In 2017, at the Silverback Open in Philadelphia, a B-boy amazed the crowd with his innovative handstand balancing act, sparking questions about how to judge such creative moves in breakdancing competitions. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had recently added breaking to the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) roster after its success in Buenos Aires, paving the way for its debut in Paris.
The World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) was tasked with developing an IOC-approved judging system for breaking, despite having no prior experience with the dance form. Traditionally, breakdancing judging at smaller events involved a simple voting process by judges based on criteria such as creativity, style, character, and musicality, with no official rulebook.
To meet Olympic standards, members of the breaking community had already been working on a unified judging system, which was fine-tuned and implemented by the WDSF for the 2018 YOG. Though the original developers of this system, including B-boy Niels “Storm” Robitsky and Kevin “Renegade” Gopie, parted ways with the WDSF in 2022, the Olympic judging system in Paris is based on their work.
The Olympic judging system for breaking aims to provide a consistent and fair evaluation of dancers, taking into account various aspects of their performance. This system is a significant step forward in standardizing the judging process for breakdancing competitions, ensuring that athletes are evaluated objectively based on predetermined criteria.
As breaking makes its Olympic debut in Paris, the implementation of a structured judging system highlights the evolution of the sport and its recognition on a global stage. By establishing clear guidelines for evaluating performances, the Olympic judging system for breaking sets a precedent for future competitions and promotes transparency and fairness in the sport.
