August 9th 2024.
Canada's Phil Wizard is one of the top contenders for a gold medal at the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. However, the inclusion of a new sport, Breaking, has left fans feeling conflicted and underwhelmed.
Breaking, which is the first dancesport discipline in the history of the Summer Olympics, will be hosted at the Place de la Concorde over the next two days. While some are excited to see this new addition, others have expressed their discontent and sparked controversy and debate leading up to the Games.
But what exactly is Breaking and why has it caused such a stir? Breaking is an urban dance style that originated from hip-hop culture in the United States. It involves four types of movements - top-rock, down-rock, power moves, and freezes. The competition will feature two gender-based medal events for 16 men and 16 women, with participants known as "B-Boys" and "B-Girls" competing in solo battles. The winner of each battle is determined by a panel of judges based on their points and rounds.
While Breaking has gained popularity and recognition in the hip-hop community, some Olympic fans are not convinced that it should be classified as a sport. Others have raised concerns about the potential for judging scandals, citing past controversies in events such as Gymnastics and Figure Skating. Some have even expressed disappointment after watching preliminary Breaking events, feeling that their preferred B-Boy or B-Girl did not win.
These concerns are also shared by members of the hip-hop community in Paris. Mathis, a 16-year-old breakdancer, believes that the pressure to perform well may limit the creativity and spontaneity of the dancers. Anne Nguyen, a dancer and choreographer, worries about the emphasis on scoring and planning in Breaking, which goes against the essence of hip-hop culture. Bruce Ykanji, founder of the annual street dance event Juste Debout, argues that hip-hop cannot be considered a sport and that the decision to include Breaking is a lack of appreciation for the culture.
So why did the Olympics choose to introduce Breaking for the Paris 2024 Games? According to Professor Claire Warden from Loughborough University, who specializes in performance and physical culture, Breaking can be considered both a sport and a performance art. She believes that the Olympics should not be limited to traditional athletic events and that other sports like synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics also blur the lines between sport and performance art. The addition of Breaking is seen as a way to attract a wider audience and stay relevant in an ever-changing world.
In the end, despite the mixed reactions and controversy, Breaking has officially broken its way into the Olympics. Whether it will be a success or not remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure - it will certainly bring a new and dynamic element to the Games.
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