Everyone Won with the 2024 Olympic B-Boys Competition

The Paris 2024 Olympic B-Boy battle was a win for everyone. Those who tuned in and filled the sold out breaking arena to watch the B-Boys battle for history, the 16 B-Boys who competed, and the breaking scene, community and culture, all won.

The spectators who came to watch won because they got to see 16 of the best B-Boys in the world literally pour their heart, souls and tears into every second of every round they did, displaying all their unique styles; from Menno’s ground rocking, ‘flow like water’ style, to Lee’s unpredictable, illusionist method of getting in and out of his moves, and Hong 10’s endless weaving flow and upside down halo spinning mastery.

The 16 B-Boys won because they got to stand in the middle of a roaring crowd, with the whole world tuning in to watch them authentically express the dance they all love. And even though they were battling to win, they knew they were all in it together and they showed that with examples like Lee and Lagaet hugging in the middle of the stage after their battle, then facing the crowd and putting the back of their hands on their foreheads, which is the sign for the crew they are both apart of, ‘The Ruggeds.’ It’s was also shown when the three medallists Victor (bronze), Dany Dann (silver) Phil Wizard (gold) danced, laughed and posed in true B-Boy fashion together on the podium, happy, and full of joyful energy at what they had achieved together.

The breaking culture won because we got to show the world that if you give us a stage, let us play the music that fuels our dance, and allow our crew members and breaking friends and family to sit close enough to high five and fist bump us, the vibe and atmosphere that breaking creates will always spreads like a fever through those watching. At the B-Boy battle that fever roared from the crowd like an unstoppable hip hop storm, from the beginning until the last B-Boy left the stage.

The crowd roared when Jeffro and Dany went off with musicality in their battle against one another, physically expressing the classic song, ‘Know the Ledge’ by Rakim and Eric B, through their breaking. They roared when Kuzya, knowing he was out of the competition, said goodbye with one final display of his signature Ukrainian dance inspired-foot step.

They roared when Hiro10 hit his signature, crazy long head spin into a one-handed, upside down, ninety spin.

And they roared and chanted Dany’s name every time the French B-Boy stepped out to battle, and Dany soaked it up by taking his time to stand in the middle of the stage and breath in the love given to him from his country people.

Dany: “It was crazy, I felt the crowd push me and give me so much energy.”

The breaking scene, community and culture won because we got to play our classic songs once more to show the world how the music drives us; Jimmy Castor Bunch ‘It's just begun,’ Method Man’s ‘Judgement day,’ and ending the final battle with the classic, Babe Ruth, ‘The Mexican,’ were just a small example of the music DJs Fleg (USA) and Plash (Poland) blessed us with.

The culture was even in the little details, as one thing we say in breaking is, “it’s not what you do, but how you do it,” and when all the 16 B-Boys were called onto stage at the beginning of the event they all entered with style: Hong10 did his now signature run to the stage, Lithe-ing came out spinning a t-shirt around in excitement and danced onto the stage, Phil Wizard did a funky legged walk, Kuzya did a two footed jump up onto the stage, and French B-Boy, Lagaet, stopped and put his hand to his ear to show he truly heard the loud of cheers of his home country crowd.

The scene and community also won because dozens, upon dozen of them came from far and wide to support, witness and be a part of history. Two of the first original B-Boys, The Legendary Twins came to watch, the famous USA B-Boy, Kmel, was in the House, and so was the ‘Style King’, B-Boy Flea Rock, as well as many others.

Polish B-Boy, Yarko, from Polskee Flavour crew, came to watch and commented that:

“It was absolutely a beautiful time to shine for B-Boys and B-Girls. The amount of work the competitors put into this was incredible, and to see the happiness and satisfaction they had, and to watch this whole thing, was a crazy and unforgettable moment.”

Belgium B-Boy, and the country breaking coach, Admir, was present and said: “Breaking deserved this and the B-Boys did an amazing job in the way they showed our community. I hope they all inspired a lot of the young generation to join this beautiful culture.”

And USA Breaker, B-Boy Wicket, who has been breaking since 1992, said about the historical event that, “in the early 90s we could only dream about breakers being on the Olympic stage and now we’re actually here at the in 2024 Paris Olympics. It’s a beautiful thing that breaking is now a professional sport, and we’ve got to pay homage to our pioneers because if it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t be here.”

The B-Boy battle at the Paris 2024 Games was a win for everyone involved because the B-Boys got to fully display the authentic face of breaking for the whole world to enjoy, on the biggest sporting stage in the world.

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Photos by Little Shao

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Published on 11 August 2024