Though the Olympics has been around for more than 3,000 years, the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics (July 26-Aug.11) will shatter the mold as breaking—the dance style born in the Bronx in the 1970s—becomes an official sport.
Described by the Olympics as a sport characterized by acrobatic movements, stylized footwork and the inclusion of a DJ and MC (master of ceremonies) during battles, breaking is widely known for its deep roots in youth and hip-hop culture. The competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will include a men’s event and a women’s event where 16 B-Boys and 16 B-Girls will face off in solo battles. The athletes will use a combination of iconic breaking moves like windmills, the 6-step, and freezes as they improvise to the beat of the DJ’s tracks.
Jeffery “B-Boy Jeffro” Louis, the 2022 FISE Montpellier World Series champion, 2022 Breaking for Gold Montreal champion and fifth-ranked B-Boy in the world, will represent Team USA in the competition.
Hailing from Houston, Texas, 29-year-old Louis—whose signature move is the “switch away,” an illusion where he moves one way and does a flip the other way—began breaking in middle school. “My brother was the one that got me into breaking when I was 10 years old,” Louis told Rivet. “He was enrolled in a program during high school and would come home after and show me the moves he learned. That’s really where my love for the sport stems.”
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Besides competing, Louis has turned his passion into a business to help others. In 2019, he launched FitBreak, a training program that combines hip-hop’s full-body movement with fitness exercises. While Louis said never dreamed that he’d make a career out of breaking, let alone earning a place in Team USA, he plans to make the most of his Olympic moment by showing the world the level of commitment, passion and energy that makes breaking a magnetic sport to watch.
“Breaking is a party, and I’m ready for it to shock the world,” Louis said. “I know some people see breaking as just dancers doing head spins, but it’s much more than that.”
“To me, breaking’s inclusion in the Olympics is a chance to educate on its true essence as a cultural movement,” he added. “By participating in this momentous moment, I’m looking forward to educating the world on breaking and showing young breakers what’s possible when you put in the hard work.”
This article appears in Rivet’s summer issue. Click here to read more.