They are often used as transitions between moves, to emphasize a dancer’s style, or to conclude a sequence of movements. Breaking passed further stages of approval in 2019 from separate decisions by the IOC board and full membership. It’s eligible for inclusion because it’s considered a discipline of dancesport, which is recognized by the IOC.

• According to RedBull, breakers started to perform across the country and overseas during the 1970s and 1980s.
• The origins of breaking are somewhat debatable, although most agree its roots can be traced to 1970s house parties in the Bronx area of New York hosted by DJ Kool Herc, the founder of hip-hop.
• Each throw down features a best-of-three, one-on-one contest of approximately one minute — when one breaker finishes their round, their opponent instantly begins their routine in battle format.

What’s the international landscape in Olympic breaking?

Though hip-hop is the soundtrack for every battle, competitors don’t know ahead of time what style or tempo of music the DJ will made a post play during each round. The top performers are able to both practice and prepare specific combinations of moves, but then adapt to the style of the music. 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. The 21st century has seen breaking achieve new heights of recognition and respect.

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It’s a story of how a marginalized art form, born out of the need for self-expression, grew to capture the imagination of the world. However, as breaking steps onto the Olympic stage, it will be crucial to maintain a connection to its roots. The challenge will be to embrace the opportunities that come with Olympic recognition while preserving the culture, creativity, and community spirit that have always been at the heart of breaking. These debates reflect the complex nature of breaking, which straddles the line between art and sport.

DJs are essential figures in the music and entertainment industry, often performing at clubs, parties, festivals, and radio stations. Lisa Evers with FOX 5 New York was one of the first news reporters to explore the phenomenon, saying dance moves were performed outdoors on the sidewalks, parking lots, or empty spaces on the streets. NEW YORK – The 2024 Olympics being held in Paris added a few events this time around.

This innovation laid the groundwork for the dance style known as breaking, as b-boys and b-girls began to groove specifically to these extended breaks. Throughout the 1980s the phenomenon garnered international exposure via music videos and movies such as Flashdance (1983), Breakin’ (1984) and Beat Street (1984). However, breakers never add “dance” on the end, as this term came from outsiders rather than the hip-hop community, as one of the breaking pioneers Crazy Legs has pointed out. Unlike many Olympic sports—equestrian, modern pentathlon, gymnastics with its impenetrable point system—breaking is pretty easy to follow! On both the men’s side, 16 breakers from all over the world face off in a one-day tournament; with the addition of Manizah Talash, of the Refugee Olympic Team, to the competition, there will be 17 breakers on the women’s side. The competitors are broken up into groups, and each breaker battles the other dancers in their pool.

As in any creative sport, there are inevitable questions about scoring in breaking. Indeed, there is always going to be a substantial degree of subjectivity, but not drastically more than in established Olympic sports like gymnastics, synchronised swimming or figure skating. Bizarrely, Paris 2024 may well be the only time we will see breaking in the Olympics in the foreseeable future, although the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) is determined to ensure it returns in Brisbane 2032.