On 9 and 10 August, just before the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, the vibrant final of a sporadic but new dance competition took place at the urban park of Place de la Concorde in Paris, marking the first Olympic medals in the sport.

Following the first appearances of skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing at Tokyo 2020, as well as other historically street disciplines like BMX freestyle and 3x3 basketball, the Paris Olympics opened the door to breaking after its debut at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2018.

The inclusion of breaking has introduced a new element to the Olympic Games, increasingly embracing urban and street styles. Since its confirmation as part of the Olympic program in 2020, the world's best breakers have been vying to claim the first medals during the final and hectic weekend of the Olympic event.

Snoop’s special touch

During this Paris edition, the organizing committee sought to infuse French culture into the event. They incorporated a moment reminiscent of the classic French theater tradition where someone strikes the stage floor three times with a stick just before a performance begins, to capture the audience's attention before the curtain rises.

Just minutes before the curtain rose on the breaking event, a familiar face appeared before the audience—a certain Snoop Dogg—, who whipped the crowd into a frenzy as the 'godfather' of this hip-hop branch's Olympic debut. The veteran rapper set the stage ablaze for an audience uncertain of what to expect from this new event, injecting much-needed energy into the atmosphere.

Apart from the triumphant entrance of the iconic American rapper, the performance started slow but gained momentum. The early rounds elicited laughs on social media, but the later rounds showcased a full display of rapid, agile, and creative moves. However, the wave of doubts that began on social media sparked a debate among the audience about whether breaking genuinely and appropriately fits within the Olympic context.

Earth, swallow me whole

Ultimately, there is, and continues to be, a breeze of controversy over the 'utility' of breaking in the Olympics, leaving many to debate whether this sport truly belongs in the Games. This sentiment was fueled by the oldest competitor among the dancers: the Australian breakdancer, Raygun.

The routine of 36-year-old Rachael Gunn quickly went viral—not for jaw-dropping dance moves but rather for the discomfort of her performance—and ended in a way that the audience found uncoordinated. Memes then flood social media. Interestingly, Gunn, whose stage name is Raygun, holds a university doctorate in cultural studies with a focus on the cultural politics of breakdance.

The video, captured during her face-off with France's Syssy in the second round, shows Raygun moving as if she were an "improviser," as some described her on social media. With her hand on her chin, in a routine described as confusing and chaotic, she ended her performance with faint laughter, but she appeared unbothered. Unsurprisingly, the Aussie failed to score points in any of her three matchups. 

"What I wanted to do was come here and do something new, different, and creative; that's my strength, my creativity... I was always the one with the fewest chances to win, and I wanted to leave my mark in a different way," the now famous breaker admitted in a later interview.

Respect, euphoria, and magic at La Concorde

Outside of this controversy, it's essential to acknowledge that this marks the first time an urban dancesport discipline has entered the Olympic program. Indeed, breaking—or breakdance, as it's commercially known—made its Olympic debut at Paris 2024. This dance, which is part of hip-hop culture, brings a fresh, exciting, and energetic representation through the display of the surprising moves that define this style.

A total of 32 athletes, all of whom had to be born before December 31, 2008, competed for the first-ever gold medal in Olympic breaking. In the end, only a select few claimed victory, though six athletes walked away with medals.

The United States, where breaking originated in the 1970s and a cradle of breaking talent, was a frontrunner but ended up with only a bronze medal, earned by Mexican-American B-Boy Victor. The current world champion rose to fame during the Red Bull BC One Tampa Cypher in 2011.

Conversely, Japan and France—two other newer breaking powerhouses—lived up to expectations. The favorite in the women's category, B-Girl Ami, who had recently won gold at the World Games in July 2022, secured the Olympic championship by defeating Nicka, one of the evening's biggest surprises.

Gradually, other countries also proved that their athletes were ready for battle. Case in point: Chinese B-Girl 671 (Liu Qingyi) took bronze after defeating B-Girl India (India Sardjoe) of the Netherlands to the rhythm of "Boom" by The Roots.

Meanwhile, Canadian Philip Kim, known as B-Boy Phil Wizard, delivered an absolutely spectacular performance to give the silver away to France's Danis Civil and claim the first-ever Olympic throne in men's breaking.

Kim's essence and supernatural aesthetic, along with his smooth transitions and boundless energy, overwhelmed local favorite B-Boy Dany Dann, crushing him with a resounding 3-0 in the final. As previously mentioned, Victor Montalvo, B-Boy Victor, claimed the bronze after winning one of the most closely contested battles against Japan's B-Boy Shigekix.

Is the future of breakdancing in question?

Austrian business philosopher Peter Drucker once said in one of his many talks, "The best way to predict your future is to create it." That's precisely what Paris sought to do, embracing modernity and cutting the ribbon on a new street sport with a massive following.

However, the debate is on. In light of the criticism, it seems the public has left the ball in the court of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to decide the future of breaking at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond. For the naysayers, it would be essential to explain that all new things have minor flaws; what is important is to learn and fix them. Of course, the respect between competitors was a key factor. It was heartwarming to see them applaud and embrace each other every time a move stole the spotlight.

On the flip side, many still question the legitimacy of this sport, and it wouldn't be surprising to see changes ahead of future Olympic Games. Despite this, when breaking is showcased at the highest level, it is undeniably a discipline that leaves the average spectator utterly captivated.