Breaking, From Bronx to Paris

Breakdancing is a street dance developed by African Americans and Puerto Ricans in the Bronx. Breaking consists of four kinds of movement.

DJ Kool Herc coined the terms b-boy and b-girl. They described dancers who came to his parties.

On August 11, 1973, Cindy Campbell threw a back to school party. Her brother Kool Herc was the DJ.

Many practitioners prefer breaking over breakdancing. They argue the media used breakdancing to commercialize the original form.

By 1986, breaking had largely faded as many dancers quit. It then spread internationally through movies and touring crews.

Breaking spread rapidly across the West Coast then.

Battle of the Year was founded in 1990 in Germany. It holds regional qualifiers in several countries. Finals are in Montpellier, France.

Breaking became an Olympic sport at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The IOC decided this on December 7, 2020.