PARIS (AP) — The journey of Olympic Breaking was a long journey that began with a vision – a vision that the early pioneers of this art form in the Bronx in the 1970s could hardly have dreamed of.
The 33 breakers from 15 countries and the Refugee Olympic Team will make their debut on Friday and Saturday and compete for gold for the for the first time in Olympic history. The B-Girls will be the first to compete against each other, individually, first in a round robin phase. They will follow the rules based on the Trivium Rating Systemwhere judges evaluate breakers on their technique, vocabulary or variety, execution, musicality and originality.
Like gymnastics, breakdance exercises have certain Movements and tricks They work to land with precision and focus, but must also emphasize their style, personality and individuality while moving to the beat of the DJ’s soundtrack.
The elements of style and individuality are reflected in the dancers’ clothing, their “signature moves” and their B-boy or B-girl names. No other Olympic sport has such a structure for identifying participants, but it’s part of preserving the culture and essence of hip-hop in the art form, says Zack Slusser, vice president of Breaking for Gold USA and USA Dance.
“Anyone who starts breaking has to understand that there is a history of expression here, especially from where it comes from,” said Slusser. Hip-hop emerged as a youth culture in black and brown communities in the Bronx as a way to Unrest and socio-economic conflicts and to make a statement of empowerment at a time when they were being branded as lost, lawless children by New York politicians.
A statement of individuality
“Hip-hop is about developing that individuality and that style, that character. You just want to make sure you’re known,” says American Jeffrey Louis, also known as “B-Boy Jeffro,” who compared the B-Boy style to signing a document.
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“Your signature is your seal of approval… your presence is known. And if you look good and feel good, you’re likely to perform well. So everything depends on that performance.”
Beyond athletic performance, it’s about identity, self-expression, personality and charisma. And the breakers will showcase all of this on stage for the jury to judge and the audience to absorb.
“I feel like I’ve been able to immerse myself in different eras,” said Logan Edra, aka “B-Girl Logistx,” of Team USA. “My style is infinite. I immerse myself in different styles and have different portals through which I can channel my style and my breaking.”
FILE – Logan Edra of the United States, known as B-Girl Logistx, competes in the World Breaking Championships in Leuven, Belgium, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File)
For Dominika Banevič, also known as “B-Girl Nicka,” from Lithuania, it was important to learn the origins of the dance and the movements of the original breakers from the 1970s. The 17-year-old is one of the youngest breakers on the squad, but for her, tradition is the most important thing.
“The beauty of breakdancing is that you can develop your own style…but you have to get the basics really good. Learn the basics first, then you can develop your own style,” she said.
The breaking competition begins
The B-Girls begin Friday with a pre-qualifying match between India Sardjoe of the Netherlands, also known as “B-Girl India,” and Manizha Talash, also known as “B-Girl Talash,” of the refugee team, who is originally from Afghanistan and has applied for asylum in Spain. Talash was a late addition to the Olympic squad – she missed the registration for the qualifying events, but her story of breaking and defying the strict rule of the Taliban in her home country caught the attention of the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board and she was invited to participate.
The B-Boys take the stage on Saturday.
Breaking’s Olympic future is uncertain
Breakdancing is not on the list of sports at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and Slusser expressed skepticism about whether it will be included in the disciplines in Brisbane in 2032. It all depends on funding.
“It was a miracle that we were in Paris at all,” he said. But for the breaking community, it’s a success worth celebrating, even if it doesn’t lead to a return to the Olympic stage.
FILE – Sunny Choi, also known as B-Girl Sunny, of the United States, competes in the B-Girl Red Bull BC One World Final at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022. Team USA’s breakers aren’t just focused on perfecting their moves, they’re also serving as ambassadors for the birthplace of a culture and way of life that is now considered an Olympic sport. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, File)
Ultimately, breakers from the U.S. and around the world hope that their Olympic debut will lead to greater visibility and resources for the breaking community through advocacy and financial gain.
“Being present with the right people who can bring real change and growth to our community and our platform will be of great importance to us. This will enable us to achieve sustainability for the first time and improve our platform,” said Slusser.
“It would be great if breakdancing were back at the Olympic Games. At the same time, it’s also about working together again and taking advantage of this opportunity internally.” ___
AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
