Breakdancing has completed a head-spinning journey from its humble roots on the streets of New York to the global stage of the Paris Olympics – as toprocks and power moves were thrown down in the competition for the fist time.
The urban dance, known as “breaking” by those within the sport, has been introduced to the games this year in an effort to attract new and younger audiences.
The female category kicked off on Friday night with the world’s top 32 “B-girls” facing off in the same square where Marie Antoinette was executed more than 230 years ago.
The Place de la Concorde has been transformed into an urban sports area for the games, with hip hop icon Snoop Dogg officially opening the breaking competition to the sound of his classic Drop It Like It’s Hot.
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Around five hours later Japan’s 25-year-old dancer Ami Yuasa, who goes by the B-girl name “Ami”, became the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport after beating Lithuanian 17-year-old “Nicka”, whose real name is Dominika Banevic, in the final.
However, it was a 36-year-old Australian professor who arguably stole the show after her routine was widely mocked on social media.
Raygun, real name Rachael Gunn, left the competition without earning a single point as her unconventional moves fell flat with the judges.
Ami Yuasa during her gold-medal winning performance. Pic: AP
At one point, Gunn raised one leg while standing and leaned back with her arms bent toward her ears. Later on she laid on her side and reached for her toes before flipping over and doing it again in a move dubbed “the kangaroo”.
Gunn, around twice the age of the other competitors, said afterwards: “I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best – their power moves.
“What I bring is creativity.”
The competition provided plenty of talking points, as 21-year-old breaker Manizha Talash was disqualified for wearing a cape which read “Free Afghan Women”. Displaying political messages is strictly banned under International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules.
The dancer, who goes by the B-girl name Talash, fled Afghanistan with her 12-year-old brother after the Taliban took control of the country in 2021. She was ultimately granted asylum in Spain.
Talash was representing the Refugee Team at this year’s games.
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Manizha Talash shared a political message during her performance. Pic: AP
Manizha Talash fled Taliban rule. Pic: AP
There was also controversy after silver medalist Banevic competed while wearing a durag.
The head covering, which has its roots in head wraps worn by enslaved Africans to tie up hair for work, is used to protect and manage hairstyles, but also became popular in the hip hop fashion of the 1990s.
However, Banevic’s use of the durag led some viewers to accuse her of cultural appropriation.
A Chinese teenager with the B-girl name “671” was also among the history-makers after picking up a bronze medal.
671, whose real name is Liu Qingyi, is understood to be the first Olympic athlete to compete without a letter in her name.
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The UK has chosen not to field competitors in either the male or female category – with the men facing-off on Saturday evening.
DJs Plash One and Fleg provided the beats for the competition on Friday.
Nicka was criticised by some after wearing a durag. Pic: AP
From left: Silver medalist Nicka of Lithuania, gold medallist Ami of Japan and bronze medalist 671 of China. Pic: AP
A panel of nine judges scored each dancer using the sport’s “Trivium” judging system, which marks competitors on technique, vocabulary (variety of moves), execution, musicality, performativity and originality.
Dismissive hand gestures and in-your-face moves were all part of the spectacle in Paris, although all the breakers embraced afterwards, in keeping with the spirit of seizing the chance to put their sport on show.
It could be their only chance because breaking – which originated in 1970s New York – is not currently on the programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.