Should bboying be considered a sport?

[koreankev]

hiphop as a sport?
doesn't sound good.

[ToyzOfZion]

Originally Posted by AlphaTrion

In my opinion yes. The numerous organizations that have been trying to get salsa and ballroom into the olympics would agree with me. They classify it as "dancesport"

20 years ago no one would call skateboarding, snowboarding or bmx a sport either but that's certainly not the case today.

Again, I really don't understand the negative connotation. Are you afraid that if we let it be called a sport people will stop feeling the music and just do tricks? Or that b-boys will be exploited? Or promoters will throw events that only focus on the competition aspect and not on the cypher?

Hate to break it to you but all that shit's been happening for decades.

A very good point!

I guess in a sense i am afraid that bboying will get dumbed down to only tricks as you said.

[shocked]

dancesport i agree

[AlphaTrion]

Originally Posted by ToyzOfZion

A very good point!

I guess in a sense i am afraid that bboying will get dumbed down to only tricks as you said.

Don't get me wrong, I fear a lot of the same things but I don't think any of it will come along with the label of Sport. It's all a matter of whether we as a community and culture are really willing to put in the work and sacrifice to ensure that as this art continues to grow in the mainstream in a responsible manner. Basically that means not letting ourselves be exploited and controlling our own destinies.

[y0ukeun]

Originally Posted by ToyzOfZion

A very good point!

I guess in a sense i am afraid that bboying will get dumbed down to only tricks as you said.

You know what. I think it all really depends on who judges. I mean, a lot of credible judges such as Ness and Poe1 already use point system. If it's judged similar to a sport like figure skating, where certain elements are required, then bboys would have to do toprock, then a drop, to footwork, etc. And if any of those elements are not there, then you would get major deductions. And of course for adding flavor and creativity to these elements can give you bonus points and stuff. I'm sure these kind of judges are judging like this already anyway. I guess what I'm saying is, judging it strictly like a sport can actually be a good thing.

[POWERFULPEXSTER]

Well the way
I see it we always said you have to be in shape run exercise and stretch.
and really practice hard to get moves it's a competition.
Just like the floor exercises in Gymnastics
so if they got skateboarding BMX bikes and some of the dumbest things
we the NYC Breakers always wanted to be a sport.
was in the show with Ben Vereen salute to the Olympics
and the same day we wrote A Proclamation to make Breaking
a sport in the olympics they ask us to write and stored it in the archives in Washington DC.

The original paper stored in Washington DC

[Shankavelli]

nycb attempted it first
i know pan tried, probably the second
and im attempting now by making the octogon a sport (well technicly the octogon has always been a sport since day 1

[bboyinjoe]

Ness4president

X games did have Bboying at the beginning I was actually part of getting the process started while I was in Japan. Because of a gentleman who had me do a TV commercial over in Japan for the winter X games. If judged correctly and not like its being judged now based off of reputation over the correct way the dance should be done! It would be a good thing, for the most part we as a community need to put aside our differences and make people know that this is this and that is that! So, when viewers look at something they'll be as knowledgeable as the ones judging or doing the dance itself!

[enexotopo]

dance

[Drops SNC]

Bboying is competitive, plus athletic. It can be defined as a sport.
The judging criteria seems to be the only reason seperating it from the olympics or some kind of league.

Standardized rules could be positive and negative.
In a way figure skating went the direction of more spins bigger jumps, but then they revamped the rules to include more footwork and technical aspects. Part of the benifit of being a sport would be that there would be more opportunity to experiment and play with a more defined system, but there would be a period of fluxuation and transitions. Relative to the rest of the official sports out there, we are new. Judging Xgames has changed from year to year as well.

The essential is not losing the rich history and culture behind it.
It becomes the leaders of the community, and the then called "athletes" and organizers of our sport to tell the world that they dance for THE CULTURE first and not simply the tricks or athletics of it.Plus there needs to be avenues for these newly inspired dancers to be educated, aka local organizations with strong roots in our culture and empowered with support from pro leagues and from cash the sudden influx of new dancers brings in.

This brings big potential for money and organization of a united front as a community. As a recognized body of a pro and semi pro athletes it becomes easier to draw sponsors from a recognized target audience. If we can say, there are THIS # of amatuer dancers to market your shoes to, they are way more on board. As it stands now, our loosely organized community has no single organization that it stands under that a marketing agent can regonize and can make transparent figures for them.

The question is now, are there leaders in our community ready to handle the work it would take to unite and be recognized professionally so we don't get sweeped away by a brand.

and

Are bboys really ready to support our own who make money? Because more often then that, we cut down the successful dancers and promoters in our own scene.

That's a good question, are heads ready to step up and support heads worldwide! I kinda don't think so, since there is so much favoritism involved in a lot of decision's based off rep. The dance is apart of a kulture, but like Capoeira which has Regional style and Angola style. One is for competition the other is for culture! Either the way it goes as a Physical Therapist and Bboy, I see the need to take care of ourselves like athletes, but know the kulture which always comes 1st, true origins of moves, be able to use those moves without being called a biter anymore. Its a tough sell even though I would like to see evolution, I want to see evolution done with respect to the dance and not fools trying to compete like gymnasts who don't respect the beat, who have no top rock, and never finish with a freeze they do zip ups!