One of the most common is never to say “good luck” before a show, since everyone knows uttering the phrase is, in fact, very bad luck. Actors say “break a leg” instead. But since that phrase isn't exactly dance-friendly, you and your dance friends probably tell each other “merde” before taking the stage.
It's partly a superstition and partly a tradition. You're supposed to say “break a leg” to an actor, “bump a nose” to a circus performer, “merde” -- the vulgar French word for, let's just say, manure -- to a dancer, and either “toi toi toi” or “in bocca al lupo” to an opera singer.
“Break a leg” origin. The phrase is believed to be rooted in the theatre community, which is known to be a bit superstitious. Performers believed saying “good luck” would actually bring bad luck on stage, so they'd tell one another to “break a leg” instead. That way, the opposite would happen.
Dancers would say “Merde” to each other before taking the stage as a way to warn each other when animal poop had gotten on the floor they were about to perform on. Now years later, it's our way of saying good luck/perform well/“break a leg.”
The Origins of “Merde”
Saying “merde” became a way to tell your fellow dancers to have a good show for the packed audience. According to Rhodes-Stevens, “When dancers say 'merde' to one another, they are wishing each other a full and approving audience.” The practice eventually spread worldwide.
“More or less the same as telling actors to "break a leg". If wishing people good fortune is tempting fate, then, logically, wishing them ill is likely to also bring about the contrarian result. Since telling dancers to "break a leg" is, well, kind of creepy, we say, "Merde".
Among professional dancers, the traditional saying is not "break a leg", but the French word "merde".
Ballet dancers also have a version to “break a leg,” which is, shall we say, a little more “colourful”. Dancers blurt out “Merde!” before going out on stage as a way of disarming pre-performance jitters.
If you were to tell the actor to “break a leg,” you were wishing them the opportunity to perform and get paid. The sentiment remains the same today; the term means “good luck, give a good performance.”
Saying Break a leg! to someone before an important event means you hope that he or she does well or has a great show. It is most common in the theatre, where actors say it to each other or family and friends say it to actors before taking the stage. The standard response to Break a leg! is Thanks!
The idiom 'Break a leg' is usually used in theater to wish good luck to actors before they go up on stage. Example of use: “Danny's family told him to “break a leg” right before he went up on stage.”
Good luck with your driving test. Break a leg is used in informal English when we wish someone good luck, especially before a performance. We usually say "Break a leg" to actors and musicians before they go on stage to perform, but it can be used as for other situations too.
b-boys / b-girls
Even though there are different historical definitions of the terms 'b-boy' and 'b-girl', in general, a b-boy or b-girl is someone who practises the dance of breaking, and also follows and lives the hip-hop culture and lifestyle.
Or if, as with the theater world, saying “good luck” is actually bad luck. However, Miss Manners does not recommend the traditional theatrical saying — “Break a leg!” — to athletes, for obvious reasons.
The dance itself is called "breaking." The terms "b-boy" ("break-boy"), "b-girl" ("break-girl"), and "breaker" were the original terms used to describe the dancers who performed to DJ Kool Herc's breakbeats.
The first mention of “Break a leg” was recorded in print by Robert Wilson Lynd in 1921. An urbane literary essayist, he wrote an article, “A Defence of Superstition,” about the prevalence of superstition in the theatre and horse racing.
Away from the stage, the dancers are primarily concerned with comfort and keeping their muscles warm, which prevents injury. Dancers wearing one leg warmer are usually coddling a niggling injury in that leg. Moon boots are used to protect pointe shoes when the dancers are outside the studio.
break dancing, also called breaking and B-boying, energetic form of dance, fashioned and popularized by African Americans and Latinos, that includes stylized footwork and athletic moves such as back spins or head spins.
“You showed us great facial expressions, they matched with the music.” “Lovely choreography and song choice, we love that you perform with your facial expressions as well – this is engaging for the audience.” “Good energy and expression! Your facial expressions were great – it was very engaging to watch.”
Graceful, mesmerising, synchronised, expressive, heart-touching, creative, exemplary, beautiful, alluring and flawless are some of the appreciation words and compliments that dancers would love to hear!