Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/12/09/breakdancing-will-be-an-official-sport-at-the-paris-2024-olympics.html
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I wish that there was an acceptance not that this will cause Breaking to loose authenticity; but that this is a recognition not only of the importance of the art form but also a recognition of the recognition of the importance of this art form.
It does seem like an odd fit for the Olympics, though… although I guess in some ways, it is like ice skating in that it mixes extreme athleticism with artistic expression.
(I can’t breakdance. But I have always been blown away and exceptionally appreciative of the art.)
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I always thought events like dance and figure skating really ought to be split off into a separate but equally prestigious competition from the Olympic games.
When things like “what soundtrack is the competitor using?” and “who designed those costumes?” become integral parts of a competition then it’s a physically demanding performance art, not a sport.
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Arts were a part of the early modern Olympics, literature, architecture, music etc. up to 1948
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I guess the games were founded on a fascination with ancient history, so…
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Paris is in the house. the Parisian hip hop scene has always been large. this footage is from the 90s:
assuming locals can get/afford tickets, it’s gonna be live.
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There are a bunch of runners whining “They didn’t include cross-country but they included break dancing!?!”. I don’t really understand the comparison though, the people who have done the best at world championship cross country are exactly the same people who win the 10000m and 5000m track races so adding another event doesn’t actually include any more people into the fold of olympic sport, whereas adding break dancing and skateboarding certainly will turn a lot of people from “sports outsiders” to “serious athletes” instantly.
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Still waiting for this:
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This is the best news I’ve heard today. I wish there was some way to actually see the competitions I’m interested in (Judo, Kayaking, and Breakdancing) instead of 24/7 gymnastics.
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Always the right time for this, but especially right now.
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I think breaking/b-boying is great, but I also think the Olympics should be a lot more limited in scope; I used to think it was cool when a new sport was added but so many have been added now that you can’t keep up with all the events.
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Not a competitive sport, then. Not modern era Olympic material.
Plus, very much what @Brainspore said.
Not an odd fit if you remember that the Olympics are desperate to appeal to young people.
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Next they’ll be saying that video game players are athletes too.
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breaking is slightly more demanding physically…
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When I make my eleventy billion dollars, I am going to launch a campaign to reinvigorate the sport of “Plunge for Distance”, which appeared only in the 1904 Olympics. You dive into the water and float face first for up to 60 seconds or until you stop. You cannot impart any additional propulsion.
"An 1893 English report on the sport noted that spectators were not enamored of it, as the diver “moves after thirty or forty feet at a pace somewhat akin to a snail, and to the uninitiated the contests appear absolute wastes of time.”
Here’s a high school kid breaking the Olympic Record.
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goddamn that DJ made my day life.
Herbie’s great, too. as always.
that crowd really understood they were being “futureshocked.”
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That is pretty awesome.
I still want to see a cooking competition in the Olympics.
Followed of course, by an eating competition.
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