Breaking barriers
Break dancing was invented in the Bronx nearly 60 years ago. This year for the first time, breaking was included in the Olympics.
The winners were not the stereotypical b-boy and b-girl from 60 years ago. The field is now much more ethnically/culturally complex.
In men's competition:
Gold: a Canadian of Korean descent ("Phil Wizard" Kim),
Silver: a Frenchman born in French Guiana (Danis Civil aka "Dany Dann"), and
Bronze: an American born in Mexico ("B-boy Victor" Montalvo)
In women's competition, dancers from Japan, Lithuania and China took medals.
American dancers Sunny Choi and Logistyx didn't make it out of the quarter finals. Choi is of Korean descent, Logistyx came from Filipino roots. While breaking may not be a permanent fixture in the Olympics, it's impact on dance, music, and the shattering of stereotypes cannot be denied.
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