What to expect from breakdancing at the Olympics

By Claire Goudreau / Published July 22, 2024 A new sport has broken its way into the 2024 Olympics. Breakdancing, also known as breaking, will make its Olympics debut in Paris later this month for what might be the most widely watched dance battles in history. B-boys and b-girls from around the world will compete head-to-head in two tournament-style competitions (men’s and women’s) to see which breakers take home gold. It’s been a long road to the Olympic podium for breakdancing. The dance style first originated in the Bronx during the 1960s and ’70s, where Black and Latino dancers mixed Hip Hop moves with martial arts and gymnastics techniques. Breakdancing then gained mainstream popularity in the ’80s, with the first international competitions held in the 1990s. According to Olympics officials, breaking was added to this year’s Summer Games as part of an ongoing modernization effort. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics featured several new sports aimed at bringing in younger audiences, including skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing. Breaking, which has gained international popularity over the past few decades, is the latest addition. Image caption: Brinae Ali Image credit: Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute According to Peabody dance faculty Brinae Ali, considering how popular...