How Hip Hop Became the Next Olympic Sport

Dance has long been considered an artform. And in 2024, it will be considered a sport, according to the International Olympic Committee ("IOC"). That's right, dance has finally entered the worldwide Olympic stage. For dancers, we have known the artistry required for outstanding performances, but it also has its extreme physical demands and athleticism. Now the IOC has included it in the next summer Olympics. Alongside rhythmic gymnastics, hip hop dance has become the other summer sport with artistic merit. But how did this become possible and why?

Here are the reasons how dance has become the NEXT OLYMPIC SPORT:

Before I begin, I have to tell you how excited I am for dance to have this same international recognition. In 2008, I produced a large-scale show titled "Dance, the Next Olympic Sport" in hopes that one day the world would recognize the talent and athleticism of this incredible artform. Well, next summer, that dream is coming alive¦¦through the genre of hip hop and break specifically.

THE ORIGINS OF HIP HOP

Did you know that hip hop began in the streets of Los Angeles and New York. And now it has reached every corner of the world. Hip Hop was a street style of dance battles, where local dancers (mostly men) would show off their self-trained skills in a street or park environment. Several styles emerged from this very organic environment. The 6 most commonly seen today are breaking, locking, popping, krumping, tutting, and the newest additions of jazz funk and commercial choreo.

For those unfamiliar with Hip Hop, here is a breakdown of those styles:

• Breaking or b-boying was created in the South Bronx, New York City during the early 1970s It is the first hip-hop dance style.
• Locking, originally called Campbellocking, was created in 1969 in Los Angeles, California by Don "Campbellock" Campbell and popularized by his crew The Lockers.
• Popping was derived from the earlier boogaloo street dance movement taking place in Oakland, California during the late 1960s. It was created in Fresno, California in the 1970s and popularized by Samuel "Boogaloo Sam" Solomon and his crew the Electric Boogaloos.
• Krumping was created by Ceasare "Tight Eyez" Willis and Jo'Artis "Big Mijo" Ratti] in the early 2000s in South Central, Los Angeles. It was only practiced in Los Angeles until it gained mainstream exposure after being featured in several music videos and showcased in the krumping documentary Rize.
• Tutting is an upper body dance that uses the arms, hands, and wrists to form right angles and create geometric box-like shapes. Tutting can be done primarily with the fingers and arms. The movements are intricate, linear, and form 90° or 45° angles. In practice, tutting looks like the characters on the art of ancient Egypt hence the name”a reference to King Tut.

How Hip Hop became Mainstream

The dance industry, both studios and the commercial industry, responded to the rise of hip hop. They started creating commercials, videos and concert choreography with a commercial version of hip hop. The "urban choreo" became known as "new style" and it's the kind of hip hop dance you see today in music videos, television commercials and musicals like "Hamilton".

However, from the point of view of someone deeply immersed in hip-hop culture, anything that looks like hip-hop dance that did not come from the streets and is not improvisational in nature is not a true hip-hop dance form. The competitive hip hop world has remained faithful to those historical and new styles of hip hop.

Hip Hop and Jazz fusion

As a teacher and performer of "Jazz dance", I have loved seeing the hip hop industry fuse with the jazz fundamentals, creating a style known as jazz-funk. Jazz-funk (also called street-jazz) is a style first seen in one of my favorite sketch comedy series called In Living Color. I dreamed of becoming one of "The Fly Girls" that opened and closed every show with a hip-hop and jazz performance choreographed by Rosie Perez. And that style is alive and well in many dance classes for teens and adults with similar backgrounds and who have a new found love of hip hop.

The path to the Olympics

In 1984 the IOC included Rhythmic Gymnastics into the Olympics, where there is dance, coordination, music and body balance and fitness involved. Like Hip Hop, each movement of a rhythmic gymnastics routine involves a high degree of athletic skill, making it tick all the boxes to be a sport. Similarly, Breaking, despite being unconventional, has developed as a sports form as it includes nimble footwork, athletic and acrobatic gravity-defying moves like a back or head spin that demands extraordinary fitness.

Due to an incredible showing at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games at Buenos Aires, breaking's inclusion at the 2024 Paris Olympics was only expected.

What to expect at the Olympics

There will be two events in Breaking at the 2024 Paris Games ” one for men and one for women. There will be 16 B-Boys and 16 B-Girls who will go face to face in solo battles. These B-boys and B-girls will employ a variety of power moves that include windmills, the 6-step and freezes as they move along to the DJ's upbeat tracks, improvising away and keep the heat on for the Olympic crown. This event is highly anticipated around the world and will create future hip hop dance superstars.

How to prepare you or your child to be a dance olympian

Look for a dance school that has a facility where your child can safely learn. Inside the classroom, you want to make sure that it's a large unobstructed area that allows several students to be in a lesson without trampling over each other. Some rooms need high ceiling clearance for lifts, jumps or other tricks such as in breaking or acrobatics. Every room needs full length mirrors so that the dancers are able to see the placement of their bodies. Flooring needs to have sprung subfloors and a non-slip top surface designed for dancing. This ensures that your child can train safely without slipping or rigidity. The floor needs to aid in their training.

Another thing to consider when looking for a dance school is their involvement in dance competitions. Some studios take students to dance competitions that have a hip hop category, but the judging criteria is different than what the Olympic track will require. Competition that includes breaking, freestyle, and battles will help focus on their team and individual athleticism required for the Olympics. Make sure your child is serious about dance before looking into these competition programs. If that is what your child is ready for, find a studio that also values the POSITIVE BENEFITS of competition rather than just the results.

No matter what part of the Olympic path we have been a part of, I am happy that dance is finally being recognized internationally for its incredible athleticism and artistry. The Olympics will bring out the best talent of every nation at every viewer's delight.

If you want to be a part of the excitement and buildup for this journey to the Olympics, check out our Teen/ Adult program and its experienced faculty. Join our award winning school, voted Best Studio for 15 years in a row, and CHANGE YOUR LIFE THROUGH DANCE!