Breaking through to troubled youth

Shaved head, stocky build, easy laugh – Stephen Leafloor certainly lives up to his stage name. Even as a 52-year-old father of three, "Buddha" can still do a back handspring and land in the splits.

The self-proclaimed "b-boy for life" has been breakdancing for 30 years, founding the Canadian Floor Masters in 1983 and opening for Grandmaster Flash, James Brown and Ice-T.

Having the right mix of empathy and street cred has also served him well as a social worker and architect of Blue Print For Life, a five-day program that brings healing through hip hop. Since 2005, Mr. Leafloor and his crew of b-boys, rappers and DJs have travelled to 40 Northern communities, teaching kids how to do backspins while connecting them with their elders and traditional culture.