Bahrain’s briliant b-boys and b-girls can dream of Olympic glory now that breaking has been added to the official list of medal events ... and you might not see them for dust as they head for France.
The International Olympic Committee has officially added it to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games list of activities and well-known Bahraini b-boy Abdulla Alhayki is hyped up about its inclusion.
Abdulla, who goes by the name Dust, has been breaking for the past 16 years and is excited to see his style of dance finally being given the recognition it deserves.
“The Olympics is the highest level of sports so having breaking involved in the Games will show people that breaking isn’t just something performed at a party,” said the 29-year-old artist, music producer and graffiti artist from Muharraq.
“It takes lots of effort, time and dedication to be a break-boy (b-boy) or break-girl (b-girl). I think it’s a good opportunity for breaking to get to an Olympic level.
“I just hope it won’t part away from its roots and culture as it has always been viewed as something that came from a cultural background.”
Breaking is an athletic style of street dance that originated in the early 1970s in the US featuring freezes and power moves along with toprock and downrock styles.
The dances are typically set to songs containing drum breaks, especially in hip-hop, funk, soul music and breakbeat music.
The artistic expression has spread globally and grown in popularity in South Korea, the UK, Germany, France, Russia, Japan and parts of the Middle East.
Dust added: “Years later breaking evolved and got mixed up with other styles of dancing such as ‘popping and locking’ and that mixture of dance styles is what they call breakdancing ... but it all originated from breaking.
“I also think the Olympic inclusion will help spread more awareness and knowledge about breaking and dance events that we call ‘jams’.
“They are organised by the communities for the community and there will now be more events and more people involved. This will definitely be one of the positive outcomes.”
After a wave of mainstream popularity in the 1980s, it has evolved to include competitions of highly-acrobatic feats of athleticism, which the Olympic finals are likely to resemble.
It was first proposed by Paris organisers after trials at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Breaking will be joining sport climbing and 3-on-3 basketball competitions at the Place de le Concorde in Paris and Dust would love to put together a national Bahrain crew to compete.
He said: “I would love nothing more than to represent where I come from with what I do best and, yes, I think I can put together a national Bahraini crew. We have some of the best in the region.
“It takes passion and dedication with lots of training physically and mentally to be a top break-boy and break-girl.”
Dust has been competing around the world since 2009 with his crew ‘The Red Ants Army’. Together, they have made their mark in every competition in the GCC.
They have also travelled around the world including to Japan, Amsterdam, Russia and Singapore representing the kingdom at different competitions.
Dust hopes to someday build an institution or studio that can help develop aspiring breakers and give youngsters a better chance at making a career for themselves, compete at the Olympic Games, as well as live a more cultured and healthier lifestyle.
He added: “I would love to give a shoutout to my family and crew for believing in my vision and supporting me. I hope now people will fully appreciate breaking and hip hop in the way the Olympics has.”
For details, follow
@dustydust91 on Instagram.
