By Gillian Graham
Staff Writer

    There will be plenty of spinning going on Saturday as break dance crews take to the floor.
    Crystal Plummer, owner of Eternity Dance Center, will host the “Head 2 Soul” dance jam and break dance battle Saturday night at  McArthur Hall in Biddeford. The event will feature performances by local break dancers and professional dancers from Los Angeles and London.
    Plummer said local dancers as young as 6 will show off moves they have learned both in the studio and while practicing in their neighborhoods. A “junior battle” will feature dances up to age 10, while older teens and young adults will compete separately.
    Plummer said a “battle” is a way to show off break dancing skills without influence from violence, drugs or gangs. A panel of judges selects winners from each round as teams and individuals take turns on the dance floor.
    Many of the local break dancers have been dancing for a few years and are “really good” at what they do, Plummer said. She provides studio space and free break dancing classes to encourage students to stay off the streets and out of trouble.
    “A lot of the kids in Biddeford don’t have money to go to dance studios. I want to make sure the kids who want to dance can,” she said.     “It’s a really useful tool for kids to get out their aggression instead of being violent.”
    Plummer said she is glad to provide a safe environment for dancers to rehearse. Some dancers used to practice on the sidewalks near their homes.
    Justin Quattrone, 17, of Biddeford, has been break dancing for about two and a half years. Though he has battled in competitions both in and out of the state, he has had few opportunities to perform for his friends and family in Biddeford. He encourages everyone to check out the competition, especially if they haven’t seen one before.
    “It will bring the community together and be very positive,” he said. “It will open new doors and people will probably want to join in.”
David Davis, who dances with Quattrone and six others as part of the Breakheads Crew, said the battle will be an “awesome” event for spectators to watch. The intense dance floor battles are entertaining and will expose Biddeford to a new culture, he said.
    “We hope people will come to see what else Biddeford has to offer,” he said.
Davis, 20, said families should feel comfortable attending the “clean” event because the music and dancing do not focus on profanity, gangs, violence or drugs. Instead, the emphasis is on dancing and providing a positive experience to keep kids off the streets, he said.
Before the battle, Eternity Dance students will participate in workshops with Los Angeles-based hip-hop teachers Rick Ligeon and Misty Rasconsmith and London choreographer “D7,” Plummer said. Judges for the battle include Jus1, Ape & Undu and Ligeon. There also will be multiple musical and dance performances and cash prizes.
    The battle will be 6 to 11 p.m. at McArthur Hall, 50 Adams St., Biddeford. Admission is $3 at the door. For more information, go to www.myspace.com/head2soulcrew.

    Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.