Breaking’s Olympic Moment Has Arrived—And Many Insiders Aren’t Happy About It

 

Breaking’s Olympic Moment Has Arrived—And Many Insiders Aren’t Happy About It

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When Douglas “Dancin’ Doug” Colon was 15 in 1973, a phenomenon called breaking was sweeping the Black neighborhoods of the Bronx. He likens this competitive dance to a gladiator contest: “Two go in, one comes out.” Colon, a breaking pioneer and founder of the Breaking Hall of Fame in New York, used to burn his rivals with a move he called the Curly, a shuffle he modeled after one of the Three Stooges.

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Over 50 years later, this hip-hop dance, once the preserve of youth parties and street battles, can be seen in ads shilling for Mercedes-Benz, Google, Accenture and Delta Air Lines. Judges assess technique and creativity in contests around the world, and top competitors earn hundreds of thousands a year in sponsorships. Now on Aug. 9, under the lights at the Place de la Concorde, breaking will make its Olympic debut.

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