It’s called a cipher. A whirlpool of people gravitate into a tight circle around a linoleum mat where break-dancers, poppers and those that do the boogaloo recreate a street-corner pastime of the 1970s and 1980s, according to SF State Junior Darren “D-Funk” Arce, of the popper crew, Artificial Intelligence.

Thursday of last week, the Malcolm X Plaza stage showcased multiple break-dance crews and popper soloists who performed head-spins, hopping one-arm handstands and rolling boogaloo moves where the body mimicked an eggbeater.

The event was organized by three SF State students: DJ Gabe “Del Rokz” Delacruz, Mandeep, and Coby of the BSU. “What you are seeing here was put together by students for students,” Delacruz said.

Artificial Intelligence popper and SF State kinesiology major Benjamin “Benji” Mangubat said popping is “a test to let your imagination take over your body.”

When the imagination inspires students to dance on the smooth linoleum floors of the campus hallways, they sometimes are ticketed by campus police; evidence that “we need a place to dance,” according to DJ Del Rokz.

SF State junior Haj Miyagi honed his popping skills in the malls of Okinawa, Japan, the only place that he could dance after school because all the houses were too small. (WHEN?)

In the open-air cipher around the 10-by-10 linoleum square, Haj aped moves of a masterfully coordinated Jacob’s Ladder, as he linked a fluid sequence of popping styles.

Popper and SF State freshman, Dara was scouting the boy’s moves for style inspiration. “I see it, imitate it, change it so I’m not biting…[and] make it more feminine.”

She tells other girls to “just do it,” if they’re thinking of popping.

According to SF State Business Major Andrew Pondac, also known as Solo B-boy, this “just do it” attitude has taken the culture of break-dancing from mainstream to the underground.

“In 1978 to 1980 it really blew up,” he said. However, it reached a crescendo from 1986 to 1987, when there was so much hype around break-dancing that there were ciphers around cardboard mats on every street-corner.

The culture remains underground in comparison to its past, yet an SF State break-dancing club is just forming now, according to DJ Del Rokz.