Breaking Takes Global Stage at Paris Olympics, But Not Everyone Celebrates

PARIS (AP) — In the basement of a Parisian sports complex, dozens of breakers, or break dancers, gathered nearly every weeknight in July. They practiced classic moves such as the windmill, freezes, and headspins to steady breakbeats from a playlist called “100% Flow.” Warmups included toprocking and catching the beat before diving into more intricate floor moves. Samy Vongphrachanh, 19, gained cheers from his peers when he took risks and received encouragement when he struggled with certain power moves.

These dancers are part of Paris’ local breaking and hip-hop community. While international excitement centers on breaking making its debut as an Olympic sport at the Paris Games, for these b-boys and b-girls, it’s about maintaining a lifestyle.

“We come, we chill, we cypher – it’s the main essence of breaking,” said Vongphrachanh, describing the informal circles formed by breakers where they dance and battle one by one. “It’s about sharing peace, unity, love, and having fun.”

The Paris breaking scene is a microcosm of a much larger community across France. As the world’s second-largest hip-hop market after the U.S., the Olympic organizers are emphasizing the popularity of breaking in the country. Breaking debuted as a sporting event in the Paris Olympics after finding success at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, aiming to attract younger viewers.

Yet outside the Olympic arena, some in Paris’ local breaking scene feel skeptical about their subculture being co-opted by officials, commercialized, and subjected to a rigid judging structure. They fear that breaking, an improvisational art form born in communities of color under racial and economic struggles, might lose its essence through mass appeal and the global stage.

“It’s a huge step for hip-hop and the breaking community,” said Rémi Chean-Len Heng, or “b-boy Fly Lin,” a Paris-based breaker who uses the dance as therapy for new migrants arriving in France. “But some see this as a threat to the culture’s essence. It’s all about making the youth watch the Olympics more, and some in the community fear that the culture won’t be well represented.”

Vongphrachanh hopes the Olympics will inspire a new generation to get involved in the culture. He even gives breaking lessons to children and younger teens. While he appreciates the recognition, he also questions if the discipline is becoming too competitive.

This tension has long existed within the broader hip-hop community, noted historian Samir Meghelli, who is working on a book titled “Hip Hop between New York and Paris: A Transatlantic History.”

“Hip-hop from its very beginning has had a fraught relationship with mainstream institutions and pop culture,” said Meghelli. What began as an outlet for socio-economic struggles of Black and brown youth in the Bronx has expanded into a multi-billion-dollar global industry.

The art form was initially unwelcome in mainstream media but has now been incorporated over time, carrying along tensions between authenticity and commercialization. For Meghelli, breaking’s inclusion in the Olympics is the latest chapter in this history of tensions.

Across the Atlantic, breaking first took hold in France in Seine-Saint-Denis. Before corporate-sponsored competitions attracted kids on YouTube, an iconic New York hip-hop group, Rock Steady Crew, performed in Saint-Denis in 1982. The culture resonated with the youth in Saint-Denis, particularly those of color in the housing projects, connecting with them more profoundly than broader French culture.

“I saw some break dancers, and something clicked in my head,” said Hugo Malanda-Malaki, 19, who was introduced to the dance as a child in Saint-Denis. “I saw their moves and wanted to replicate that.”

The mixed feelings regarding breaking’s Olympic debut are also influenced by a new French law regulating the teaching of hip-hop dances, including breaking. The amendment to a 1989 law requires a state diploma for teaching these dances, imposing a hefty fine and the administrative closure of non-compliant establishments. Although some see it as a move toward stability, others, like Malanda-Malaki, believe that a diploma is unnecessary for teaching breakdance.

Meanwhile, Olympic organizers assert they are honoring the roots of breaking, with the official website detailing its history from the Bronx and highlighting Seine-Saint-Denis as France’s breaking birthplace. Significant breaking contests are not new; international competitions like the Red Bull BC One World Final have showcased breaking globally for two decades.

The Olympic buzz around breaking is celebrated by many in the hip-hop community, from genre pioneers to fans. Notable figures like Ice-T and Snoop Dogg have expressed their excitement, viewing it as a proud moment for hip-hop culture.

Many Olympic breakers see themselves as ambassadors, aiming to represent the authenticity of breaking and its cultural heritage. “Black and Latino people birthed this culture,” said Logan Edra, or b-girl Logistx, representing Team USA. “This is a big moment for all of us. I’m doing this for breaking and our culture.”

___

Source: AP News