Hip Hop Dance

As Breaking Makes its Olympic Debut, Here’s Everything You Need to Know

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Breaking is set to make its debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics, so if you were looking for a new sport to become a superfan of, here’s your chance.

The sport has rich roots in hip-hop culture, originating from New York, as early as the 1970s. According to Oliver “Hooch” Whittle, a DJ who founded the UK’s longest-running breaking event, the UK B-Boy Championships, in 1996, breaking is “the dance of hip-hop culture.” He told The Guardian: “Breaking was there at the beginnings of hip hop when it was being formed and any breaker that is really special will convey that sense of hip-hop within them.”

As an Olympic sport, breaking involved athletes – B-boys and B-girls – performing complex dance routines to music. The sport is characterised by its athleticism, creativity, and the incorporation of unique moves such as spins, footwork, freezes, and acrobatics. Breakers compete in battles, where they face off against each other, showcasing their skills in a one-on-one format.

Although our breaking Team GB hopefuls didn’t make it to the Paris games, they’re definitely our ones to watch. They are dancers Emma Houston, Karam Singh and Roxy Milliner, who’s represented Great Britain before in trampolining, but at 16, she suffered from a spinal injury which forced her to leave her sport. She soon pivoted to breaking where her Olympic dream resumed.

Now that you’re armed with the context of the sport and ready to learn more about the format, rules and how it’s judged, keep scrolling through to find all the details from the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF).

How Does Olympic Breaking Work?

“The competition format for Breaking consists of several rounds of battles,” a WDSF representative tells PS UK. “These battles typically follow a knockout format, starting with a larger pool of competitors who are gradually eliminated through successive rounds. Each battle lasts for a set number of rounds, where athletes take turns performing their routines.”

According to the WDSF, the format may include:

  • Preliminary rounds: Competitors are judged to determine who advances to the next stage.
  • Knockout rounds: A head-to-head elimination process where breakers compete directly against one another.
  • Finals: The top competitors face off in the final battles to determine the medalists.

    • What Are Some Olympic Breaking Moves?

    The WDSF says breaking features a wide variety of moves, which can generally be categorised into four main types. Each of these elements allows breakers to express their style and creativity, making each performance unique.

    The moves include:

  • Toprock: The introductory dance moves performed from a standing position, often used to set up more complex moves.
  • Footwork: Ground-based movements involving intricate steps and legwork, executed while the dancer is close to the floor.
  • Power moves: Acrobatic and physically demanding moves, such as spins, flares, and windmills, showcasing strength and agility.
  • Freezes: Moments where the dancer holds a position, often in a challenging or stylised pose, to demonstrate control and strength.

    • What are the Olympic Breaking Rules?

    According to the WDSF, the Olympic Breaking rules are pretty simple. Competitors must adhere to the battle format, where they face off in one-on-one battles, taking turns to perform their routines.

    The music is selected by the organisers and can vary, requiring breakers to adapt their performance to different beats and styles and performances are scored based on technique, originality, musicality, vocabulary and execution.

    There’s a code of conduct in place for breakers too which includes respect for their opponents and judges. “Unsportsmanlike behaviour can result in penalties or disqualification. These rules and criteria ensure that the competition is fair and that the artistry and athleticism of breaking are celebrated,” we’re told.

    How is Olympic Breaking Judged?

    “Judging in Olympic Breaking is based on a comprehensive comparative judging system that evaluates several key aspects of a breaker’s performance,” the WDSF explains. “The judging system consists of five criteria where each criteria represents 20% of the total grade.”

    The criteria include:

  • Technique: The physiological control and dynamics required for clean execution of moves and movement patterns.
  • Originality: The originality and innovation demonstrated in the dance, including the use of unique moves or combinations.
  • Musicality: How well the athlete synchronises their movements with the music, showcasing rhythm and timing.
  • Vocabulary: Variety of moves and variations shown through minimal repetition of moves and movement patterns.
  • Execution: The ability to perform moves to a high degree of cleanliness, minimising slips, falls or crashes.

    • “A panel of nine judges decide which breaker is better in each round of the battle, considering all the criteria. Each judge represents one vote and the breaker who gets the majority of votes wins the round. The majority of rounds won the battle,” they add.

    Breaking will take place on August 9th. To learn more about all the Olympic hopefuls, check out the Team GB site. Watch the Paris Olympics this summer on BBC One, BBC Two or a stream available by clicking the red button on Freeview or a smart TV.

    Lauren Gordon is the editorial coordinator at PS UK, where she creates lifestyle and identity content. Lauren has a degree in journalism from University of the Arts London and previously worked as a showbiz and TV reporter at The Mirror US. Lauren specialises in pop culture, hair and beauty, focusing on trends, sharing in-depth tutorials, and highlighting hidden gems in the beauty industry.

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