Although the breakdancing period began in New York City decades ago, there has never been an Olympic level of exposure for this industrial party. Smashing, which is deeply rooted in hip-hop street culture, may be a part of the Summer Games development for the first time this season. “It’s an art and a sport, ” Olympic hopeful Jeffrey Louis (B-Boy Jeffro ) told reporters during the Team USA Media Summit. “ I simply want to use the time to make things. Like even if I don’t succeed, I want them to move from that and state, ‘that’s what breaking may be’. ” The first step toward understanding what this art-turned-sport is to steer clear of the popular but limited term, breakdancing—it’s just called bursting. Many of the same breaking terms, including those used in the Bronx, crashing ( making mistakes ), and throwing down ( when you start breaking ), will be used to refer to athletes at the Paris Olympics in Paris. What are the key facts about the newest Olympic activity? You may be familiar with the turns and windmill that b-boys and b-girls have been using on streetcars and streets across cities for years. What distinguishes the Olympic variation from that? “We don’t break on cardboard, ” Sunny Choi (B-Girl Sunny ), the first woman to represent the U. S. in tearing, said, laughing, at the Team USA press conference. “ I do find that topic a bit … It’s an artistic activity. You feel our personality, history, and you get our personality. My character is visible to everyone. After 1 million people tuned in to NBC to see it during the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, “ Breaking ” was added to the year-long stone. This year’s Olympic debut activity is the only new activity; In an effort to appeal to younger and more different people, the International Organizing Committee has revived the disciplines of skateboarding, surfing, and sports walking from four years ago. In this year’s Olympic competitors, 16 men and 16 women will thrive in one-on-one battles in front of judges who will vote after each round—a round robin around, semifinals and gold battles—and after decide who will be the initial breaking Olympic medalists. “Not a lot of people know that breaking is in the Olympics, ” Victor Montalvo (B-Boy Victor ), the first ever U. S. breaking representative, said this week. “They don’t know what’s it about. They are familiar with stereotypes like cardboard and butt spin. There’s just a lot of misconceptions, [and breaking is ] more than that. It is one of the four hip-hop elements. I’m thrilled to represent my culture and demonstrate the true meaning of breaking. ” A panel of nine judges score the athletes on creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity and musicality. The other categories make up the other 40 % of the score, while productivity and creativity make up the other 40 %. The breakers who are competing this summer will perform in front of judges without knowing the songs beforehand, adding yet another layer of unpredictability that other Olympians do n’t face. They just know it will be some sort of breakbeat. Being adaptable is going to be important for any time the music changes, Louis said to reporters this week. You must alter the music, she says. If you’re dancing the same way to both songs, it ’s kind of fake. … Many people try to fake it, but you can tell. That’s where that soul comes in. ”