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Inaugural breaking event -

The moment when Snoop Dogg used a 'coup de baton' to signal the official start of the breaking competition on August 9: the preliminary phase for the B-girls, and the first Olympic breaking battle in history.

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Dance mastery -

B-girl Elmamouny of Morocco showed off some impressive moves!

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Powerful set -

Senorita Carlota from France impressed the crowd with her powerful postures. 

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Somersault -

Syssy of France was one of several B-girls who caught some serious air! 

As the breaking competition at the Olympics continues to heat up, let's look back to where it all began. 

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History of breakdancing -

Breaking emerged from the African-American and Latino communities in New York in the 1970s. Afrika Bambaataa, a DJ and pioneering hip-hop artist, convinced members of the Bronx street gang to challenge rival gangs with dance battles instead of guns and knives.

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History of breakdancing -

Afrika Bambaataa and pioneering b-boys Richard "Crazy Legs" Colon and Kenneth "Ken Swift" Gabbert cite James Brown as the inspiration for many of the breaking moves.

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History of breakdancing -

Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art and dance form, is said to have directly influenced break dance.

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Breakdancing -

Breakdancing has become an umbrella term that includes California-based dance styles including popping, locking, and electric boogaloo.

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Breakdancing vs breaking -

The media coined breakdancing and breakdancer when breaking gained popularity, unaware that breakers do not add 'dance' to the name of their art form. 

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Hip-hop -

Breaking is part of the hip-hop subculture, along with MCing, DJing, and writing (also known as graffiti).

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Kool Herc -

When throwing neighborhood parties, DJ Kool Herc noticed people would dance with more sporadic and dynamic energy when the breaks (instrumental or percussion section) of the track he was playing would come in.

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Kool Herc -

DJ Kool Herc would play and mix two copies of the same record so that he could extend the break, allowing dancers to have more time to show off their moves.

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B-boy -

A b-boy is a boy or man who performs breaking. 

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B-girl -

A b-girl is a girl or woman who performs breaking. The terms b-boy and b-girl were coined by Kool Herc.

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Entering the mainstream -

Promoters and the media started to take notice of b-boys and b-girls when they were dancing at parties, parks, and in clubs, providing breaking with the exposure that made it mainstream. 

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Entering the mainstream -

In 1982, the Rock Steady crew performed on stages in London and Paris. They also appeared on the American talk show 'Late Night with David Letterman' in 1983.

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Entering the mainstream -

The New York City Breakers performed for President Ronald Reagan during the 1984 Kennedy Center Honors, which was broadcast nationally.

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Entering the mainstream -

B-boys and b-girls also appeared in music videos and blockbuster movies, including 'Flashdance' and 'Beat Street.'

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Elements - toprock -

Some basic top rock steps are the Indian step and the Cross step. They happen when breakers are standing before they go to the floor.

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Elements - footwork -

Breakers use their hands for support when they move their legs through footwork steps on the floor. These steps include six-step, three-step, and CCs.

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Elements - freezes -

A freeze is when a breaker holds a solid shape with their body for a few seconds. 

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Elements - tricks -

Breakers often add a unique twist to conventional steps, freezes, or power moves. Examples are the hopping air chairs and leg threading. 

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Elements - power moves -

When a breaker propels their whole body into a continuous spin, this is called a power move. Examples are head spins and windmills.

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Music genres -

Breakers dance to break beats, funk, rap, and soul. Some of the most famous tracks associated with breaking are 'Apache' by the Incredible Bongo Band and 'It's Just Begun' by the Jimmy Castor Bunch.

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Losing popularity -

After its peak in the mid-1980s, breaking began to wane in popularity. However, it experienced a resurgence in the 1990s when original b-boys came out of retirement to judge competitions.

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Cyphers -

Cyphers are circles formed around a breaker to dance with another b-boy or b-girl. A cypher can happen anywhere and everywhere, from parties to public spaces.

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Competitions -

Breaking transitioned from being a party dance to a competitive art form, with events taking place all over the world, from one-on-one battles to crew competitions.

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Women in breaking -

While women and girls have always been involved in breaking, it is an industry dominated by men. However, as popularity grows, some international competitions have introduced separate b-girl battles, allowing women to showcase their skills independently.

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Battle of the Year -

The international Battle of the Year was created in 1990 and was the first large-scale breaking competition.

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Summer Youth Olympic Games 2018 -

In 2018, breaking was added to the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. 

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International Olympic Committee vote -

In 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to include breaking in the Paris Olympic Games 2024. 

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Paris Olympic Games 2024 -

At the moment, 16 b-boys and 16 b-girls are competing for Olympic medals at the Place de la Concorde.

Sources: (Red Bull) (Team USA) (Dance Magazine)

See also: The greatest and most inspiring Olympic moments

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