Breaking — formerly known as breakdancing — has made its Olympic debut. This street dance style emerged in the Bronx during the 1980s, evolving alongside hip-hop music and pioneered by Black and Latino youth.
Today, it’s both an athletic pursuit and an art form, with B-girls and B-boys competing in round-robin ciphers. The most exciting aspect? Breaking is inherently impromptu. Dancers can’t pre-plan their moves or routines; they don’t even know the music they’ll perform to.
This spontaneity might explain the buzz around Raygun‘s performance at today’s championships. The Australian B-girl has become an internet sensation, sparking memes, critiques, and praise online.
Many felt her skills didn’t quite match her competitors. But hey, she seemed to be having a blast.
Raygun — aka Dr. Rachael Gunn — is 36 and started breaking in her mid-20s, Reuters reports. She’s also an academic, teaching at Australia’s Macquarie University with a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies.
Watch that from a different angle.
Her thesis? “Deterritorializing gender in Sydney’s breakdancing scene: a B-girl’s experience of B-boying.” She’s no newcomer to this scene!
While she may not have been a top contender, she likely knew that going in. Speaking of competitors, she wasn’t the day’s only standout. Despite impressive moves, U.S. B-girl Logistx didn’t advance past the quarterfinals. But she definitely rocked it.
Sunny Choi, the other U.S. B-girl, brought amazing energy to her battles (my favorite moment was when she pretended to shot-put her opponent into the crowd during her face-off with India). While it’s a shame neither U.S. B-girl moved forward, they still wowed viewers at home.
Another notable moment was the pre-qualifier battle between Manizha Talash, an Afghan B-girl competing for the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, and India Sardjoe from the Netherlands. During her performance, Talash revealed a cape reading “FREE AFGHAN WOMEN.”
Personally, I was blown away by India, a truly fierce competitor, and France’s Syssy, a 16-year-old who flipped and spun like gravity didn’t exist; at one point, she even spun on her elbow. I also loved watching China’s Ying Zi, who showed unique musicality and incredible strength.
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