Breaking will be the first dance sport in the Olympic program in Paris in 2024. The most talented athletes are now being sought in Hamburg – but the scene is skeptical.
Marco Baaden only has to think for a moment, then the national coach quickly clicks on YouTube and presents an example video. The breaking final of the 2021 World Cup flickers across the big screen, set up in the HipHop Academy in Hamburg’s Billstedt district. The battle between breaking legend “Flea Rock” and the up-and-coming Japanese “Shigekix”. It is intended to answer the question of the journalists present, how exactly the breaking is evaluated.
“It also depends on the show”
For the next few minutes, everyone is glued to what is happening on the screen. Spectacular movements from both athletes. Head spins, top rocks, down rocks, power moves – and everyone is sure afterwards: The young Japanese will win the duel. Technically flawless, dynamically elegant.
For the journalists, the winner is clear. But things are different. The old master “Flea Rock” is chosen as the winner. His charisma and authenticity were the decisive factors in the end. “It also depends on the show,” says Baaden afterwards. And thus also opens up the discussion as to how far breaking is comparable at all and does not leave the viewers at a loss.
Olympic premiere at the Place de la Concorde
“Show is not sport, but that’s part of the other criteria,” says Baaden. For around two and a half years he has been at the top of the up-and-coming sport, which will make its Olympic debut next year.
A covered open-air arena will be set up on the famous Place de la Concorde in Paris for the 32 participants. 16 men and 16 women can qualify. Trendy scene DJs spin, the dancers (“B-Boys” and “B-Girls”) don’t know the beat beforehand and have to implement the music spontaneously.
View of the Place de la Concorde in Paris
“One-on-one battles” are held in the French capital, lasting between four and five minutes. Alternately, everyone can show what he or she can do twice for around 45 seconds (“run”). Breaking is the first dance sport to make it into the Olympic program.
Anniversary: 50 years of hip-hop history
“Hip hop has been one of the biggest cultural movements in the world for a long time. But with the Olympics, it’s taken to a completely different level that hip hop hasn’t experienced before,” says Tim Dollmann, Managing Director of the Hamburg HipHop Academy. Young people have been training in this discipline here for 16 years.
In preparation for the Games, a workshop was organized for media representatives to pass on knowledge about the rules and history of breaking. Appropriate: 50 years of hip-hop history is being celebrated this year.
Only 32 places at the Olympic Games
The favorites for Paris come from the USA, Japan, Korea and France. “We’re in the top third,” says Baaden, who himself was one of the world’s best breakers. Artist name: Mallekid. A maximum of two per gender may participate per country. A hard elimination fight in advance.
Baaden has the task of putting together a competitive national squad. A Herculean task. To filter out Germany’s best breakers, Baaden will be back in Hamburg at the weekend. To be more precise, on the Heiligengeistfeld. The “DTV Ranking Battle” will be held there.
An open event for everyone who feels called to become part of the federal squad. Minimum age: 16 years, a prerequisite is a club membership – and as a possible cadre athlete you must of course have German citizenship. You can register on the day of the competition itself.
Via Hamburg to Paris?
The Grand Slam in Hamburg is one of two stations where the active players for the federal squad (eight men and eight women) are determined. Audition and then head towards Paris. Hamburg’s young hope Noah Tete will also be there. The 21-year-old shows the media representatives what he’s made of at the workshop day of the HipHip Academy. Warming up for the big stage, so to speak. Best of course for the Olympic.
“That would definitely be something for me. I don’t think I’ll make it through this round, which isn’t bad because I haven’t been dancing that long compared to the others. But I’ll definitely stir up the next round.” , says Tete.
Olympic skepticism in the breaking scene
Baaden and the organizers expect up to 140 dancers who want to present themselves on the Heiligengeistfeld. A big rush, even if the skepticism in the scene is great. Not everyone celebrates that breaking becomes an Olympic sport. Her sport has its own lifestyle, characterized by spontaneity and creativity. A culture of its own. To squeeze into the formalities of the IOC – unthinkable.
There is great concern as to whether their subculture can be reconciled with the strictly standardized guidelines of the IOC. There were similar views when it came to skateboarding, which made its Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2021.
The national coach also quarreled for a long time with himself whether he should take over the office. “I had a lot of thoughts about whether that was the right thing. Whether breaking, whether this whole hip-hop culture belongs in this set of rules, because we’re relatively free,” says Baaden.
Breakers show their moves.
But the IOC is willing to inspire a younger audience for the games with new sports. Baaden has decided to help take his sport onto the big stage and show everyone that breaking is more than just “sliding around on the floor.”
Breaking – not break dancing
The sport originated in the New York Bronx. In the 1970s, African-American youth in particular established the hip-hop battle. Instead of fighting in the streets, the clans carried out their disputes by dancing. The trend quickly spilled over to Europe. Noah Tete, who will probably only jump on the 2028 Olympic train (venue: Los Angeles), has only been breaking for four and a half years. “Sport strengthens my personality and also my self-esteem,” he says. Breaking is also popularly known as breakdancing. However, the term is frowned upon in the scene as an invention of the media.
Appointment stress for national coach Baaden
You can also feel the spirit of optimism on this workshop day in the HipHop Academy. Olympia sets things in motion. Suddenly, coaches who have coached for decades just like that have to show certain coaching licenses. Funding from the DOSB depends on the nomination of the squad athletes.
In general, new structures had to be created in the breaking area, says Baaden. The national coach has a lot to do at the moment. He only came back from an event in Canada on the evening before the workshop. One appointment chases the next.
Wanted: The first Breaking Olympic champions
And what about the comparability of performance, how are gold, silver and bronze awarded? Baaden is pragmatic: “Ultimately you have to say: There is a competent jury and they decide what is right and what is wrong.” In Paris there will probably be nine jurors who decide on the medals.
In the end, it will come down to the criteria of creativity, personality, technique, versatility, performance and musicality. In other words, the taste of the jury will play an important role. “It’s still an exciting topic,” says the national coach. But one thing is already clear: The first Breaking Olympic champions will also have to put on the best show.
This topic in the program:
NDR 2 Sports | 06/12/2023 | 11:03 p.m
