Back in 2017, I witnessed a captivating moment at the Silverback Open in Philadelphia suburbs. A B-boy impressed the crowd with a handstand, but what set him apart was his unique wrist-balancing technique that amazed everyone in the cypher.
As I observed the skill and creativity on display, I found myself pondering how such spontaneous moments could be accurately judged. This question became even more relevant due to the upcoming inclusion of breaking in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, paving the way for its debut at the Paris Olympics.
The responsibility of overseeing breaking’s Olympic journey fell on the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), an unexpected choice given their lack of prior involvement with the breaking community. With only two years to prepare for the YOG, the WDSF had to design an IOC-approved judging system from scratch.
Traditionally, breaking battles relied on a simple voting system where judges signaled their choice for the winner after each round. However, such subjective judging wouldn’t suffice for the Olympics. Recognizing this need, members of the breaking community had already developed a comprehensive judging system, which was further refined in collaboration with the WDSF for the 2018 YOG.
After the successful debut at the YOG, the creators of the original judging system parted ways with the WDSF. Despite this, the WDSF continued to refine and adapt the system for the upcoming Paris Olympics, ensuring that the essence of the sport and its values are preserved.