Paul Vincent Ruma (Anthropology) returned to Harvard University as an invited speaker on October 15, 2026, for Floor Lords at 45: Breaking as a Living Knowledge System.
Ruma co-led a lecture and discussion with internationally recognized Breaking practitioner and DJ Lino “Lean Rock” Delgado, examining Breaking as a cultural knowledge system through lineage, embodied knowledge, cultural memory, and intergenerational transmission. The presentation also featured their work through Scholars of Style, a practitioner-led publishing initiative dedicated to documenting and preserving Hip Hop's foundational knowledge through publications including These Are the Breaks! and Don't Stop the Rock!.
Presented by the Marcyliena H. Morgan Hip Hop Archive & Research Initiative at the Hutchins Center and Office for the Arts Dance Program, the event coincided with the 45th anniversary of Boston's Floor Lords Crew. Ruma and Delgado previously delivered Breaking Boundaries: The Global Impact of Hiphop's Original Dance at Harvard in March 2024.
