The 33rd Olympics Competition will include ‘Breaking’ (aka Break Dancing) for the first time as a medal competition at the Paris 2024 games. Break dancers from around the world will show their incredible strength, agility, performance and competitive acumen starting with the ladies on Friday, August 9th, 2024. Breaking appeared during the Olympic Youth Games in 2018, and although recognized as a competitive sport in 2024, it was not accepted for the 2028 games in Los Angeles. Therefore, some of the performers seen this year may not be competing in eight years.
Breaking has come a long way since street dancing stepped up its game and became a challenge for rivals to outperform each other on the streets of New York in the 1970’s. This writer was there, hanging out in the Bronx, watching the ‘boyz in my hood’ compete on the asphalt and eventually putting down cardboard making their moves easier to do and safer for their bodies. Over time dancers moved onto gymnasium floors and that created even more opportunities to do grand athletics safely. Watching the dance challenges of 50 years ago evolve internationally to become an Olympic sport has been awesome for me. I admire the physical strength, coordination, timing, and performance skills that it takes to do the ‘breaking’ that the world will see the weekend of August 9th to the 11th, 2024.
You can check the Olympic schedules HERE, just put ‘Breaking’ in the search filter for show times.
Video Courtesy of PBS News
Breakdancing Exhibition video Courtesy of FTV
