Breaking, more commonly known as breakdancing, is one of the new sports on the Paris 2024 schedule.
So how does the competition work?
According to the Paris Olympics, the sport is characterized by “acrobatic movements, stylised footwork and the key role played by the DJ and the MC (master of ceremonies) during battles.”
The sport has qualifying battles that lead into the semifinals and the finals. A total of 32 athletes, 16 women and 16 men (called b-boys and b-girls), compete in head-to-head battles to move forward in the competition.
The competing countries each have four breakers. Team USA’s breakers are Victor Montalvo, Jeffrey Louis, Sunny Choi and Logan Edra.
Montalvo said it’s important to remember the roots of breaking in hip-hop, graffiti and DJ/MC cultures, according to Axios.
Each battle consists of multiple rounds.
The judges score the breakers during the battle based on six criteria: technique, variety, performativity, musicality, personality and creativity.
Technique is how athletic and controlled the athlete is. Techniques include top rock (standing footwork) and down rock (moves on the floor), power moves (twists and spins) and the freeze, when breakers freeze in poses while using their heads or hands for support.
Variety is based on how they use a variety of moves in a variety of different positions. Performativity is how cleanly the moves are performed. Musicality is how well the breaker stays on the beat. Finally, there’s personality and creativity, based on the personal style of the breaker.
Athletes typically combine a variety of moves including windmills, the 6-step and freezes, according to the Paris Olympics.
After the battles, judges vote on a winner to advance. The panel, made up of nine judges, take all six previously mentioned categories into consideration. Performativity and creativity make up 60% of the score, while the other four categories make up the remaining 40%.
In the end, the medalists will make history as the first ever to medal in breaking at an Olympic Games.
Although Paris is breaking’s official Olympic debut, the sport first came up at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. There, it topped 1 million viewers, according to NBC Olympics, a far higher number than many other popular sports.
The competition in Paris starts Aug. 9 and continues through Aug. 10, and can be viewed on NBC and Peacock. The full schedule is available here.