Jeffrey Louis is one of three Team USA competitors in the Breakdancing competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics (Photo Credit: Facebook).
By Ashleigh Fields
Black culture will now be on display across the globe as breakdancing debuts as a competitive sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The trend was introduced to America in the 1970s, originating in the Bronx neighborhood of New York. Over the years it has evolved, earning recognition on stages from Broadway to Hollywood. Movies like “Breakin’” and “You Got Served” popularized breakdancing across the nation.
At the 2024 Olympics, nine judges will watch 32 dancers take the floor in one-on-one battles where they will be evaluated by three elements: top rock, which is a standing move; down rock, a performance on the ground; and freeze, where entertainers pause mid-move.
Out of a group of 16 female competitors, the USA has just one representative: Sunny Choi. Choi won the 2023 WDSF Pan American Championships. However, Jeffrey Louis and Victor Montalvo will represent the country as male competitors.
After qualifying for the international event in Budapest, Hungary, Louis, the only Black competitor, celebrated by thanking his fans on Instagram.
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Various fans are following his journey but many are raising concerns about the lack of representation in a sport spearheaded by Black Americans.
“There are a lot of people who are cultural operators that have no respect, but just want to copy the cool parts of being Black and then reap the benefits and not care or give anything good back,” dancer Roxanne Milliner told BuzzFeed
Montalvo, Louis’ teammate, spoke openly about his Latino background’s impact on how he was raised to move passionately in competitions with large platforms.
“Nowadays, there’s more coaches getting into breaking. Whether it’s a father or a teacher that used to break back in the day,” Montalvo told reporters from Today. “But for me, I never had a coach.”
Many Americans admittedly practice on their own and build an affinity for the freedom offered when partaking in the craft. Nonetheless, some of the expressions typically seen when breakdancing will now be pinged in the competition.
Judges will deduct points for “aggressive gestures” and “acts that are violent or sexual in nature.”
The host country of Paris, France is well known for its influence in the arts including the native language’s influence on ballet. Fans are eager to see how the dance style’s premiere on a world stage will influence the street culture of dance locally.
2024 Paris Olympics Breakdancing Schedule
The breaking competition in Paris will be divided into two events — one for women and one for men — and they will take place on Aug. 9 and 10 at La Concorde Urban Park.
For more info on this event, visit this link.
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