Break Dancing Debuts at the Paris 2024 Olympics

The 2024 Paris Games have included hip-hop influenced break dancing, or ‘Breaking’, in the summer Olympics - the Games only new event.

The Breaking Boundaries Foundation / Jerome Aparis

Breaking - The Newest Olympic Sport

The 2024 Paris Games are going electric with the inclusion of break dancing, or ‘Breaking’, in the historic summer Olympic event schedule. The hip-hop influenced dance-style sport is the only new event to debut in Paris 2024. Breaking will dramatically charge these games, with athletes displaying epic athletic moves, creative routines, and complex choreography. Breaking is not new to the world stage, having first debuted in international competitions in the 1990’s, and featured at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Becoming an official Olympic event truly puts the electrifying art form of Breaking on the world stage.

This modern dance form originated in the Bronx in the early 1970s in the wake of the of hip-hop movement. By incorporating athletic movements such as toprock, footwork, power moves, and freezes, breaking has evolved into a unique category of dance and is perfectly suited to enhance and inspire the Paris Games. Breaking’s Olympic debut is a historic moment for both the sport and the Olympic Games. While celebrating the rich history of hip-hop culture and dance, it will bring a fresh and dynamic component to the Games. . The inclusion of breaking in the Olympics reflects the evolutionary goals of the Games, as it celebrates diverse cultures and strives to appeal to younger audiences.

Breaking - New Olympic Sport / Jerome Aparis

Breaking Competition Format

Breaking will take place on August 9 and 10 at the Paris’ Place de la Concorde, and the competition with feature 16 female and 16 male Breakers. Both days are structured in a round-robin format, where competitors compete in one-minute ‘Battles’. The top two from both the female and male groups advance to the quarterfinals, where winners advance to the semifinals, culminating in a best-of-three final round. Each ‘Battle’ is scored by a panel of judges that assess how competitors perform their moves and execute their techniques, but also on how they express themselves and the Breaking artform. The judges score on the following six categories:

1. Creativity

2. Personality

3. Variety

4. Technique

5. Performativity

6. Musicality

Team USA and Olympic Schedule

August 9

 Women (B-Girl) Qualification: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET

 Women (B-Girl) Final: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. ET

August 10

 Men (B-Boy) Qualification: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET

 Men (B-Boy) Final: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. ET

Breaking Team USA

The United States will be represented in Breaking by following two male, and two female competitors:

Men

 Victor Montalvo (Victor)

 Jeffrey Louis (Jeffro)

Women

 Sunny Choi (Sunny)

 Logan Edra (Logistx)

The Breaking Boundaries Foundation

Consider reaching out to the Breaking community. Many local dance studios offer breaking classes, and online tutorials that present the artistry and athleticism of Breaking. Organizations like the Breaking Boundaries Foundation ("BBF")have been created to highlight the sport and all it offers to individuals and communities.

After watching a video on the performing art of breakdancing, philanthropist and Japanese American Scott Oki became passionate about Breaking. He partnered  with Jerome Aparis, a two-time Breaking world champion, to found the Breaking Boundaries Foundation. Aparis serves as Executive Director, and Scott is the Chair. Aparis said. “We give back. That is always our core. That is always a mission and vision to give back to the community. And now with Breaking Boundaries and Scott Oki and an amazing team, we can scale up, and we’re excited.”

Jerome Aparis, BBF co-founder and executive director (left) with Scott Oki, BBF co-founder and chair. / James Tabafunda

BBF Mission

The Breaking Boundaries Foundation empowers youth by offering a platform to delve into breaking. Through dance, we strive to provide an escape, a sense of accomplishment, and a community where boundaries, both in dance and in life, are meant to be broken. At Breaking Boundaries Foundation, dance is not just a form of expression; it's a lifeline, a bridge to confidence, and a tool for personal evolution. With passion and hard work at its core, BBF stands as a testament to the transformative power of breaking, illuminating the path for countless youth eager to break their own boundaries. “Breaking is highly accessible, making it particularly attractive to those often excluded from traditional sports and the institutions that support them, either because they don’t fit or can’t afford club fees, uniforms or equipment. This accessibility will help the Olympics to achieve one of its main goals: to include and inspire a broader cross-section of society.”