Oleh Kuznetsov, who goes by B-boy Kuzya, performs the freeze factor, freezing for a number of seconds in uncommon and very tough positions.
Anna Gondek-Grodkiewicz for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
Anna Gondek-Grodkiewicz for NPR
NPR is in Paris for the 2024 Summer season Olympics. For extra of our protection from the Video games, head to our newest updates.
WARSAW, Poland — A rocking beat of energetic music fills each nook of a spacious, sun-drenched sports activities advanced within the Polish capital. After some stretching and warming up, three breakers and their coach are practising advanced dance and acrobatic strikes.
Breaking, also called breakdancing, is making its Olympic debut as a sport this week in Paris. A crew of feminine and male Ukrainian athletes, referred to as “B-girls” and “B-boys,” have gone by a three-year choice course of on their method to the Summer season Video games and at last received collectively in a coaching camp right here final month.
Kateryna Pavlenko, 29, or B-girl Kate, checked out herself within the mirror as she danced, a glance of rising confidence on her face. “When we just knew that breaking is going to be in the Olympics, I had no doubt I’m going to do everything to end up there,” she mentioned.
Kateryna Pavlenko, 29, aka B-girl Kate, was born in Kharkiv and moved to the U.S. in 2021. As quickly as she came upon that breaking could be within the Olympics, she knew she could be there.
Anna Gondek-Grodkiewicz for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
Anna Gondek-Grodkiewicz for NPR
Pavlenko, one other Ukrainian b-girl, Anna Ponomarenko, and two B-boys got here right here to coach for the Olympic Video games. In a one-on-one breaking competitors, two dancers take turns showcasing their abilities, strikes, character, type, and musicality, every attempting to outshine the opposite. After all of the rounds are accomplished, the judges decide the winner.
Ukrainians have recognized breaking since Soviet instances, when authorities disapproved of it, which gave it a particular attraction as a type of cultural forbidden fruit. They normally first found it because of video cassettes of films comparable to Breakin’ (1984) that had been introduced residence by residents, usually diplomats, who had the proper to journey overseas.
After the Chilly Battle ended, many youngsters watched battles — or competitions — of American B-boys and B-girls on pirated hip-hop music movies, pausing them to be taught the strikes and elegance.
Georgii Matiukhin, the crew supervisor, was a type of teenagers.
“We were a generation without any school,” Matiukhin mentioned. “We found VHS tapes, watched them, and tried to repeat. The first tapes we watched were American breakers, Rock Steady Crew from New York and style elements from the West Coast.”
Breaker Kateryna Pavlenko (from left), crew supervisor Georgii Matiukhin and coach Denys Semenikhin present their satisfaction in representing Ukraine on the Olympics.
Anna Gondek-Grodkiewicz for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
Anna Gondek-Grodkiewicz for NPR
Within the early 2000s, Ukrainian breaking made its method to worldwide battles and championships, the place Ukrainians confirmed good outcomes.
Matiukhin mentioned he believes breaking has gained such reputation and improvement in his nation as a result of dance “has always been in the blood of Ukrainians.”
Breaking, which was born within the Bronx, now exhibits many cultural influences, notably from South Africa and Brazil. Ukrainian folks dances, such because the arms-crossed, foot-kicking hopak, are additionally an inspiration to many — particularly the three athletes coaching right here.
Denys Semenikhin, B-boy Gimnast, is the coach of the Ukrainian Olympic breaking crew. He began breaking in 2001 and was born and lives in Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine. He says the psychological state of athletes is not any much less essential than the bodily. The chance to characterize Ukraine through the warfare is a good honor but in addition a problem for the athletes, he says.
Anna Gondek-Grodkiewicz for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
Anna Gondek-Grodkiewicz for NPR
Oleh Kuznetsov, or B-boy Kuzya, age 34, says his footwork demonstrates how classical components from Ukrainian folks dances could be interpreted in trendy breaking. For him, representing Ukraine is a good honor.
“I want to show that we have nice big and shiny souls and that I am representing my country and my culture,” he mentioned.
On the Olympics, Ukrainian breakers will compete in teams of athletes in a battle format. The 9 judges will consider the athletes in keeping with standards together with originality, method and “vocabulary” or the number of dance strikes deployed.
Not like in determine skating, the place athletes observe the identical choreography for months, even years, in breaking the athletes have no idea the music upfront. So the flexibility to adapt and improvise is vital.
Oleksandr Gatyn-Lozynskyi, B-boy Lussysky, the crew reserve (left), and Oleh Kuznetsov, B-boy Kuzya, work out and stretch as a part of their preparation for the Olympics.
Anna Gondek-Grodkiewicz for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
Anna Gondek-Grodkiewicz for NPR
Denys Seminikhin, the crew’s coach, says the breakers’ psychological state is not any much less essential than bodily health, emphasizing that representing the nation through the warfare is a good problem for the athletes.
“Shining is more important than winning,” Pavlenko mentioned. Together with her efficiency, she says she needs to return the world’s consideration to Ukraine.
“Of course, I want to win a medal,” she provides. “I feel proud to represent my country and I want to make my people proud as well.”
Oleh Kuznetsov, B-boy Kuzya, trains for the Paris Video games. “I want to show that we have nice big and shiny souls and that I am representing my country and my culture,” he says.
Anna Gondek-Grodkiewicz for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
Anna Gondek-Grodkiewicz for NPR
