By: Lily Han
The DJ is up spinning music with a mesmerizing beat, but it’s what is on stage that’s really eye-catching. Athletes leap around, they twist and whirl – every move is unpredictable.
“Breaking” is a style of competitive dance, athletes strike out moves, contort poses, and manipulate their body while the DJ spins background music.
This dance first made its entrance into the USA in the form of hip-hop culture on the streets of New York, over 5 decades ago. It originated from Black and Hispanic communities as a way to battle out tense gang rivalries in the 1970s. Instead of actually having to fight, early practitioners danced the battle out. Thanks to the growing popularity of hip hop in the 80s breaking experienced a burst in audience growth, and was featured in media including movies like “Wild Style”, “Beat Street”, “Breakin”, and its well-known sequel, “Breaking 2: Electric Boogaloo.” In the 1990s, breaking started shaping into what we know it as today. Breakers started acknowledging its cultural impression, introducing collaborations, and judged competitions. Breaking continues to develop and make more influence on modern dance.
In the 2024 Paris Olympics, 32 B-Boys and B-Girls will compete for the title at La Concorde on the 9th and 10th of August. The current schedule is displayed below (times are in ET).
Friday, August 9
10 a.m.–12:10 p.m.: Women’s qualification
2 p.m.: Women’s quarterfinal 1
2:07 p.m.: Women’s quarterfinal 2
2:14 p.m.: Women’s quarterfinal 3
2:22 p.m.: Women’s quarterfinal 4
2:45 p.m.: Women’s semifinal 1
2:52 p.m.: Women’s semifinal 2
3:15 p.m.: Women’s bronze-medal battle
3:23 p.m.: Women’s gold-medal battle
Saturday, August 10
10 a.m.–12:10 p.m.: Men’s qualification
2 p.m.: Men’s quarterfinal 1
2:07 p.m.: Men’s quarterfinal 2
2:14 p.m.: Men’s quarterfinal 3
2:22 p.m.: Men’s quarterfinal 4
2:45 p.m.: Men’s semifinal 1
2:52 p.m.: Men’s semifinal 2
3:15 p.m.: Men’s bronze-medal battle
3:23 p.m.: Men’s gold-medal battle
There will also be live parties to watch the B-boys and B-girls in New York.
Like gymnastics or figure skating, breaking will be scored by a panel of nine judges who will score breaking teams based off the following 5 factors:
● Execution: The cleanness of each move, precision and control of movement (hopefully nobody slips or trips)
● Musicality: Corresponding movements to the beat and rhythm of the music
● Originality: Creativity of the piece/routine and it’s moves (no copycats here)
● Technique: Skill level in the moves presented
● Vocabulary: Variation of moves used
Up for Team USA will be 2 B-boys and 2 B-girls. In the women’s competition, there is 35-yr old Sunny Choi, nicknamed “B-Girl Sunny”, and 21-yr old Logan “Logistx” Edra. Victor Maldavo, “B-Boy Victor”, a 30-yr old, and 29 year-old Jeffrey Louis, “B-Boy Louis” will represent Team USA in the Paris 2024 breaking Olympics event. In total, there will be 16 men and 16 women competing this year.
Update: V. Maldavo won Bronze on the 10th of August for the USA team.