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Why is breaking debuting in the Olympics?

3 Team USA Olympians break down how the sport is bringing fresh energy to the highest stage of sports competition

Why is breaking debuting in the Olympics?

3 Team USA Olympians break down how the sport is bringing fresh energy to the highest stage of sports competition

That's all I can see that. It's *** party. Just add *** little competitive environment to it. And you got yourself *** battle from block parties in the Bronx to the international stage. Breaking has taken the world by storm. You know, it's bigger, faster, stronger. Now. For the first time ever, the craft is stepping up to the highest level of sports competition. The Olympics, I feel like we're bringing something new to the table. We're shining *** light on breaking and how it's no surprise. The art form is Olympic Worthy. Breaking was widely popularized and commercialized in the 19 eighties through features in films like flash dance or in hip hop music videos on MTV. It's *** core element of hip hop among emceeing D jing and aerosol art. But breaking actually came before hip hop. According to breaking scholar and practitioner Saroj Abrahamian, the creation of breaking began in the 19 seventies when the civil rights and black power movements had reawakened *** sense of cultural pride among African Americans, African American teens in the Bronx created breaking while hanging out at block parties, rec rooms or underground clubs known as joke joints at the same time the Bronx was going through *** huge transformation, the flight of white residents due to the fear of racial integration. This had changed the socio-economic conditions of the borough, Oper Ham and says from this atmosphere of vilification and segregation on one hand and the cultural pride and communion on the other birth, *** new form of African American expression breaking. Many of the original breakers were actually inspired by funk music, especially by James Brown. People would start dancing in the break of the song where only the beat was playing. Basic breaking moves include top rock which is footwork while standing down rock, which is hands and feet on the floor. Power moves like heads spins and freezes where the dancer holds *** shape for *** few seconds of the inspired was *** DJ named Cool Herk who's now considered the father of hip hop Herk regularly threw lively block parties in the Bronx. It started from 25 cents for ladies, 50 cents for fellas and all I asked you for was don't disrespect the party by extending *** song's percussive breaks. Kerk noticed people would break or start dancing. This type of breakbeat. Djing formed the foundation of hip hop music. This technique caught on to other DJ S like Grandmaster Flash. So my contribution to this whole thing is, is the first DJ to take an in admin object called the turntable and play it like it was an instrument by the 19 eighties breaking was hotter than ever. Popularity grew even more after the movie Beach Street came out in 1984 the movie has inspired one of the best breakers in the game team USA Olympic Breaker. Victor Montalvo Beach Street just came on on TV. And my dad was like, yo, we used to do that back in the days and my cousin was like, no, you guys didn't like you're lying. My dad and my uncle literally go into their room put on some hoodies and they just start busting out windmills, heads spins. And we're all like shocked ever since that day, like we would just put on beach street, you know, every day and we would just like mimic the movements of the dancers breaking continued to evolve. Dancers started to face off against one another. An act known as burning young women or B girls often initiated challenges against the men or B boys. Abrahamian says this is one of the areas where women played *** critical role in the development of breaking. They were not passive onlookers but actually active and equal participants. Pioneers like Shaw Rock helped develop hip hop as it is today. Now, breaker Sonny choi is paving the way as the first American B girl to qualify for the Olympics breaking has really kind of helped to shape me as *** person. I've grown so much and I feel like really been able to like celebrate myself in *** way that I never was able to before. But when we're dancing, you're going up there with everything you've experienced in life, with all of the bad, all of the good and you're just like this is who I am and we're here to celebrate it. Breaking competitions continue to spread across the country. By the 19 nineties, it was all over the globe. You know, it's bigger, faster, stronger, which leads to its inclusion into the Olympics in 2024. The breaking competition will be made up of 16 B boys and 16 B girls facing off in solo battles. Breakers will be judged based on how well they use their power moves such as windmills, the six step and freezes all while improvising to the beat of the DJ S tracks team USA Olympic breaker, Jeffrey Lewis is ready to show off his unique moves. My favorites signature move is called the 1130. And so it's where I swing my arm this way and then I flip the other way and I land on my back, but it doesn't hurt. Olympic officials are hopeful that adding breaking into the schedule will bring in younger viewers. Either way. Its inclusion into the Olympics provides more recognition for the sport. Breakings, history of pride and resilience carries on through the newest generation of breakers. I wanna represent the US. Well, so I wanna show the essence I wanna show the movement freedom that breaking allows I wanna show the character that other countries don't have in breaking, they learn the moves, but do they have the movement? Do they have the soul? So that's what I'm here to showcase is that extra element that, that's missing and breaking around right now. Taking note of continuing with or without the Olympics but to have breaking elevated and spread to this new audience is huge audience that the Olympics have access to is very special.
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Why is breaking debuting in the Olympics?

3 Team USA Olympians break down how the sport is bringing fresh energy to the highest stage of sports competition

From block parties in the Bronx to the international stage, breaking, otherwise known as "breakdancing," has taken the world by storm. Now, for the first time ever, the sport will debut in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Breaking down the rules of the competitionThe breaking competition will be split into two events — one for women and one for men. Sixteen B-Boys and 16 B-Girls will face off in solo battles. Athletes will be judged based on how they adapt their style and improvise to the beat of the DJ's tracks in the battle. They must use a combination of power moves, which include windmills, the 6-step and freezes.Breaking was initially featured in the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2018. The sport's inclusion was met with "outstanding success," according to Olympic officials. This newfound success inspired the Paris 2024 Olympic officials to add the sport into their program, in hopes of bringing in younger viewers.The breaking competitions will take place on Aug. 9 and 10 at La Concorde Urban Park in Paris, France.Get to Know Team USATeam USA Olympic B-Boy Jeffrey Louis, of Houston, Texas, says he is ready to bring his unique style and moves to the Olympic stage. "It's a party," Louis said. "And now you just add a little competitive environment to it, and you got yourself a battle." Team USA Olympic B-Girl Sunny Choi said Breaking has helped shape her as a person. "When we're dancing, you're going up there with everything you've experienced in life," Choi said. "With all of the bad, all of the good, and you're just like, 'This is who I am.' And we're here to celebrate it." Team USA Olympic B-Boy Victor Montalvo, of Kissimmee, Florida, said his father and twin brother are some of his biggest inspirations. His father was a breaker in Mexico and taught Victor. "He sacrificed a lot for my breaking career. It just all worked out," Montalvo said. "Look at me now, I'm part of Team USA, breaking is in the Olympics, the first American breaker to go to the Olympics. It all worked out. It was all worth it."The Roots of BreakingAccording to breaking scholar and practitioner Serouj Aprahamian, the creation of breaking began in the 1970s when the civil rights and Black power movements had reawakened a sense of cultural pride among African Americans.Breaking was created by African American teens as a new form of expression while hanging out at lively block parties in the Bronx. Some of the most popular parties were thrown by a man named DJ Kool Herc, who is now often referred to as "The Father of Hip-Hop."Many of the original breakers were inspired by funk music, especially by James Brown. Kool Herc noticed that when he would extend a song's percussive break, people would "break" or start dancing. This type of "breakbeat" dancing would help form the foundation of hip hop music. Louis is ready to represent the U.S. on the global stage by showcasing the soul and roots of breaking. "I want to represent the U.S. well, so I'm going to show the essence, I want to show the movement, freedom, that breaking allows. I want to show the character that other countries don’t have in breaking," Louis said. "They learned the moves, but do they have the movement? Do they have the soul? So that's what I'm here to showcase that extra element that that's missing in breaking around right now.”

From block parties in the Bronx to the international stage, breaking, otherwise known as "breakdancing," has taken the world by storm.

Now, for the first time ever, the sport will debut in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

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Breaking down the rules of the competition

The breaking competition will be split into two events — one for women and one for men.

Sixteen B-Boys and 16 B-Girls will face off in solo battles.

Athletes will be judged based on how they adapt their style and improvise to the beat of the DJ's tracks in the battle. They must use a combination of power moves, which include windmills, the 6-step and freezes.

Breaking was initially featured in the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2018. The sport's inclusion was met with "outstanding success," according to Olympic officials. This newfound success inspired the Paris 2024 Olympic officials to add the sport into their program, in hopes of bringing in younger viewers.

The breaking competitions will take place on Aug. 9 and 10 at La Concorde Urban Park in Paris, France.

Get to Know Team USA

Team USA Olympic B-Boy Jeffrey Louis, of Houston, Texas, says he is ready to bring his unique style and moves to the Olympic stage.

"It's a party," Louis said. "And now you just add a little competitive environment to it, and you got yourself a battle."

Team USA Olympic B-Girl Sunny Choi said Breaking has helped shape her as a person.

"When we're dancing, you're going up there with everything you've experienced in life," Choi said. "With all of the bad, all of the good, and you're just like, 'This is who I am.' And we're here to celebrate it."

Team USA Olympic B-Boy Victor Montalvo, of Kissimmee, Florida, said his father and twin brother are some of his biggest inspirations. His father was a breaker in Mexico and taught Victor.

"He sacrificed a lot for my breaking career. It just all worked out," Montalvo said. "Look at me now, I'm part of Team USA, breaking is in the Olympics, the first American breaker to go to the Olympics. It all worked out. It was all worth it."

The Roots of Breaking

According to breaking scholar and practitioner Serouj Aprahamian, the creation of breaking began in the 1970s when the civil rights and Black power movements had reawakened a sense of cultural pride among African Americans.

Breaking was created by African American teens as a new form of expression while hanging out at lively block parties in the Bronx. Some of the most popular parties were thrown by a man named DJ Kool Herc, who is now often referred to as "The Father of Hip-Hop."

Many of the original breakers were inspired by funk music, especially by James Brown.

Kool Herc noticed that when he would extend a song's percussive break, people would "break" or start dancing. This type of "breakbeat" dancing would help form the foundation of hip hop music.

Louis is ready to represent the U.S. on the global stage by showcasing the soul and roots of breaking.

"I want to represent the U.S. well, so I'm going to show the essence, I want to show the movement, freedom, that breaking allows. I want to show the character that other countries don’t have in breaking," Louis said. "They learned the moves, but do they have the movement? Do they have the soul? So that's what I'm here to showcase that extra element that that's missing in breaking around right now.”