We can’t see the shape of the Milky Way galaxy from within it. We’d have to be far away in another galaxy, like Andromeda, in order to see the full shape of our galactic home.

In a similar way, if you’ve never moved out, it would be difficult to appreciate what you have in your primary home. You might complain about the food, the rules, and the chores… Until you move out and there’s no one to make food, enforce rules, or do the cleaning. Sleep schedule and diet messed up, house all dirty. You’ll gain a new appreciation for home by stepping away from it.

In another similar way, it’s difficult to fully appreciate your hometown until you leave it. Your sense of identity, tied to your hometown, becomes pronounced, like an accent you never knew you had.

I grew up in California, but it was only when I moved out of state that I become a “California boy,” or “that guy from California.” I noticed all the ways that I was different. Then I could look back at my home, from a new reference point, and gain more appreciation for it.

Movement Affects Movement

I grew up breaking in California, in the early-mid-2000s, but never understood what made “California style” distinct until I moved away. As opposed to a “Bronx style” of bboying, which is a pretty distinct NYC style but I only know of from outside, California was abstract… more freezes and crazy moves, less traditional rocking. Happened to be that my arsenal was already influenced by the region, but when I moved out, I doubled down on that style, and went more abstract, more high difficulty. Then started mixing styles from what I had seen out there. They were Jookin, Flexin, Nae-Nae’ing, and overall they just got down differently. In the end, I synthesized a style which is my own.

It’s worth noting that the Norcal style of movement is different from Socal’s. It’s smoother, cooler, more raw in a way. I met some incredible Bay area dancers during my time in school, and learned a lot about movement from them. They had a different flavor, so their “accents” were more pronounced to me. Now that I think about it, I didn’t even know how to groove until I met dancers from the Bay. Bigup to the 408, 510, I see you from below.

So if you can’t move out yourself, learn from people who moved to where you are now, out-of-towners who are now in your town. Learn from how they get down, and you’ll level up.