Five stories about the Olympic Games in Paris that you should know – from security checks to Simone Biles
The Paris Olympics are just around the corner. Here’s what you need to know about the first post-pandemic Games.
Every four years, the Summer Olympics put some of the oldest known sports in the spotlight – disciplines such as athletics or wrestling, whose roots go back more than a century.
But in recent years, new and exciting sports have been introduced at the Olympic Games. And this is where breaking comes into play.
Breaking, better known as breakdancing, is part of a new wave of sports introduced by the International Olympic Committee as part of a broader effort to appeal to younger fans and bring an urban feel to the Summer Games. It follows the inclusion of sports such as skateboarding and surfing, which made their debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Since when is breaking an Olympic sport?
Breaking is the only new sport at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and was not included in the original sports program for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
This means that breakdancing could well be a one-off discipline at the Olympic Games.
How does Olympic breakdancing work? What are the rules?
At the Olympics, the men’s and women’s breaking competitions consist of a series of one-on-one battles in which each b-boy or b-girl attempts to impress a panel of nine judges by executing a variety of moves. There are several rounds per competition, and in each round, competitors attempt to throw in power moves – acrobatic spins, flips and the like – while also incorporating so-called “top rocking,” or dance elements performed while standing. They are also judged on criteria such as “musicality” and “vocabulary,” which reflect how they interact with the music.
Although hip-hop is the soundtrack of each battle, the contestants do not know in advance what style or tempo the DJ will play in each round. The best contestants can practice and prepare certain combinations of moves, but then adapt to the style of the music. Creativity is one of the main criteria for judging, which is quite subjective.
Who are Team USA’s best breaking athletes?
Victor Montalvo, who competes as B-Boy Victor, qualified for Paris by winning the 2023 World Championships in Belgium. He has been competing for more than a decade and is widely considered one of the best competition breakers in the world. B-Boy Jeffro will be the other American in the field after snagging a late qualifying spot.
Sunny Choi (or B-Girl Sunny) and Logan Edra (or B-Girl Logistx) will represent Team USA in the women’s competition. Choi won the 2023 Pan American Games, while Edra has had success in the past at Red Bull’s international breaking competition BC One.
What does the international landscape in Olympic breaking look like?
Breaking was born in the Bronx, New York, so it should come as no surprise that the United States is one of the sport’s dominant powers. But Japan, led by veteran b-boy Shigekix, is also consistently at the top of the pack and will likely win at least one breaking medal in Paris. Canada, China, France and the Netherlands could also see their rivals in the medal race.
How to watch Breaking at the Olympics
The breakdancing competitions at the 2024 Paris Games will all be broadcast live on E! The women’s competition is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. ET on Friday and conclude with the finals at 2 p.m. ET. The men’s competition will take place at the same time on Saturday.
