Breaking, also known as break dancing, made its first appearance at the 2024 Paris Games, impressing both the dancers with their spin-filled moves and the mesmerized viewers.
Despite its debut at the Summer Games, breaking won’t be returning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, as confirmed by an International Olympic Committee spokesperson.
The decision to exclude breaking from the upcoming Summer Games is quite ironic, considering the sport’s strong roots in the United States, particularly in cities like New York, where it has thrived since the 1970s.
Additionally, the athletes, known as B-boys and B-girls, have gained significant attention since their performances in Paris.
Team Australia’s Raygun, performed exceptionally well even though she got 0 points for her routine and faced some criticism for her unique dance style, she totally captured the hearts of the audience and left a lasting impression.
In an Instagram video before her performance, Gunn shared, “Being one of sixteen women from all over the world competing in breaking’s first appearance at the Olympics is such a huge honor and privilege.
“I hope that having breaking in the Olympics inspires a whole new generation of breakers.”
Discover more about why breaking won’t be back for the 2028 Olympics and the sport set to replace it at the Summer Games.
What is breaking?
Breaking, also known as break dancing, has its roots deep in the street culture of the 1970s.
When it hit the scene at the 2024 Paris Games, it became the first dancesport to be part of the Olympics.
Back in 2018, it was already making waves at the Youth Olympic Games. At the Paris Olympics, athletes faced off one-on-one, showcasing their skills while judges evaluated them on creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity, and musicality.
The official Olympics website described how athletes would bust out power moves like windmills, the 6-step, and freezes, grooving to the DJ’s beats, aiming to impress the judges and win those historic Olympic breaking medals.
Why won’t breaking be in the 2028 Olympics?
The news that breaking won’t be part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles was announced a couple of years back. The International Olympic Committee made this known in 2022 when they revealed the 28 sports making the cut for the 2028 Games, and breaking didn’t make the final lineup.
IOC sports director, Kit McConnell revealed this in a 2023 press briefing, mentioning how it’s all on the local organizing committee to pick the extra sports that vibe with their Games vision.
In October 2023, the World DanceSport Federation, the governing body of breaking, released a statement addressing the exclusion of breaking from the upcoming 2028 Olympics.
The statement expressed deep disappointment with the LA28 decision but also highlighted the pride in the achievements made alongside the breaking community in a short span.
The WDSF emphasized their strong ties with the IOC and other Olympic stakeholders and their unwavering support for breaking since its Olympic journey began before the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.
The exclusion from the 2028 Olympics has generated several reactions
The dance world is definitely feeling the blow of breaking not making a comeback in the 2028 Olympics.
Raygun, the Australian breaker, voiced her disappointment over the sport’s exclusion.
She expressed frustration that the decision was made before its debut in Paris, calling it premature.
Raygun pondered if the organizers are now regretting their choice, especially with top American breakers who could have rocked the podium.
Will breaking return for the 2032 Olympics?
Despite breaking missing out on the 2028 Olympics, there’s hope for its return at the 2032 Brisbane Games.
The World DanceSport Federation is putting in the effort to secure breaking’s spot at the Summer Games in Australia.
Olekanma Favour is a resourceful, self-motivated, and result-driven writer with a passion for crafting compelling narratives and insightful content. She loves tackling complex topics and weaving engaging stories.
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