Fans of breakdancing will see the artform on display for the world to watch during the Paris 2024 Games.
The hip-hop dance style that traces its history back to Bronx, New York, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, will make its Olympics debut this year in competitions the organization is calling "Breaking." The name stems from the instrumental breaks in musical beats that are a key part of hip-hop music and the sounds DJs from that era promoted.
RELATED STORY | Previewing the Paris Summer Olympics: When does it start, how to watch
The breaking matches start on Aug. 9, and the Olympics committee has a list of dates and times for qualifiers and finals published online.
It was unclear what type of music, if any, would be played during breaking events. The moves of the dance incorporate elements of martial arts and gymnastics and is largely improvisational.
Megan Liz Smith of Scripps News breaks down how breakdancing will be featured at this year's Paris 2024 Games:
The Olympics said breaking was successfully introduced to the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires. It was unclear how it would exactly play out for Paris 2024, but the Olympics said that in order to make it fair, a set of clear rules was released for competitors before breaking's debut.
RELATED STORY | Olympic soccer gets off to violent and chaotic start as Morocco fans rush the field vs Argentina
There are three basic elements that will be considered by judges, including "top rock," "down rock" and "freeze." Other elements explained on the Olympics' breakdown of judging include "power moves," "air flare" and "flare."
Scores will be based on six criteria: personality, creativity, variety, technique, musicality, and performativity.
