KPOP DISCOVER

K-pop glossary

Dance Break

A section partway through a song given over to showing off the choreography.

Category: Videos and performances

Last updated

Meaning

A dance break is a section partway through a song that puts the choreography in the spotlight. In music, a "break" is the interlude where the break beat plays; the Busan Ilbo explains that the term B-boy came from the men who took the floor to dance during it. A 2022 Soompi list of memorable K-pop dance breaks includes SEVENTEEN's "Getting Closer" and BLACKPINK's "How You Like That", noting that BLACKPINK's break is long enough to demand their hardest, most high-energy moves for longer than most. Some stages add a dance break for award shows or concerts: BTS posted a practice video of the MAMA "dance break ver." of "MIC Drop", and TOMORROW X TOGETHER one for "Magic" at Weverse Con.

Usage

Used for the dance highlight within a song or a section added for a special stage: "the award-show dance break".

Examples

  • MIC Drop — BTS's dance practice for the MAMA "dance break ver." of "MIC Drop", posted in June 2019.
  • Magic — TOMORROW X TOGETHER's dance practice for "Magic (Dance Break ver.)" from 2022 Weverse Con, posted in January 2022.

In context

Related pagesArtists Find a termBack to glossary

Sources