Dance studio embraces ‘Hype’ Olympic Dream

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Dance studio embraces ‘Hype’ Olympic Dream

Alocal dance company is embracing the ‘hype’ of the Paris 2024 Olympics’ new sport.

Breaking, also known as breakdancing, will feature in this year’s Olympics for the first time on August 9 and 10 at Place de la Concorde.

Sixteen men and women will battle it out on separate days in one-on-one battles navigated by a master of ceremonies to music randomly played by a DJ.

Each day will start with a round-robin phase consisting of four groups of four, with the top two in each group advancing to the quarter-finals followed by the semi-finals and battles for medals.

Hype Dance founding director Kim Cella said she hopes breaking being broadcast on a national level will help emphasise that dance is a sport, as well as an art form.

“Hopefully with breakdancing being on the world stage, with everybody so invested in the Olympics, dance can be recognised for the sport that it is. Dance is comprised of many elements and is so physically demanding on the body,” she said.

To have breakdancing included as a sport recognised in the Olympics is such a great opportunity.

“A lot of our students have been surprised that broakdancing has been included in the Olympics and are excited so see what our Australian athletes can do.

“Our students – as dancers themselves – know how athletic dancing is, and while we consider dance to be an artistic sport, the wider community see it as more of an art form rather than a sport.

“There are so many aspects of dance that cross over with every other sport, for example, discipline, mental and physical strength, physicality, perseverance, consistency and commitment to reach the next level,” Mrs Cella said.

She hopes the inclusion of breaking in the Olympics will continue to help in ‘breaking” gender stereotypes typically associated with dance.

“I actually hope that this breaks some of the stereotypes, as people see dance as a female dominated sport or art form.

“But in the Olympics we are going to see just how athletic breakdancing actually is,” she said.

“Additionally, when you talk about breaking there is a misconception that it is a male dominated sport, but the reality is we have strong men and women in the breakdancing community.

“In all of our hip hop classes, there is an element of breaking, so that from a young age the kids are developing a strong foundation to build on as they grow and develop both physically and as a dancer.

“Everyone can dance, and dance is for everyone, just like any other sport.

“Hopefully we see the community embrace breakdancing and dance in the same way we embrace other individual and team sports.

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