So here's seven things you need to know about the sport.
The history
Breakdancing originated in the United States in the early 1970s, incorporating moves from a varietyof sources such as martial arts and gymnastics. It began to take off worldwide in the 80s when it was adopted by popular artists like Michael Jackson.
Some of the most notable break dancers in history include: Crazy Legs. Zulu Kings and Tony Touch.
Breakdancing will be known as 'breaking' at the Olympics, with athletes called breakers. They also go by B-boys and B-girls, which originates from the term break-boy or girl.
How its judged
At the 2018 Youth Olympics, where breaking was first introduced as a trial event, judges used the Trivium Value System.
The system uses three equally weighted criteria to compare competitors:
Body, Physical quality: composed of technique, variety Soul, Interpretive quality: composed of performativity, musicality Mind, Artistic quality: composed of creativity, personality
Breakers are judged per round and win battles by scoring higher on more rounds than their opponent does.
A break dancer competes in the the Red Bull BC One World Final of break dancing last month. Photo / Getty
The format
Breaking competitions use the battle format in events for men, women and mixed team. This is a one-on-one competition that sees athletes take turns to perform before being judged and scored. The winner then progresses to the next round of the knockout competition.
The movements
There are four main types of movement in breaking– toprock, downrock, power moves and freezes.
Toprock: This refers to foot movements performed from a standing position. Downrock: These are floor-based moves performed with the body supported on the hands and feet. Freezes: This is when breakers hold a certain position. Power moves: These are acrobatic elements that are often the main part of routines.
Which countries are best
South Korea, Japan, France, and the US are among the top countries for breakdancing.
The gear
No doubt countries will have fun with designing the breaking uniforms for the 2024 Games. Traditionally, breakers wear functional clothing such as tracksuits to help them slide on the floor and beanies for head spins and windmills.
Scott Robertson has resisted any temptation to rotate his side for the All Blacks’ year-ending test against Italy, naming as strong a side as possible for Sunday’s clash.
