OPINION
I was looking forward to watching breakdancing (aka breaking) at the Olympics and to see how it looked and whether it ‘fitted in’ at the world’s biggest sports carnival.
I pictured all of these homey kinda kids dancing up a storm and showing us moves that we all attempted when we were young, a little more nubile & much more nimble.
Breaking may ring a bell to anyone who was around in the ’80s with footwork, aerial stunts, attitude and oversized fashion style all wrapped in one. But as an Olympic sport? It is absolutely not worthy.
While the dance form has developed since its earlier days (people aren’t carrying cardboard boxes around anymore) it has certainly shown that parachute pants have never really disappeared.
‘Breaking’ has made its Olympic debut in Paris with female athletes (known as b-girls) competing first, followed by the men, or b-boys, who will compete over the weekend.
You may have seen pictures of our Australian B-girl competitor, Raygun (real name Rachael Gunn). The 36-year-old has been mocked on social media after representing Australia and lets face it, it was a little cringe & more kitsch Kath ‘n Kim, than cool counter culture.
The hip-hop dance form emerged from Black and Latino communities in the Bronx of New York City in the 1970s – was born when people would dance to a ‘break’ in a track played at parties and gatherings.
The current action has been taking place at the Place de la Concorde, Paris’ largest & sensationally beautiful public square but even the location couldn’t save it. Even though it is the Olympics’ cool-kid corner where the other ‘urban’ events like BMX and skateboarding took place.
So after watching it for five hours – on your behalf of course and so you wouldn’t have to – and with respect to each and every dancer, it absolutely is not an Olympic sport. It’s fun. And cute. And there are some very talented proponents. But as an Olympic sport? It’s a huge no.
The last time I saw Breakers, I was down at Sydney‘s Darling Harbour heading to the ICC to watch something other and there was a cool group of kids hanging out down there and showing each other their risky moves.
And to be honest that was fun, and as badass as it should get. Watching the Olympics breakers trying to bring street cred and ‘cool’ to the Olympics and with DJS in tow (more cringe) was just kind of embarrassing.
In Paris there are athletes who have trained since they were babies to get to the level they are at now. While not dissing breaking altogether, breakers are pretty good at throwing themselves down and picking themselves up again. To music. But to lump them in with sports people who have spent every moment of the day perfecting their craft isn’t on.
Seriously, breakers shouldn’t be in the same ‘Olympian’ category as athletes. Pure and simple. It was a fun little ride in Paris but more than likely, it will never see the light of day in the Olympics again.
