The Breaking Stories We Should Be Talking About

"The attention on Breaking may seem negative right now but we literally have an open mic so what are we gonna do with it," B-girl Logistx, aka Logan Edra, one of the dancers who represented Team USA at the Paris Olympic Games, posted on her Instagram on Aug. 13.

Edra was referring, of course, to the negative reactions to breaking's inaugural inclusion in the Olympic Games, reactions that are largely centered on the performance of one competitor. "I still believe in us even when the outsiders doesn't [sic] want us to be empowered," Logistx continued in the caption of her post. "It's for us and for the future. Some of our lives have been changed forever in a positive way. We're a force to be reckoned with so of course there's a pushback."

Adding breaking into the Olympics has been controversial from the start. Plenty of people have argued that it shouldn't be an Olympic event and isn't a "real Olympic sport," with some even laughing, asking if "hobby-horse riding" will be added next (mum's the word . . .).

But even those who understand breaking's artistry and athleticism have expressed concerns that adding breaking to the Games could lead to the art form being misrepresented or diluted. From a cultural lens, breaking can't be easily quantified by a standardized scoring system. Some wondered if, as an Olympic event, breaking would be reduced to how many points a person could amass through technical movements, which would take away the foundational elements of the art, including innovation, creativity, improvisation, and the highly raw, visceral side of the dance.

Despite those concerns, the organizers of the Paris 2024 Games chose to add breaking to the roster of core Olympic sports. Originally, breaking was selected to be added to the Paris lineup as a way to bring more young viewers to watch the Olympics, according to The Associated Press.

While the concerns around the wider impact of the Olympic stage on breaking are valid, to be one of millions tuning in to see breaking being displayed at the Olympics was genuinely surreal. Watching the dancers battle brought a mixture of joy, awe, and inspiration to a lot of people, kids and adults alike. While some may not share the sentiment, it's wild to see how far the art form has come in history. To think that the next generation of kids can watch these artists and athletes compete on television is both amazing and powerful.

But instead of celebrating the evolution of the art and how inspiring it is to see how far it's come, breaking's Olympic debut has become overshadowed by viral reactions to one competitor. The search query for "Raygun" has been trending more than the actual winners or competitors of the event, who trained hard to represent the art form.

In addition to her feed post, Logistx has been sharing Instagram Stories calling for the breaking community to speak up against the misconceptions and inaccuracies being thrown around in the wake of Raygun's now-viral performance. In one, she reshares a post from Snoop Dogg about "Olympic breakdancers who understood the assignment." In another, she shares a meme posted by John Cena, featuring herself and Raygun, and adds the caption: "But on a real note yo Breakers we gotta speak out for ourself shift the narrative if we want wider audience to not misinterpret." She also pushed back on this post that includes a misleading statement about breaking's lack of inclusion in LA28. (No, breaking won't be back during LA28 — but not because of this year's performance; that decision was made in 2023.)

It's disappointing to see "Raygun" climb as a breakout term on Google Trends, whereas there's been little coverage of B-girl India, of the Netherlands, who had to battle in 17 rounds, more than all her competitors, and still made it to the bronze battle. Although she didn't win, she had a strong showing and was up for the challenge, even after taking on extra rounds.

Simply put, there should be more spotlight on the actual winners, semifinalists, and competitors, their journey to get to where they are, and what they continue to strive for.

In case you need a refresher, B-girl Ami Yuasa of Japan, with her fluid and smooth style, won gold for the B-girl category, and B-boy Phil Wizard of Team Canada, showcasing his fresh, creative approach to the art, took home gold for the B-boy category.

Even beyond the winners, there's so much else to celebrate in breaking's inaugural Games inclusion. For instance, why aren't we hearing more about the age and career-changing stories of some of the competitors, which indicate longevity, dedication, and long-lasting love of the art? They ranged from 16 (B-girl Syssy of France and B-boy J-Attack from Australia) to 41 (B-girl Ayumi Fukushima of Japan, who started dancing at 21). And B-girl Sunny Choi of Team USA left a job at Estee Lauder, while silver medalist B-boy Dany Dann of Team France, stopped working as a nurse, both dancers ultimately deciding to pursue breaking full-time.

Why aren't we hearing more about the competitors' strong sense of family tradition and legacy? B-boy Victor Montalvo started breaking because of his father; B-boy Jeffro learned from his older brother; Syssy because of both of her parents.

In addition to the actual competitors, why aren't we hearing more about the people who take the art form and culture seriously, tirelessly, week after week? The ones who own studios, maybe in your local area. B-boy Ronnie (Abaldonado), for instance, helped with NBC's coverage of the Olympic Games in Paris, and has put in years of work giving back to the next generation. In an interview with NBC, he highlighted his own studio, called District Arts, offering youth breaking classes, open sessions, and battles for the local community.

Or how about B-boy Lazy Legz (Luca Patuelli) and the Ill-Abilities Crew, a dance crew comprised of differently-abled dancers? The crew performed during the Breaking competition on Aug. 10 in Paris, but video wasn't shown on Primetime in Paris, and has not been posted publicly online. In an Instagram post, Lazy Legz wrote, ""The beauty of hip-hop and dance is that there are truly No Limits and together as a community we proved that! Breakin has changed my life, taught me to believe in myself, & to use my difference as my strength. I am forever grateful!"

Breaking is a culture that encompasses many different things — a powerful and explosive art form, a way to express yourself creatively, to be free in the moment, bringing generations of dancers together with a love of music, history and culture. How about we advocate and push ways to change the narrative, elevate their stories, and inspire the next generation, instead of more memes?

Jade Esmeralda, MS, CSCS, is a health and fitness staff writer and a strength and conditioning specialist. A lifelong martial artist and dancer, Jade has a strong passion for strength and conditioning, sports science, and human performance. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in exercise science and strength and conditioning from George Washington University.