The world of sport is buzzing with excitement and debate as breaking – a competitive form of breakdancing – prepares to make its Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games! 💃
Breakdancing, AKA “breaking”, has been a staple of urban culture for decades, but its inclusion in the Olympics is something new! ⭐️.
The road to Paris was paved by the success of breaking at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2018. Breakdancing’s debut in the Olympics will be groundbreaking! 🫨
Dance Communities Are Thrilled To See The Doors To New Opportunities!
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One of the athletes from Team USA, Jeffrey Louis, even wrote a letter to the International Olympic Committee to persuade them to include breakdancing in the games.
Although he did not receive any response, it serves as a testament to the passion and dedication within the breaking community!
Many in the community see the Olympics as a historic opportunity to showcase their art on a global stage.
They believe that it will ultimately benefit the sport and culture by attracting new audiences and participants, as well as recognition for the art.
Dancing An Art Form Or A Sport? It’s Hard To Define…
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Dance is not just physical movement; it is a form of expression, communication, and storytelling.
This artistic element of dance sets it apart from traditional sports, which focus primarily on physical competition.
Rather than trying to categorize dance as either a sport or an art form, we should embrace its complexity and recognize the multiple facets that make it unique.
“ I Describe Breaking As Both A Sport And Performance Art” – Professor Warden
He added “It’s extremely athletic but it’s also performative in that it is artistic. There will always be events at the Olympics that look at who can run the fastest, who can swim the fastest, and so on, but I don’t think that we should restrict sports to these types of events.” Said Professor Warden.
Professor Gary Burnett, an expert in digital creativity in the School of Design and Creative Arts, was deeply involved in breakdancing in the 1980s, even reaching a semi-professional level.
“I think the inclusion of breaking at the Olympics is just brilliant. It’s a very athletic sport”, said Professor Burnett.
USA’s Sunny Choi, Logan Edra, Jeffrey Louis and Victor Montalvo’s Journey To Paris Was Not Easy
These dancer was required to prove themselves at three different competitions: the 2023 WDSF World Championships, the continental championships, and the four-month-long Olympic Qualifier Series.
The process was gruelling, but these talented dancers persevered and have officially qualified to break at the Olympics! 👏
Breakdancing: Both Sports & An Art Form?
While some may argue that breakdancing is no longer an art form but a sport, this dichotomy is unnecessary.
Martial arts, gymnastics, and figure skating are all recognized as both sports and art forms, and breakdancing should be no different.
They all use 5,6,7,8 when counting down too! 🤔
A Head-to-Head Intense Battle In The Olympics?
The format of the Olympic competition is very straightforward: 16 B-boys and 16 B-girls will battle it out.
The last 14 will be decided by the top-ranked 80 breakers at the dedicated Olympic qualifier series in Shanghai in May and Budapest in June.
To make the competition diverse, the Olympic Committee has limited each country to a maximum of two B-boys and two B-girls, while introducing two universal places that provide opportunities to smaller and emerging nations.
One thing to be certain as the new doors of opportunity for the historic moment for breakdancers of Team USA, and the global breaking community, will be dancing their way into the hearts of millions.
Recognising The Origins And Culture Of Breaking
With Breakdancing added to the Olympics, the IOC seem to be embracing the underground roots of breaking, marking a significant shift in the perception of the urban culture, and understanding the rebellious attitude in the genre.
Breaking into the Olympics will surely be an exciting and historic moment for the dance community. With its unique blend of athleticism, creativity, and energy, breaking is set to captivate audiences all around.
If you’re interested in watching it, tune in on August 9 and 10 to witness this special celebration of Breaking’s Olympic debut. 💪
Be sure to do your homework if you have never watched a breaking contest, terms like “turtle freeze”, “six-steps”, and “coin drop”. 🧐
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