Hip-hop beats, cool heads and outstanding dancers – that’s breaking. Olympics next year. The last of six “ranking battles” of the German Dance Sport Association took place in Hamburg on Saturday. It paves the way to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Now it’s getting serious, Melina Fernandez blows her hands. The 15-year-old is in the final against her great idol Sanja Jilwan Rasul (31), called “Jilou”, the reigning German champion. Melina from Düsseldorf and Jilou from Berlin prevailed against their competitors on the Heiligengeistfeld, and now the duel will decide who wins the tournament. The two hug before the first beat, because that’s part of the scene: coolness, fairness, a good tone. Jilou starts with her performance, followed by Melina.
Both b-girls show spectacular moves, jumping, turning, even upside down. B-Girls and B-Boys, that’s what the professional breakers call themselves. What the athletes feel through the music, their bodies express. “Breaking gives you a lot of self-confidence and strength as a woman, even on the street,” says Jilou. A duel lasts four to five minutes and consists of three rounds. The DJ puts on the same beat for the competitors, who themselves don’t know what to expect.
About Hamburg in the national squad
Breaking is by no means just about the athletically demanding movements of the body, but also about charisma. There is no such thing as classic sportswear, everyone appears individually in the style of hip-hop: loose pants and shirts, hats and trendy sneakers are part of the outfit of breakers.
At the event in Hamburg, the two winners each received 1,000 euros in prize money, as well as points for the ranking list, which results in the German Olympic breaking squad for the b-girls and b-boys. After the German Championships in Duisburg (July 8th/9th) it will be clear which 16 dancers will be involved.
Shortly before midnight it says: Trembling. “Three, two, one,” the moderator counts down with the fans. The ratings of the two dancers appear on a screen: Melina has won.
Jilou is my idol, she’s like my big sister.”
— Melina Fernandez, B-Girl
Jilou falls into her arms and congratulates fairly. In the German rankings, the Berliner is first, Melina second, both have collected enough points for the national squad. Melina stretches her fist into the Hamburg evening sky and is a little overwhelmed.
“Jilou is my idol, she’s like my big sister, I never thought that today is the day I will win against her.” But she doesn’t want to belittle her performance: “I think I was very strong, but she definitely had the chance to win against me.”
The winner and runner-up will be celebrated at Breaking in Hamburg.
Breaking in Germany is on the upswing. The culture and a serious sporting scene have developed enormously in recent years. National coach Marco Baaden is proud: “We have twice won bronze at three world championships, we are qualified for the European Games, only the best 16 Europeans compete there. I think our chances at the Olympics are definitely very good.”
Our chances at the Olympics are definitely very good.”
— Marco Baaden, national coach
The 38-year-old was an active breaker himself for many years under the name “Mallekid”. As national coach, he has been responsible for finding the best athletes since the sport was included in the Olympic program two and a half years ago.
Participants and spectators in Hamburg agree: Making breaking Olympic is the right step. “The artistic aspect will enrich the Olympic Games,” says one participant. Another speaks of Breaking as the “highly athletic story” it deserves.
The dream of the Olympics – a rocky path
But only 32 b-girls and b-boys from all over the world are allowed to fight for medals in Paris next summer, 16 women and 16 men. A maximum of two may come from the same nation. The selection process is extremely tough. Despite the increasing enthusiasm, nations such as the country of origin of the breaking, the USA, but also hosts France as well as Japan and Korea are a lot ahead of the German breakers.
It will still be rocky, the road to Paris. It would be surprising if the German team secured a starting place for the Olympics next week at the European Games in Poland or at the World Championships in Belgium in September. A sufficient placement in the world rankings is more likely. The breakers can also qualify via an international ranking battle in the coming year.
Maybe Melina and Jilou will be there too. They are at least the German hopefuls. For the 15-year-old winner, a dream has already come true with the triumph on the Heiligengeistfeld: “I’m in the national squad!” Melina Fernandez beamed.
