Breaking at the Olympics

[saine]

Breaking is a new sport for the 2024 Paris Olympics. It's interesting looking into it as another sport that's more artistic. I think it's fun to watch from what I've seen.

How does it work as a competition?

Each event is comprised of head-to-head battles, with each breaker’s set lasting a maximum of 60 seconds. Competitions usually begin with a round robin phase, followed by a single elimination knockout phase. After progressing through this bracket, the semifinal winners battle for gold and silver while the semifinal loses battle for bronze.

(nb: there are three rounds in a battle that they left out in the explanation. A breaker needs to win at least 2 rounds to win the battle.)

How is it judged?

...In major international competitions, there are a minimum of nine judges.

The judges have five categories of focus, all of which are given equal weight in the final score: technique, vocabulary, execution, musicality, and originality.

To allow the judges to give their complete attention to the battle in front of them, a Trivium Judging System was created. The tablet has five sliders, one for each of the categories of focus. The judges will shift those sliders as a battle progresses, allowing for a gradual arrival at the final decision in the comparison of two breakers. It is not about breakers accumulating points, but rather shifting the “balance of power” as a battle goes on.

(information from Olympic.ca)

Music is provided by a DJ, meaning that breakers will need to improvise to the music.

How to qualify spots? That's what inspired this post since there's a lot of videos out there.

There are 16 spots for B-boys and 16 for B-girls. France is guaranteed a host spot, with the ability to qualify an additional spot through competitions. Countries can qualify a maximum of 2 spots for each category.

1 spot for each category could be qualified at the WDSF World Championships by winning. Additional continental championships (Asia, Africa, Oceania, Europe and the Americas) would qualify a spot for each category for each championship (5 for each category total.) 7 spots could then be qualified through the Olympic Qualifiers Series, which ended this week with Budapest. 2 universality spots were available, but were reallocated based on the Qualifers Series. An additional spot was given as an invitation for a B-girl representing the Refugee Olympic Team, which will make for 17 B-girls.

The finals for Budapest can be watched here.

 

[saine]

B-Girl Qualifiers for Spots

Event	Places	Nation	Qualified breakdancer	Nickname
Host nation	1	France	Carlota Dudek	Señorita Carlota
2023 World Championships	1	Lithuania	Dominika Banevič	Nicka
2023 African Championships	1	Morocco	Fatima El-Mamouny	Elmamouny
2022 European Games	1	Netherlands	India Sardjoe	India
2022 Asian Games	1	China	Liu Qingyi	671
2023 WDSF Oceania Championship	1	Australia	Rachael Gunn	Raygun
2023 Pan American Games	1	United States	Sunny Choi	Sunny
Olympic Qualifier Series	7	Japan	Ami Yuasa	Ami
		Japan	Ayumi Fukushima	Ayumi
		France	Sya Dembélé	Syssy
		United States	Logan Elanna Edra	Logistx
		China	Zeng Yingying	Yingzi
		Ukraine	Kateryna Pavlenko	Kate
		Italy	Antilai Sandrini	Anti
Invitational quota	1	Refugee Olympic Team	Manizha Talash	Talash
Reallocated from unused universality places	2	Portugal	Vanessa Cartaxo	Vanessa
		Ukraine	Anna Ponomarenko	Stefani
Total	17

(Table from Wikipedia)

I've added links to videos of where the qualifications occurred, like winning championships. For Talash, I wasn't able to find a competitive video. Instead I used a video profile about her becoming the first B-girl in Afghanistan.

 

[saine]

B-Boy Qualifiers for Spots

Event	Places	Nation	Qualified breakdancer	Nickname
Host nation	1	France	Gaëtan Alin	Lagaet
2023 World Championships	1	United States	Victor Montalvo	Victor
2023 African Championships	1	Morocco	Bilal Mallakh	Billy
2023 European Games	1	France	Danis Civil	Dany Dann
2022 Asian Games	1	Japan	Shigeyuki Nakarai	Shigekix
2023 WDSF Oceania Championship	1	Australia	Jeffrey Dan Arpie	J Attack
2023 Pan American Games	1	Canada	Philip Kim	Phil Wizard
Olympic Qualifier Series	7	Netherlands	Lee-Lou Demierre	Lee
		South Korea	Kim Hong-yui	Hongten
		Japan	Hiroto Ono	Hiro10
		China	Qi Xiangyu	Lithe-ing
		United States	Jeffrey Louis	Jeffro
		Kazakhstan	Amir Zakirov	Amir
		Netherlands	Menno van Gorp	Menno
Reallocated from unused universality places	2	Chinese Taipei	Sun Chen	Quake
		Ukraine	Oleg Kuznietsov	Kuzya
Total	16

(Table from Wikipedia)

Links have been added for videos where B-boys qualified their spot if it could be found, or else a different competition video.

 

[saine]

The B-girl and B-boy round robin schedule is up with the initial battles.

B- girls - https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/breaking/b-girls?day=9-august
B-boys - https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/breaking/b-boys?day=10-august

B-girls will run tomorrow, starting with a pre-qualifier round between India (NED) and Talash (Refugee Olympic Team). The winner of the pre-qualifier will be competing in Group A. I have an office day tomorrow, so no watching live.

Also I found the rule book here. In case anyone is wondering about music rights, that is part of the duties of the DJ:

3.2.5.8. to liaise with the organizer well in advance to define the procedure of music rights clearance.

 

[saine]

CBC Sports, geoblocking likely applies.

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

youtu.be

I wasn't expecting Talash to win the pre-qualifier round, so I'm happy that she got to compete in the first ever round of breaking in the Olympics

Also happy that Ami, Ayumi and Syssy made it to the quarter finals, but they're all in the same bracket

 

[saine]

First breaking podium at the Olympics



And tomorrow could be the last breaking podium since it's not included for Los Angeles.

 

[TontoK]

First breaking podium at the Olympics



And tomorrow could be the last breaking podium since it's not included for Los Angeles.

Honestly, this is one of those "sports" that I will not miss.

But you enjoyed it, so I'm happy for that. But, for me, it's a "no."

 

[4everchan]

Honestly, this is one of those "sports" that I will not miss.

But you enjoyed it, so I'm happy for that. But, for me, it's a "no."

i am probably a no too... but i will watch tomorrow... phil wizard is supposed to be a legend of the sport.. and one of the last medal hopes for Canada... and then, i will be able to see if i will miss this or not... i already think i prefer breaking to skateboarding though

 

[TontoK]

i am probably a no too... but i will watch tomorrow... phil wizard is supposed to be a legend of the sport.. and one of the last medal hopes for Canada... and then, i will be able to see if i will miss this or not... i already think i prefer breaking to skateboarding though

The only reason I like skateboarding just a bit is that it reminds me of the halfpipe in the Winter Games, and I like that. It has some exciting athletic flair... at least sometimes.

But skateboarding isn't something I'd intentionally seek out. I'd just watch it if it was on, but I would probably be scrolling my phone while I'm doing it.

 

[Skating91]

I could only watch a couple minutes of it was making me cringe. I felt embarrassed for everyone involved.

These cheap medals devalue what it means to be an Olympic champion. You can't tell me a gold medallist in break dancing is the equivalent of the 2022 women's gold medallist in figure skating for example.

 

[CoyoteChris]

While break dancing isnt my cup of tea, just as equestrian sports are not, I have to wonder if the summer olys in general are too big and encompass too many things...if break dancing, why not ball room dancing? If Golf, why not frisbee golf? If Equestrian, why not dog agility? Peacock failed IMHO to present the way too many sports as it is...how could they without spending beaucoup more bucks? They wouldnt eveen tell us how to watch the 2022 team medal ceremony. The Olys used to be about skills of war...sailing, javlin throwing, discus, shooting, archery horsemanship, track and field, etc Then in the winter it was biatholon, skiing, etc. I think there is nothing wrong with having figure skating and a few other non war oriented sports in the winter or summer....but I think the summer Olys has gotten way out of hand, IMHO,

 

[CoyoteChris]

I could only watch a couple minutes of it was making me cringe. I felt embarrassed for everyone involved.

These cheap medals devalue what it means to be an Olympic champion. You can't tell me a gold medallist in break dancing is the equivalent of the 2022 women's gold medallist in figure skating for example.

I wasnt going to say that even though I felt that but since you did mention it....there are many valid sports where an athlete has many chances at a medal....a figure skater has a chance at an individual medal and a team medal. The most popular PLAYED sport, in the US, according to the American Cornhole association, is corn holeing. Nothing wrong with that. You can even get a college scholorship to corn hole. But if it becomes an oly sport, you cant tell me a medal in core holeing is worth a skating medal. JMTC. I agree with you. Too many medals in too many sports cheepens their meaning. YMMV

 

[Skating91]

I wasnt going to say that even though I felt that but since you did mention it....there are many valid sports where an athlete has many chances at a medal....a figure skater has a chance at an individual medal and a team medal. The most popular PLAYED sport, in the US, according to the American Cornhole association, is corn holeing. Nothing wrong with that. You can even get a college scholorship to corn hole. But if it becomes an oly sport, you cant tell me a medal in core holeing is worth a skating medal. JMTC. I agree with you. Too many medals in too many sports cheepens their meaning. YMMV

Have another Olympics for all these second tier sports. I enjoy the rock climbing, skateboarding, surfing, I did not enjoy break dancing. But set something up in another city in one of the years between the winter and summer games for these events that are more recreational activities or hobbies rather than athletic feats or ultimate tests of skill and endurance.

 

[4everchan]

These sports are there to bring another crowd. Not everyone enjoys wrestiling, horse dressage, archery and modern pentathlon.

No need to devalue the athletes taking part.

 

[CoyoteChris]

These sports are there to bring another crowd. Not everyone enjoys wrestiling, horse dressage, archery and modern pentathlon.

No need to devalue the athletes taking part.

Of course! No one I heard here is devaluing an athlete. And yes, you are correct. There are sports that are brought here and there for marketing reasons. And that's fine. The Olys is all about marketing and has been for a long time now. Lots more people care about Formula 1 racing than figure skating. That does not devalue the athlete. Race driver or skater or corn holer. This is all about what should the olys REALLY be...and thats for me personally to decide for myself. I can watch or not, right? But the salient fact is that the coverage suffered due to too many sports covered too unevenly. And the worst part is the skating medals were huge as stated by Ms. C. Brennan. And yet , we had to hunt for the ceremony. Really?
What devalued the medal worth for me was not the athlete...it was how hard one had to work to obtain one...and to be the best in the world. Sorry, nothing wrong with break dancing. Nothing wrong with the people who do it....but after all, it was a marketing tool to bring in more revenue. At the expense of other coverage. So I am dropping Peacock for now again.

 

[4everchan]

Of course! No one I heard here is devaluing an athlete. And yes, you are correct. There are sports that are brought here and there for marketing reasons. And that's fine. The Olys is all about marketing and has been for a long time now. Lots more people care about Formula 1 racing than figure skating. That does not devalue the athlete. Race driver or skater or corn holer. This is all about what should the olys REALLY be...and thats for me personally to decide for myself. I can watch or not, right? But the salient fact is that the coverage suffered due to too many sports covered too unevenly. And the worst part is the skating medals were huge as stated by Ms. C. Brennan. And yet , we had to hunt for the ceremony. Really?
What devalued the medal worth for me witnias not the athlete...it was how hard one had to work to obtain one...and to be the best in the world. Sorry, nothing wrong with break dancing. Nothing wrong with the people who do it....but after all, it was a marketing tool to bring in more revenue. At the expense of other coverage. So I am dropping Peacock for now again.

The breakers have dedicated their lives to their sport... It is not an easy medal to earn... Same with rock climbers....etc. anything one does at an elite level requires years of work and commitment.

 

[Diana Delafield]

The breakers have dedicated their lives to their sport... It is not an easy medal to earn... Same with rock climbers....etc. anything one does at an elite level requires years of work and commitment.

Just curious, has anyone studied concussions/brain damage in breakdancers? The spinning on their heads makes me cringe.

My husband was a rock climber at the hobby level, so I already knew what even that level takes and how dangerous it is. One fall almost ended his Career A as an organist (Career B was as a research chemist) when he put three fractures in his spine, another in one shoulder, and concussion from a minor skull fracture. For the rest of his years as a musician, wedding couples got an organist who was zonked in advance on painkillers or he wouldn't have been able to play the double-banked keyboard and foot pedals.

 

[skatesofgold]

While break dancing isnt my cup of tea, just as equestrian sports are not, I have to wonder if the summer olys in general are too big and encompass too many things...if break dancing, why not ball room dancing? If Golf, why not frisbee golf? If Equestrian, why not dog agility? Peacock failed IMHO to present the way too many sports as it is...how could they without spending beaucoup more bucks? They wouldnt eveen tell us how to watch the 2022 team medal ceremony. The Olys used to be about skills of war...sailing, javlin throwing, discus, shooting, archery horsemanship, track and field, etc Then in the winter it was biatholon, skiing, etc. I think there is nothing wrong with having figure skating and a few other non war oriented sports in the winter or summer....but I think the summer Olys has gotten way out of hand, IMHO,

There are very specific requirements for a sport to be included in the Olympics. I don't remember exactly what they are, but there has to be a certain amount of countries that have a national organization for men's and women's teams. They don't just add anything to the Olympics. It's why American football won't be in the Olympics and LA is having flag football instead. Peacock literally shows every Olympic event live. You just have to know where to look, but it's not rocket science. Also, if you don't like breaking, just don't watch. I'm watching diving instead right now, easy peasy. Usually I just search for the sport I'm looking for and then find whichever event is live.

 

[saine]

Just curious, has anyone studied concussions/brain damage in breakdancers? The spinning on their heads makes me cringe.

My husband was a rock climber at the hobby level, so I already knew what even that level takes and how dangerous it is. One fall almost ended his Career A as an organist (Career B was as a research chemist) when he put three fractures in his spine, another in one shoulder, and concussion from a minor skull fracture. For the rest of his years as a musician, wedding couples got an organist who was zonked in advance on painkillers or he wouldn't have been able to play the double-banked keyboard and foot pedals.

I found this - https://www.hss.edu/article_breakdance-and-injuries.asp

 

[saine]

For my fellow Canadians, Phil Wizard won his first round robin battle against Dany Dann from France