PARIS, France — Breakdancing -- professionally known as breaking -- is set to take center stage in the final days of the Paris 2024 Olympics. It's the first time a medal will be up for grabs for the sport with dancing roots.
Here's everything you need to know.
What is breakdancing?
Breakdancing -- professionally known as breaking -- began in the Bronx borough of New York City in 1970s, where it was rooted as part of the hip-hop scene. The word "breaking" refers to the instrumental breaks in the music.
The sport is renowned for its lively freestyle battles between two dancers that include acrobatic movements, fast footwork and the involvement of the DJ and an MC. It requires a lot of agility, balance, strength and flexibility.
In breaking, "B-boys" for men and "B-girls" for women go head-to-head in one-on-one battles led by an MC to music played at random by a DJ.
Breaking in the Olympics
International competitions were first held in the 1990s, but the event is making its Olympic debut for the first time ever at the Paris Games.
The 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires was the first time an Olympic event showcased breaking. After massive success, it joined the official program for Paris 2024 where it will be the only new sport contested at the Games.
The competition will take place in the La Concorde, the largest public square of Paris, where many of the newer and more urban sports, like skateboarding, BMX Freestyle and 3x3 Basketball, have been held.
Breaking moves
Breaking involves dancers linking together a series of fast-paced moves that break down into either "top rocks" or "down rocks." Top rocks happen when the dancer is standing, and usually marks the start of a routine before they head down to the floor for the down rock portion of the routine. In the down rock, athletes are using their hands just as much as their feet in their movements.
While in the down rock, dancers move quickly from leg sweeps to swings, kicks and 360-degree spins. Athletes can combine a series of moves and spins for a "power move," where the dancers' feet hardly ever touch the ground.
The opposite of a power move is a "freeze," where dancers halt their routine, frozen in a pose, showing off the strength and balance needed for breaking.
How is breaking scored?
At the Olympics, 16 B-boys and 16 B-girls will battle, where athletes will be judged on five categories: musicality, vocabulary, originality, technique and execution. Each category accounts for 20% of the score.
Each breaker has 60 seconds to complete a routine.
Who will win the gold medal?
According to the Olympics, B-Boy Victor, from the United States, and B-Girl Nicka are the reigning world champions, but they predict half the field would have a shot at the top prize on any given day. But with the grueling schedule in the heat, it will likely come down to the day.
When does breaking start in the Olympics?
The inaugural competition will happen Friday, Aug. 9 and Saturday, Aug. 10, with the women's competition taking place on the first day and the men's competition the second day.
Each day will start with a "round-robin" phase with four groups of four. The top two in each group will advance to the quarterfinals, followed by the semifinals and, finally, the battle for medals. It will all happen over the course of about five hours.
The first battle between the women is slated for 10 a.m.
Meet the Olympics breaking athletes for Team USA
- Sunny Choi, aka Sunny" - Queens, New York
- Logan Edra, aka "Logistx" - San Diego, California
- Jeffrey Louis, aka "Bboy Jeffro" - Houston, Texas
- Victor Montalvo, aka "B-boy Victor" - Kissimmee, Florida
