Breaking at the Olympics: Australian B-girl Rachael «Raygun» Gunn has caused a wave of emotions
13 august 2024 в 03:28
For the first time in Olympic history, the debut of breakdancing took place in Paris, which immediately attracted attention thanks to the viral performance of Australian B-girl Rachel «Reagan» Gunn.
On Friday, August 9, Gunn, performing under the pseudonym Reagan, did not score a single point, losing 18−0 in each of her battles against three opponents: Logan Edra (Logistix) from the USA, Dominika Banevich (Nika) from Lithuania, and Si Dembele (Sissi) from France.
Her movements in the three battles in a round-robin system included a kangaroo jump, a backflip, and various body contortions while lying or crawling on the floor.
An odd number of judges evaluated each round and battle based on five criteria: Technique, vocabulary, execution, musicality, and originality. Despite the 36-year-old university lecturer not scoring in any of the categories, Gunn defended herself, stating: «All my movements are original».
«For me, creativity is very important. I go out there and show my art. Sometimes it reaches the judges, and sometimes it doesn’t. I do my thing, and it’s art. That’s the essence», - Gunn added at a press conference on August 10, citing ESPN.
«I never intended to beat these girls at what they excel in — their power moves», - explained Gunn, who holds a doctorate in cultural studies and research on breakdancing and hip-hop culture. «What I bring is creativity».
Much of the criticism of Reagan’s performance is related to her deviation from acrobatic spins and freezes performed by her opponents, as well as the clothing she wore on the Olympic stage. Instead of performing complex moves, Gunn preferred slower, more artistic movements and wore Australia’s green and gold Olympic costume as a sign of respect for her homeland.
Breakdancing, one of the four original elements of hip-hop, along with DJing, graffiti, and MCing (rapping), is a dance style that originated from black and Latino communities in the Bronx, New York, in the 1970s. Over the past few decades, rules have been established for breakdancing, turning it into a full-fledged sport that combines the athleticism required for acrobatic moves and the artistry needed to synchronize these moves with music.
Breakdancing will not be included in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, but the sport federation is pushing for its inclusion in the 2032 Games in Brisbane, Australia.
Gunn, who qualified for the Olympics by winning last year’s Oceanic Breakdancing Championships, also responded to criticism by sharing a post on Instagram from the Australian breakdancing team, quoting her words: «Don't be afraid to be different».
«Go out and represent yourself», - Gunn is quoted as saying. «You never know where it will take you»
On Friday, August 9, Gunn, performing under the pseudonym Reagan, did not score a single point, losing 18−0 in each of her battles against three opponents: Logan Edra (Logistix) from the USA, Dominika Banevich (Nika) from Lithuania, and Si Dembele (Sissi) from France.
Her movements in the three battles in a round-robin system included a kangaroo jump, a backflip, and various body contortions while lying or crawling on the floor.
An odd number of judges evaluated each round and battle based on five criteria: Technique, vocabulary, execution, musicality, and originality. Despite the 36-year-old university lecturer not scoring in any of the categories, Gunn defended herself, stating: «All my movements are original».
«For me, creativity is very important. I go out there and show my art. Sometimes it reaches the judges, and sometimes it doesn’t. I do my thing, and it’s art. That’s the essence», - Gunn added at a press conference on August 10, citing ESPN.
«I never intended to beat these girls at what they excel in — their power moves», - explained Gunn, who holds a doctorate in cultural studies and research on breakdancing and hip-hop culture. «What I bring is creativity».
Much of the criticism of Reagan’s performance is related to her deviation from acrobatic spins and freezes performed by her opponents, as well as the clothing she wore on the Olympic stage. Instead of performing complex moves, Gunn preferred slower, more artistic movements and wore Australia’s green and gold Olympic costume as a sign of respect for her homeland.
Breakdancing, one of the four original elements of hip-hop, along with DJing, graffiti, and MCing (rapping), is a dance style that originated from black and Latino communities in the Bronx, New York, in the 1970s. Over the past few decades, rules have been established for breakdancing, turning it into a full-fledged sport that combines the athleticism required for acrobatic moves and the artistry needed to synchronize these moves with music.
Breakdancing will not be included in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, but the sport federation is pushing for its inclusion in the 2032 Games in Brisbane, Australia.
Gunn, who qualified for the Olympics by winning last year’s Oceanic Breakdancing Championships, also responded to criticism by sharing a post on Instagram from the Australian breakdancing team, quoting her words: «Don't be afraid to be different».
«Go out and represent yourself», - Gunn is quoted as saying. «You never know where it will take you»
© Smirnova Olga
