Breakdancing, also known as breaking, made a successful debut at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where it drew more than 1 million viewers, considerably outperforming many other sports. The Olympics called it an “outstanding success,” and now the organizers and competitors seek to bring that charm to the greatest platform in sports.
“This is a chance for us to grow and educate people on breaking,” Jeffrey Louis (B-Boy Jeffro), told NBC Olympics. Louis, the fifth-ranked B-boy in the world, is considered a favorite for one of the remaining spots on the U.S. Olympic team.
Breaking joins other newer sports, including surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing. These three were added to the Olympic program for the first time at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
The inclusion of these sports on the official Olympics roster is an attempt by the International Olympic Committee to target a younger audience, as “all four are easy to take up and participants form communities that are very active on social media,” according to the Paris Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) believes that millions of children around the world will be inspired to take up the sports.
“If we get it right, we can create something unstoppable,” Louis said. “We can’t let it pass us up again, because the first time breaking blew up, it fizzled out.”
What is breakdancing or breaking?
According to the Paris Olympics, the dance-battle sport is “characterized by acrobatic movements, stylized footwork, and the key role played by the DJ and the MC (master of ceremonies) during battles.”
The sport’s techniques include top rock (standing footwork) and down rock (moves on the floor), power moves (twists and spins), and the freeze, which involves breakers freezing in poses while supporting themselves with their heads or hands.
Breaking competition structure in the Paris Olympics 2024
The breaking competition in Paris will be divided into two events, one for women and one for men, and will take place on August 9 and 10 in La Concorde Urban Park.
According to the Paris Olympics, 16 B-boys and 16 B-girls will face off in “spectacular solo battles.”
According to the Paris Olympics, the contestants will showcase their greatest moves as they try to keep up with the pace of the DJ’s tracks, improvising to stay alive in the dance fight with a combination of “power moves,” such as windmills, the 6-step, and freezes.
The judges will then vote, paving the way for the first medal winners in Olympic history.
The United States will be represented by four breakers—two B-boys and two B-girls—who will fight in solitary battles for gold.
So far, two American breakers have qualified: Sunny Choi (B-Girl Sunny) and Victor Montalvo (B-Boy Victor).