What is breaking, the newest Olympic sport?

Breaking makes its Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Games with 32 dancers competing for gold in two events.

Breaking is set to makes its Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Games.

To attract new and younger audiences, Olympic chiefs have been emphasising the inclusion of urban sports. As part of this effort to stay relevant, breaking will join skateboarding, sport climbing on the Olympic schedule.

The new sport will take place across two days at the Place de la Concorde – a major public square situated at the end of the Champs-Elysees, where the other urban sports are also being held.

Two gold medals are up for grabs, with 32 breakers competing. The 16 women are in action on August 9 and 16 men on August 10.

Breaking, more popularly known as breakdancing, is a dynamic style of street dance that originated in the South Bronx of New York City during the late 1970s. It is one of the four foundational elements of hip-hop culture, alongside DJing, MCing (rapping), and graffiti art.

Breaking involves a combination of footwork, floor moves, and freezes where dancers hold acrobatic poses, often balancing on one arm or elbow. The dance is characterised by its spontaneous nature, with dancers responding to the beats provided by a DJ and the energy of the crowd

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced this addition on December 7, 2020, as part of its effort to engage younger audiences and promote gender equality.