Andrew Byun – Breaking (Breakdance)

Andrew Byun grew up in the greater Philadelphia area, graduating from New Hope-Solebury High School. A graduate from the School of Visual Arts (SVA), with a degree in 3D animation, Andrew’s interests are as varied as his dance moves. When he’s not teaching dance, Andrew works for Game-U, overseeing educational programming for children with special needs. Andrew helps to deliver gaming & coding programs that help to develop STEAM skills in kids of all ages.

Andrew’s love of bboying (or “breakdancing” as it is commonly called) began with his family. Him, along with his older brother Eric, started teaching themselves to bboy in their basement. Without any YouTube videos or tutorials on breaking at the time, all they had was a “How to Breakdance” VHS, an Expressions Crew 2002 DVD, and their imaginations to learn from during their journey. Admittedly, Andrew was a bit shy during his childhood, and was always looking for little ways to stand out of the crowd and be different. Bboying was one of those outlets.

Some of his biggest influences were Expressions Crew, Beat Whakz, & his friends and family. Andrew recalls Ryan (Napalm from Beat Whakz) telling him, “Not to make it obvious when you make a mistake, but to play it off and keep going.” Because of those helpful words, his dance style consists of a lot of mistakes and crashes that flow from one mistake to the next, creating a fluid style. He hopes to use experiences like this to explain to his students that a dancer can learn & use mistakes to help them improve their abilities. Andrew has competed in local jams & competitions, such as Rhythmic Damage. When he isn’t dancing, you can still find him at events, such as Evolution or Silverback Open, to gain inspiration and learn from the best. Preparing and practicing for jams/performances are among his favorite memories as a bboy. A combination of hanging out with friends and crew mates, along with practicing moves, sets, and routines, is always a great time for him.

At this point, Andrew has enjoyed putting his exciting and entertaining skills on display in various venues including the Philadelphia 76ers, MLS Kicks Breast Cancer, Koresh Artist Showcases, CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia), and more. Andrew has even gotten a bit of air time in the past, having been on ABC6 and featured on Ryan Seacrest’s Instagram story.

While there are many accomplishments to be proud of, Andrew would say his proudest is his family. Him and his wife, Marin, are the proud parents of a young boy, and Andrew looks forward to being #1 Dance Dad for a long time.