Breaking, a dance style created by Black and Puerto Rican teens at parties in New York in the 1970s, and a foundational piece of hip-hop culture, is about to have its Olympic moment.
B-boys and B-girls from across the globe will compete in dance battles that feature intricate steps, acrobatic moves and plenty of flair as breaking, which had a successful debut at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires in 2018, makes its debut on the Olympic stage at the 2024 Paris Games starting Friday.
“This is going to be the first time for our sport to be at the Olympics, so I think it gives it a fresh image,” Japanese breaker Shigekix, whose real name is Shigeyuki Nakarai, said after Team Japan’s inauguration ceremony last month.