The idea that dance is a sport and dancers are athletes is finally being recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). On Thursday, dance took a huge leap forward on the global stage when the IOC approved Breakdancing for inclusion in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
While it is called Breaking internationally, the sport underwent a trial run in Buenos Aires, Argentina at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. The test was extremely successful and it made the choice an easy one for the IOC, who also added skateboarding, climbing, and surfing for 2024.
This inclusion puts dance in the spotlight in ways never seen before. It could also provide opportunities for dancers like Les Twins, the Season 1 winners of World of Dance, to be Olympic ambassadors in their home country for the Summer Games and help promote the new sport.
Here are some of the important facts you need to know about Breaking in the 2024 Summer Games.
1. Two divisions: There will be two divisions in breaking, one for men and one for women. It will allow for 16 competitors in each division, making this a highly competitive sport from the get-go.
2. The competition: As is typical in Breaking, there will be head-to-head battles between the dancers. This format was used during the trial run in Buenos Aires. In addition to the singles' events, there was also a mixed team event where the B-Boys and B-Girls earned a medal for their country. It's unclear whether that event will also be added for Paris, but it was a popular event in Buenos Aires.
3. Paris: The host city is the perfect place to launch Breaking in the Olympic Games. Outside of the United States, France claims more Breaking winners than any other country in the annual Red Bull BC One world competition. However, don't count out Japan, Russia and Korea, because that is where lots of the premiere B-Boys and B-Girls are training.
4. World DanceSport Federation: This is one of the federations who helped to campaign to get Breaking into the Olympics. They also represent ballroom, which has tried for years to get into the Olympic Games. Let's hope Breaking is successful in 2024, so more opportunities open up for other styles of dance.
5. Venues: What makes Breaking an attractive addition to the Summer Games is the fact that organizers do not have to build an additional venue for the sport. It can go into a variety of settings, it's a popular ticket to buy and it provides more revenue opportunities.
6. Judges: The judges are all legends in the sport of Breaking, so it's another way to showcase dance history. They also get a moment in the spotlight because the Breaking tradition has the judges bust a move before the competition begins.
The Paris Summer Olympics will run from Friday, July 26, 2024 – Sunday, August 11, 2024.
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