Breaking Makes Its Olympic Debut at Paris 2024

Get ready for an electrifying display of skill and style as breaking hits the Olympic stage for the first time at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Credit: Wikipedia

What is Breaking?

[{"selector":"#anim-2b739ff9-33f2-453d-bfb7-bea92f1e0251 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-7.820737881140466%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-adc0ba72-1381-482f-b3f8-8b7d929f210f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Breaking, also known as breakdancing, is a dynamic street dance that began in the 1970s in New York City. It features intricate footwork, acrobatics, and battles set to hip-hop beats. Flight Path Credit: France 24

Olympic Debut Date and Time

[{"selector":"#anim-ec3208e3-0242-4fc7-b74b-470ed99d9291 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.246337776828504%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-01d4a1ed-f950-4e7a-9e8f-abc3cb621370","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Breaking will make its Olympic debut on Friday, July 9, at 4 PM, with the B-Girls Pre-Qualifier Battle at Parc Urbain. Flight Path Credit: Paris 2024

Global Participation in Breaking

[{"selector":"#anim-66f980e2-539f-4f31-bca5-d258ead0f263 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-29.217905279300467%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-acfc0d87-9bfe-4305-9664-06e0341b3c4d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Competitors from over ten countries, including China, Italy, and South Korea, will gather in Paris to showcase their breaking skills, proving this is a global sport. Flight Path Credit: CNN

Key Moves in Breaking

[{"selector":"#anim-368b5c38-a813-4253-a328-893154813c96 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.246337776828504%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d23da3bc-38e5-45d0-92a2-ba6a1892a186","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Breaking routines are composed of three key elements: Toprock (upright moves), Downrock (floor moves), and Freeze (acrobatic stops). Flight Path Credit: Clemson News

Judging Criteria

[{"selector":"#anim-f1cf3c12-53a1-4a5f-92dc-6fc6649433d6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-7.812499744007886%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d54a8ef7-1141-490e-848a-06ab41e53595","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Judges will evaluate breakers on Technique, Vocabulary, Execution, Musicality, and Originality—each contributing 20% to the total score. Flight Path Credit: The Conversation

The Battle Format

[{"selector":"#anim-b594cb4f-239d-40d1-a9b9-5613ebe9a903 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.531982309811784%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d985760b-5913-4419-b73a-3336af15d634","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The competition begins with a round-robin stage, where 16 b-boys and b-girls face off. The top two from each group advance to the knockout stage. Flight Path Credit: News Nation

Why Breaking in the Olympics?

[{"selector":"#anim-e118ed6e-62e9-481c-adba-7460fa95823a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.2338360930242%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cea0052a-c114-425f-a3f1-4530c85ba32a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Breaking was added to the Olympics to attract younger audiences, following its successful debut at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires. Flight Path Credit: Sortir a Paris

Breaking Brings the Party to Paris

[{"selector":"#anim-d9fec1ba-fc73-443e-bcca-3fdbff30cde8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-35.234374910402764%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4933116f-d1fe-4828-941b-6820a84cfd50","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] German b-girl Jilou says it best: "We're going to bring a party to the Olympics, because who else comes with a DJ, right. Flight Path Credit: ISPO.com