this section, the item description of scoring criteria of breakdance education according to Trivium Value System is designed. In this article, based on Table 1, each branch item is explained in detail, and each branch item is designed with 4 each evaluation options. Teachers can use the evaluation options students to evaluate the learning outcomes of breakdance, scored on a 5-point Likert scale (see Table 2 for details).
Table 2. Item description scoring criteria of breakdance education according to Trivium Value System.
Physical quality 1) Technique Body Control Students are able to control their bodies to accomplish breakdance moves. Power Variation The student is able to demonstrate strength in breakdance moves. Spatial Control Students are able to effectively utilize stage space for breakdance performances. Skill Proficiency The student’s breakdance moves are smooth and error-free. 2) Variety Movement Variety Students are able to demonstrate a variety of different breakdance moves rather than repeating the same moves. Variety The student is able to demonstrate a variety of moves from basic Breakdance moves. Incorporation of dance style The student is able to incorporate a variety of dance styles in a breakdance performance. Dance Elements The student will be able to incorporate different skill movements such as flips, spins, and jumps into their dance routine. Interpretative quality 1) Performance Complete work structure The student’s breakdance piece has a clear beginning, process, and ending. Changes in the plot of the piece The student’s breakdance piece has plot changes. Emotional authenticity The student’s breakdance performance shows emotion. Consistency of performance The student’s breakdance performance is smooth and coherent, with natural articulation between movements. 2) Musicality Movements are synchronized with the rhythm Students’ breakdance movements are synchronized with the rhythm of the music. Combining visual elements with music Students are able to combine visual elements with breakdance music, such as costumes, props, and lighting. Recognize music |
The student distinguishes the rhythm, melody, lyrics, and melody of breakdance music. Musical expression Students will be able to express the rhythm, melody, lyrics, and melody of music through breakdance. Artistic quality 1) Creativity Movement innovation Students will be able to choreograph new breakdance moves. Environmental Adaptability Students will be able to demonstrate variations of breakdance music within four 8-beat periods, e.g., rhythms, sound effects. Creativity Students will be able to independently create breakdance pieces. Originality The student’s breakdance piece demonstrates personal choreographic ideas. 2) Personality Personality and charisma The student’s breakdance performance demonstrates an adept dance style. Unique Style Students are able to highlight breakdance movement creation ideas through performance. Self-expression Whether the student is able to reflect his/her own understanding of the piece through performance. Stage presence Whether the student is able to attract the audience’s attention on stage in an impressive way. Classroom performance The student is able to manage to have a complete record of class attendance. For example, there are no late arrivals, early departures, excused absences, or missed classes. Students are able to actively participate in class activities. For example, participation in breakdance cypher, discussion of classroom issues. Students are able to actively review course content. For example, students are able to review the content of the previous lesson in time before the next lesson, so that the content of the lesson can be smoothly transferred to the next lesson. Students are able to actively participate in activities related to breakdance outside of class. |
Overall, this comprehensive scoring criteria provides a comprehensive and robust evaluation framework for the breakdance scoring criteria. In evaluating students, we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of their skill level, creative expression and learning experience, thereby promoting continuous improvement in teaching and the holistic development of students.
7. Conclusion
Based on the framework of the Trivium Value System scoring criteria, this article was designed to cover four key criteria: physical quality, musicality interpretative, artistic quality and classroom performance. In terms of physical quality, the balance of technique and versatility is central to evaluating a player’s ability. In terms of musicality Interpretative, the combination of performance and musicality determines how compelling the performance is. In terms of artistic quality, creativity and individuality demonstrate a player’s unique style and drive. Not only that, but we also introduced the consideration of classroom participation, emphasizing the importance of learning feedback and classroom engagement. This makes the grading criteria more comprehensive, focusing not only on student performance, but also on learning feedback. This provides a comprehensive and robust evaluation framework for the breakdance program.
This article has been designed to promote continuous improvement in teaching and learning and to ensure that learners are well rounded in their learning process. It provides a clear and comprehensive reference for breakdance teachers to help them better guide their students and make breakdance education more creative and educational. It helps to promote the further development of breakdance in the field of education. The weakness of this article is that it is a tentative design of the scoring standards. In the future, we welcome breakdance scholars to test the reliability or deviation of the scoring standards, and welcome more researchers dedicated to breakdance research to participate in the improvement of the scoring standards of breakdance courses, peace.
Author’s Contribution
Xi Ling designed the study. Xuanmin Zhu and Shirong Zhang organized and analyzed the literature, and Lihong Zhao and Ziming Zeng proofread the manuscript. Xi Ling drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.
Abbreviations
WDSF: World Dance Sport Federation;
IOC: International Olympic Committee.