Talk Bronx New York

A semicircle formed around James Henry Geddie, better known as Chubbs, as he placed his hands on the worn brown tiles of the subway platform and began to spin. The spectators at the 125th Street station in Harlemwatched him scissor-kicking his legs as he tossed his weight effortlessly from hand to hand.

Mr. Geddie, 19, popped up after a minute, pleased with his performance. “I learned from the best,” he said. He was immediately followed by one of the spectators, who wasn’t a random subway rider, but another break dancer. In fact, everyone around Chubbs was a dancer, soaking up his impromptu lesson.

Angel Izepia, who is 14, tried to imitate Chubbs’s moves but had trouble holding himself up on his hands for more than a few turns.

“You got to whip your legs around,” Chubbs said.

No money was collected during the short session on the platform, but for the dancers, nearly all from the same few blocks in the South Bronx, it was a chance to bond and share knowledge.