Breaking for gold - 31st May 2023

In the 1970s, the US hip hop culture gave birth to a new style of dance. Breaking will appear as an event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Breakdancers are known as B-girls and B-boys. African B-girls and B-boys took part in the first African Breaking Competition which was hosted by Morocco. They'd like a chance to compete for a gold medal in Paris 2024.

B-girl Courtnaé Paul, from South Africa, stood out as one of the exceptional performers.

Courtnaé Paul: "This is my first time in Morocco. I'm very excited to be here. I've been on the WDSF journey for the last three years. I've won my nationals twice. I went to Seoul to compete, I just came back from Japan. So, this is a really big one for me and yeah, I am hoping to bring it home."

Breakdancers combine acrobatic movements, complex footwork, and impressive strength in their performances. While the style originated from hip hop, the dance now includes diverse music genres such as jazz, disco and electro.

In the competitions, two B-boys or B-girls take part in battles. They show off their skills and attempt to outperform one another with their energetic moves. B-boy JC Kanane's from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He's delighted for the opportunity to meet other breakers and to make new friends.

JC Kanane: "To meet dancers from different countries is already a good thing, because there are competitors from Angola, the Ivory Coast, Morocco, Algeria and Nigeria. So we meet here, we're united. It also allows us to get to know each other as dancers and it creates a union between us as a community. So, for me it's a pleasure to be here."

Who'll be the first breaker gold medalist? We'll have to wait until Paris 2024.