In the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, dancers will compete in breakdance for the first time in history. Respect for the performers is growing, but some feel that the culture is now being lost.
Breakdance – called breaking by the performers – was born as part of hip-hop's four "elements" (the other three are rap, DJ, and graffiti). Now, the dance is being judged as a sport in the Olympic Games.
In breaking, you compete against each other in physical skills and tactics. On the other hand, there is a culture that expresses thoughts, feelings, and values. For example, in a "cypher". There, there are no judges, no ego, and no "I'm better than you" – it's just an exchange between each other, says Ferhat Duz, captain of Sweden's national breaking team and OS coordinator for the dance sports federation.
Musicality and "swag"
In the Olympics, breaking is judged in "battles" one-on-one, and is scored based on five important categories: technique, vocabulary (how many moves a dancer has in their toolbox), execution, originality, and musicality. Categories that in themselves have a hundred sub-criteria for the judges to consider.
There are many sub-categories. Character, charisma, and "swag" always come from musicality, says Ferhat Duz.
Saga "Fairytale" Ax from Uppsala came close to the Olympics during the final qualifying round in Hong Kong, but did not advance. No Swedes will compete in this year's Olympics in Paris, but Ferhat Duz looks forward to more tournaments and upcoming youth Olympics. The recognition of breakdance as an Olympic competition has made it possible for the culture to go from hobby to a career path, Duz believes, who has himself danced for 25 years.
"A dream"
He explains that some older dancers (so-called "OGs") do not like the commercial aspect of the Olympics and think that the culture does not belong with sports. Duz can understand the objections, even though he is mostly positive about the development.
For me, it's a dream that breakdance has entered the Olympic Games. Before, it had no value and we got no respect. All that has changed. Now, I'm talking to you about breaking, it was impossible before this.
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