The Art of Dance - Waving

“The Art of Dance—Waving” has been in the works for over three years. Nicholas James Birakos, known as Wave-O-Matic (Waveomatic), “Waveo” or “Niko” throughout the world, wanted to create a revolutionized method to teach street dance in an engaging, revealing and dynamic manner, and for the student to achieve amazing results.

This is exactly what he accomplished in this video tutorial. His mastery of the art of waving, and his natural ability to instruct clearly and enthusiastically, makes this an exceptional and unparalleled production.

Two days before Christmas 2012, following a major dance event in Los Angeles, Niko suffered a sudden and devastating fatal heart attack leaving a major void in the lives of all those who knew him and loved him, as well as in the international dance community. Deeply missed,  numerous celebrations of his life and talent were held in many parts of the world. 

And the celebration of his life and art continue. One group of fantastic dancers who represented Greece in the world finals of the famous BOTY(Best of the Year) 2013 in Germany, have named themselves the “Wave-O-Matics” and have Nikos’ picture on their banner and insignia. They posted the following on YouTube, along with their performance video: ”Wave-O-Matics are a group of friends. They chose the name because of a very good friend, Niko Birakos AKA “Waveomatic” who passed away just a year ago. Niko “Waveomatic” Birakos visited Greece several times and he became a really close friend to the Greek dance community, giving advice and sharing his passion for the dance.”

Over the last year his Facebook and his telephone message service have been swamped with requests for the tutorial video everyone has been waiting for. 

Now, with the professional assistance of his close friends and dance buddies, David Elsewhere and Soh Tanaka, that video has finally become available. Some of the proceeds from the video will go to assist dancers and the Homeland Neighborhood Cultural Center in Long Beach where he devoted every Monday night of the past 10 years of his life teaching and assisting all who sought to develop their dance skills, no matter how young or how old they were. Homeland became a world-renowned center where people explore and pass on contemporary cultural traditions.

Niko dedicated his life to helping others, especially youth from underprivileged backgrounds. For reaching out to the youth with his “artistry and gifts to empower their dreams and artistic goals,” the City of Los Angeles honored Niko with a special presentation by the Mayor. A few days after his passing Homeland held a massive tribute for him with many dancers wearing shirts imprinted with his picture and name. A young dance group he had instructed performed especially for the family. It was apparent that the spark of enthusiasm for the dance that Niko passionately possessed had been passed on to all who were present that evening, and to all of those who had come into contact with him.

“The Art of Dance—Waving” is a masterful tutorial created in a skillful and stylish way. 

Niko, through this video, will inspire you to reach greater personal achievements, and ignite in you a stronger passion for the dance. As he often said: “Dancing is the fingerprint of the soul.”

Wave-o-Matic's Career

Niko was a most innovative dance instructor who advanced and broke new ground with the dance style known as Waving. This is a sub-style of Popping, a dancing technique or performance practiced by the world-famous entertainer Michael Jackson. Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, references “Wave-O-Matic Continuous Waving Video” to explain the dance style.

Some of the most successful dancers today have been taught by Niko, including members of America’s Best Dance Crew winners, Poreotics. He worked closely with David Elsewhere who had helped and collaborated with Michael Jackson for three years. 

Others who have been taught and have worked with Niko include Marie Pandora, Cyrus Glitch Spencer, Marquese Nonstop Scott, Chadd Smith, and many more. 

Dancers would come from many parts of the world to his “Wave Garden” in Los Angeles’ South Bay Area, to receive lessons. Many days of the week were filled with professional performers and dance enthusiasts practicing and being instructed in the Wave Garden from Germany, Great Britain, China, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Greece, Canada, and so many more places. 

Dancers taught by Niko have launched successful careers through television shows like, “So You Think You Can Dance,” and films like “Step Up 3.”

Niko had also performed for numerous events, including the legendary Radiotron, a Los Angeles scene that helped launch the street dance cultures of Break Dancing and Popping.

Sought after as an expert in the dance field, he often served as the expert judge at many national and international dance events. His deep knowledge and penetrating evaluations, as well as his outstanding ability to express himself, set him apart from others in the field.

This video tutorial exemplifies in clear and crisp detail the many talents and attributes of Niko, and his ability to impart his skills unselfishly to others.

Music Production

Niko also sought the ideal music to combine with his dancing skills in order to create the striking and comprehensive effects he sought.  Being also an electronic music producer, he turned to his keyboards in order to further push the creativity in his art form. All of the music in “The Art of Dance—Waving” video is music he wrote, played and produced. Many of the pieces have been featured on Los Angeles radio stations the past few years.

Niko’s music is available for free downloads on this site.

Beliefs

The most persistent theme that runs throughout the tutorial---and something that Niko constantly repeated and emphasized was this: “Once the fundamentals are mastered the dancer has the opportunity to create moves that allow for complete self-expression. Learn the basics well and then make the dance your own. Dance is your unique and personal self-expression. It is you!”

In the video the viewer will fully comprehend the techniques which are taught with the clearest explanations. Complicated moves are broken down to simple basics. And a drill guide with tips will rival any exercise program. Once these skills are mastered, the dancer is taken to the next level and shown how to be creative, distinctive and inventive and how to make the dance special and exclusively your own.

Waving truly becomes art in motion.

Tomorrow’s ideas today:

Niko worked very hard to find the best way to communicate with his students, to demonstrate by example, to support through positive encouragement. Every dancer, he would say, is very special and very unique. He sought to instill confidence, composure and self-control to every student. Every dancer, like a planted seed, needed nourishment, care and time. Then blossoming would be a natural result.

He pursued ways to communicate intricate and complex moves in a style and manner that is fully understood. His goal was to create a video that would do just that. The numerous lessons unfold flawlessly. His easy manner and presentation help increase the transfer of information.

The tutorial video Niko has created is for the individual who seeks to pursue the arts professionally, or for others who simply seeks to add some color and personality to their lives. Over the years he had worked with thousands of dancers. He always sought methods and skills to create realistic, but artistic procedures to help them reach their goal.

Niko felt that Waving is an intricate art form that will continue to grow and will swell like a tidal wave on the dance scene. That is why he said that although Waving had been around from the start of time its place on the dance floor will have a more dramatic impact in the days to come.

Niko emphasized that a total commitment is required by a true artist, and that included mobilizing the body, the heart and the soul.

He led and taught by example.

“Dancing is the fingerprint of the soul.” 

       --Niko (Waveomatic) Birakos

Biography

Niko Birakos was born on May 19, 1967 in Los Angeles. He left us, much too soon, on December 23, 2012 in Los Angeles.

He graduated from Torrance High School in 1985 and went directly to the American College, Deree, in Athens, Greece, for two years. He majored in psychology.

In 1987 he returned to Los Angeles to complete his studies in local colleges and university, changed his major to computer sciences and obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Kensington University. 

Niko was a California accredited instructor for Postsecondary Educational Institutions with an expertise in Microcomputer Applications and  Networking and Telecommunications. When he became a Microsoft Systems Computer Engineer his accreditation examination score was the highest ever at Microsoft.

He taught computer science at Maric College, Kaplan College and the Computer Educational Institute. To many of his students he was simply known as The Professor, and many still referred to him as such.

But while computers were his deep love he also embraced with faithful dedication a style of dance now known as “waving.”  But he did not simply embrace the dance, he studied its roots and history through ancient civilizations like the Sumerian in Mesopotamia, and classical Greece, and through ballets like Swan Lake as well as the modern practices and style. 

He developed a deep passion for this danced style because it drew on historical developments and was adorned with intricate movements and artistry. Over the past two decades Niko became one of the most influential and innovative dance instructors in the world. He is widely recognized as the person who perfected the style of waving.

A review of Facebook clearly shows the thousands of testimonials and expressions of love and admiration from all over the world which were immediately posted for Niko within hours of his passing.

Known internationally as Niko “Wave-O-Matic” Birakos (since it was noted years ago that he waved like an automatic machine) the internet went viral overnight with knowledge of his passing, and thousands of photographs, video clips and testimonials were posted. The day after his passing a gathering at the L.A. Forum was held by his friends, students and fellow dancers. Seven more such testimonial events were held throughout the area, including a massive event in Long Beach at the Homeland Cultural Center.

Tributes to Niko were held concurrently during the week of his passing  in Germany, China, Mexico and Greece, and more were planned. His one and one-half hour interview for China television was aired the week of his passing.

Niko taught dancers from around the world and had been a judge and critic at local, national and  international dance events and competitions. His intimate knowledge and experience of the dance set him apart from others in the field because he implemented innovative methods and achieved outstanding results. 

Niko was finalizing a long-awaited instructional video (“The Art of Dance: Waving”) which was set to be released the month of his untimely passing—and it is now released through the help of his friends, becoming a tribute to Niko and his art.

Niko also wrote, played and recorded music, all of which is in the tutorial video. His music was featured by radio stations in Southern California.

For 10 years of his life Niko taught waving and dancing every Monday night in Long Beach at the Homeland Cultural Center. The Los Angeles City Council commemorated this achievement with a special presentation to Niko by now-Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, stating: “For your efforts in reaching out to our youth through your artistry and gift to empower their dreams and artistic goals. With gratitude for your devotion of service to the people of Los Angeles” – Los Angeles City Council, Eric Garcetti, President.

Niko had been quoted internationally for things that he had said to his students and fellow dancers. One of his quotes especially has been appearing everywhere: “Dance is the fingerprint of the soul.”

Niko left us far too soon. May his memory be eternal.