In this episode of The Daily, breakdancing's journey from its origins in the Bronx in the 1970s to its inclusion as an Olympic event is examined. The street-born artform, rooted in self-expression and community, evolved into a competitive sport with global popularity fueled by events like Battle of the Year and commercial sponsorships.
As breaking makes its Olympic debut in 2024, some purists voice concerns that oversight by outside organizations and formalized rules may compromise the dance's cultural authenticity. Moreover, its worldwide reach challenges the American narrative, with elite talent emerging from countries like Lithuania, Japan, and France. The rise of breaking on the global stage raises questions about preserving its street essence amid its transformation into an Olympic sport.
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As Jonathan Abrams discusses, breakdancing, or "breaking," emerged from hardship in the Bronx during the 1970s, providing marginalized youth with a sense of community and creative outlet. These gatherings became competitive arenas where dance crews showcased their skills to build reputations on the streets and beyond, cementing breaking as a core element of early hip-hop culture alongside rapping, DJing, and graffiti.
The 1980s saw breaking gain widespread exposure through films like "Beat Street," according to Abrams. As pioneering groups toured globally, breaking inspired new generations worldwide. Competitions incorporating prizes and judges arose, signaling breaking's shift toward a professional competitive sport by events like 1990's Battle of the Year, culminating in commercial sponsorships like Red Bull's Lord of the Floors in 2001.
As discussed by Abrams and Sabrina Tavernise, breaking's inclusion in the 2024 Paris Olympics has raised concerns among purists that the artform's cultural authenticity, rooted in self-expression from struggling communities, may be compromised on such a grand commercial stage. Breakers worry the Olympics could sanitize breaking's heritage.
Breakers' worries deepen with oversight by the World Dance Sport Federation, unconnected to breaking's origins. In 2017, breakers protested the federation's involvement, feeling it misrepresents the community. Rules like a "misbehavior" button for crass actions and scoring criteria like technique further fuel fears breaking may become reframed as a traditional, restrained sport.
As Abrams highlights, breaking has expanded far beyond its American beginnings, with elite talent emerging worldwide, from Lithuania's reigning teenage B-Girl champion Nika to dancers from Japan, France and beyond. The internet accelerated this diffusion, part of the appeal attracting Olympic inclusion to engage younger, diverse audiences.
However, purists fear breaking may lose touch with self-expressive roots as it globalizes and joins the Olympic movement. Maintaining the essence of the streets-born Bronx dance remains a key challenge as breaking's popularity soars worldwide.
1-Page Summary
The evolution of breakdancing, or "breaking," has been a journey from the streets of the Bronx to global dance floors and competitive stages.
Breaking developed as a physical expression of hip-hop, with marginalized youth in the Bronx throwing massive parties where breaking was born. Dance crews formed at these parties, competing against each other for respect and self-esteem in a community where they had little else. Breaking became a core element of hip-hop culture alongside lyricism, DJing, and graffiti.
These gatherings became competitive arenas where dancers showcased their skills to make a name for themselves on their streets, neighborhoods, and beyond.
Breaking infiltrated mainstream culture in the early to mid-1980s through movies like "Flashdance," "Wildstyle," and the pivotal 1984 film "Beat Street," which introduced breakdancing to a wider audience. Jonathan Abrams discusses how movies featured breakdance battles as alternatives to fights, and this portrayal reached audiences from Los Angeles to New York.
Pioneer groups like Rock Steady Crew, Dynamic Rockers, Zulu Kings, and New York City Breakers started appearing in movies and giving demonstrations worldwide, inspiring new generations to engage in breaking. Films captured the infancy ...
The history and evolution of breakdancing/breaking, from its origins in the Bronx to its rise as a competitive sport
The inclusion of breaking in the Paris 2024 Olympics has sparked a debate within the breaking community regarding its cultural authenticity and representation.
Pioneers and purists of the breaking community are skeptical and tense about breaking's inclusion in the Paris 2024 Olympics. They feel that the Olympic portrayal might not stay true to breaking's origins in the Bronx during the 1970s. Jonathan Abrams and Sabrina Tavernise delve into this concern, discussing the risk that breaking's authenticity, born from the struggles of Black and Brown communities and a form of self-expression and lifestyle, might not be evident on such a grand stage as the Olympics. Breakers worry about the potential for the Olympics to sanitize and commercialize this cultural heritage.
Breakers are also concerned with the oversight of the Olympic breaking events by the World Dance Sport Federation, an entity not originally associated with the breakdancing scene, as it was previously focused on introducing ballroom dancing into the Olympics. In 2017, breakers even signed a petition protesting the federation's involvement, asserting that it does not represent the breaking community but seems to be using the art form for its own goals. There are apprehensions about how breaking will be portrayed, fearing it mig ...
The debate and tension around including breaking in the Olympic Games, and concerns about the art form losing its cultural authenticity
The dance style known as breaking, or breakdancing, has transformed into a worldwide phenomenon, showcasing talent from all corners of the globe and challenging its American-centric narrative.
Jonathan Abrams discusses how breaking has expanded well beyond its Bronx, New York, origins. It has become a global artform with elite dancers emerging from countries across the world, including Japan, the Netherlands, France, and Kazakhstan. This diffusion represents a significant shift from the days when breaking was primarily an American practice.
A prime example of this international trend is the sixteen-year-old Lithuanian B-Girl Nika, who has already clinched the 2023 world title. Nika's triumph is emblematic of a new generation of breakers who hail from diverse backgrounds, reshaping the landscape of the competition and elevating the artform to new heights.
The popularity of breaking, fueled by the internet and social media platforms, has not only increased its global reach but has also made it appealing to the International Olympic Committee. Part of the committee's strategy ...
The global nature of breaking and the emergence of top breakers from around the world
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