The True Story Behind Olympic Breakdancing
The Sport Debuting in Paris Erases an American Urban Dance Legacy
The Olympians competing in the inaugural breaking exhibition event at the Paris Games are sure to perform incredible feats of acrobatics while music plays. But you won’t catch them doing actual rhythmic dance outside of a few shuffle steps.
It’s a shame, but it’s also not a surprise. Within the alleged success of the breaking or breakdancing craze is a story of innovation hijacked by a cancerous commercialization—as the Bronx street dancers who were part of its creation and evolution know all too well.
Back in late 1974 or early ’75, teenagers …
