On Aug. 9, breakdancing flipped the script, turning head spins into headlines with its Olympic debut.
Breaking, also known as breakdancing, emerged out of New York City in 1973 when Bronx musician Clive Campbell, otherwise known as DJ Kool Herc, emceed his sister’s dance party. The disc jockey would extend a song’s percussive breaks, making for a revolutionary style of music.
This discovery earned DJ Kool Herc the nickname “the father of hip hop” and inspired crowds to embrace the new dance craze. Breaking flourished from there, sprouting dance battles across all five city boroughs.
The sport has made it all the way to the city of Paris, being the only event to debut at the 2024 Summer Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) introduced the sport “as part of a broader effort to appeal to younger fans and add an urban flair to the Summer Games,” according to USA Today.
Thirty-two breakers, 16 men and 16 women, qualified for the Olympics this summer. There were two breaking events, one for men and one for women.
Each breaker competes in a one-on-one battle and must perform for a panel of nine judges. They get scored on the five categories of technique, execution, musicality, vocabulary and originality, all worth 20% of their overall score.
Unfortunately for the IOC, breaking didn’t receive the warm embrace they expected. While a smashing success at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, the sport’s public reception this year was filled with ridicule, the opposite of that in Argentina.
The immense backlash started following a performance by an Australian female breakdancer, Rachael Gunn, known as “Raygun” on the stage. Gunn managed to earn a score of zero points in all three of her Olympic dance battles.
Sophomore Ruby Febbo of Middletown criticized the quality of Gunn’s performance and its lack of professionalism.
“When I was younger, I used to wonder if one day I could be an Olympian,” said Febbo, “After watching that performance, it seems pretty easy.”
Febbo isn’t alone in her opinion. Millions of Olympic fans have fled to social media, spreading thousands of memes and hate posts across all platforms. Adjectives like untalented, undeserving and unskilled are all words that frequent comments regarding Gunn.
Many have even come for Gunn’s qualifications, bringing attention to what made Australia send her to the Olympics. As well as a practicing professional dancer, Gunn also has a doctorate in culture studies and contemporary music from Macquarie University.
The controversy seems to have overshadowed the true stars of breaking: gold medalists Phil Wizard of Canada and Ami Yuasa of Japan. Needless to say, breaking will not be seen in the 2028 summer games in Los Angeles. Instead, baseball, softball, cricket and lacrosse will be reintroduced, with squash and flag football making their Olympic debut. Breaking most likely will not reappear for a while, if ever.
“To be honest, I really had hope for [breaking],” said Febbo, “But this year? That was not it.”
