Breaking's next move: escaping the long shadow of Raygun

Two years after Australian breaker Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun, delivered a controversial performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the breaking community is eager to move past the Paris Games fiasco and redefine perceptions of the hip-hop art form. Gunn, whose performance became synonymous with breaking, lost all three of her round-robin battles without scoring a point, resulting in widespread ridicule on social media.

According to David Shreibman, a play-by-play Olympic commentator for NBC and co-host of the upcoming Red Bull BC One USA National Final, breaking has survived Raygun, but for many worldwide, the sport is now associated with her. A documentary chronicling Gunn's story, Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly, is set to air on Netflix, which has caused frustration among dancers and longtime veterans of the art form that originated in the United States over five decades ago.

Despite the controversy, breaking remains popular, with more students learning the craft and events still receiving support from sponsors. However, the inclusion of breaking in the Paris 2024 Olympic programme has led to a decline in brand interest and prize money, as sponsors pull back and prize pools shrink. Breaking still carries the Olympic umbrella, with the sport set to be featured in the Summer Youth Olympics in Dakar later this year.