UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. — Four new sports will debut at the Paris Olympics this summer. Breaking, also called breakdancing or b-boying, originated in the streets of New York in the 1970s.
This form of art became a part of the culture that the world would come to know as hip hop. The dance style complimented the new music and fashion trends of the time. Acrobatic movements, headstands, pantomime, and never-before-seen footwork were a huge shift from the dances of years past.
According to the World Dancesport Federation's website, the dance reached global popularity by the 1980s after films like Beat Street, Breakin, and Flashdance featured scenes that put breaking battles front and center stage.
Then Battle Of The Year was created in 1990, giving b-boys and b-girls a chance to compete internationally. This competition is still alive and well today.
No wonder breaking has made its Olympic debut. This dance requires a high level of athletic ability and has withstood the test of time.
Hip Hop in St. Louis
St. Louis native Anthony Redd Williams, owner of Kode Redd Dance Studio in University City, plans to watch the Olympics now that there will be breaking athletes competing.
"I am extremely excited for hip hop to be presented at the Olympics.... Now to be recognized on such a huge platform because of the art and athleticism that goes into breakdancing is a major accomplishment for hip hop and something that needs to be seen and acknowledged."
In recent years, Williams noticed several gymnasts have added hip hop-inspired movements into their routines. Now the world gets to watch this sport stand alone at the Olympics.
He posed this question: How is running on your feet for a short time a sport but not spinning on your head?
Williams, who works as a professional dancer and choreographer, believes the original form of hip hop dance is breaking, which is why he refers to the dancing at Kode Redd Studio as "commercial hip hop."
"Over the years we've saw a lot of evolution in how people have started to choreograph and incorporate different styles of dance into this form and still call it hip hop," Williams said. "It is all still evolving from the same seed."
It was the lack of options in St. Louis that inspired Williams to open a studio of his own that would do more than just offer hip hop as an elective.
"I found that we have a huge gap in our dance community and we really needed that," Williams said about St. Louis.
Several of Williams students have gone on to tour with Missy Elliot, Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj.
His studio has filled that gap for dancers that began like Williams.
As a child in St. Louis City, Williams said that Missy Elliot and Janet Jackson were dancers that inspired him. He began dancing at places like 12th & Park Recreation Center, not sure how he could become a professional.
"I am self talk so I would literally dance outside in the projects every day and all day."
One person in particular showed Williams that the dream he had was attainable.
"I met a lady back when I was in high school named Ovaloretta Harris and she would go around to all of the community centers in underprivileged areas and she would teach dance for free," Williams shared. "She connected me with a community of dancers I didn't even know existed. I had been watching a bunch of these dancers on videos and TV this whole time and had no clue that a lot of these dancers were from St. Louis."
Williams went on to work as a professional performer and choreographer for Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, SZA, FLOrida, Teen Choice Awards and Nelly, according to the Studio's website.
When Williams came back to St. Louis from Los Angeles, he started the hip hop program at the Creative Center of Arts (COCA).
"The hip hop company doesn't exist at COCA right now," Williams said.
He was proud to provide that service to children who had that same dream, even if it no longer exists at COCA.
As for Kode Redd Studio, Williams wants to assure those interested in dancing that he will not turn people away who cannot afford to dance if they genuinely want and need to be there.
Breaking at the Olympics
According to the Olympics website, the breaking competition will also have another element of hip hop to accompany the true spirit of the dance: DJ's playing the music, known as tracks.
The breaking competition will take place on Aug. 9 for B-girls and Aug. 10 for B-boys.
Click here for the schedule.
The Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2018 saw so much success that it helped pave the way for the 2024 Paris Olympics to welcome breaking as a new sport, according to the Olympics website.
Williams said that he recommends education to those who believe this art form does not fit into the Olympic institution.
