In less than two weeks, on May 16-19, dancers will attempt to secure an official spot at the Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS), alongside their BMX freestyle, skateboarding, and sport climbing counterparts.
Shanghai is the first of two stops in the Olympic Qualifier Series, the other being Budapest. The event is slated to be a “celebration of sport and culture, with music, fashion and art combining with the sporting competition to create a festival experience.”
There 40 confirmed competitors and only 14 spots available via the OQS: 7 for B-boy (Men’s) and 7 for B-girl (Women’s) breaking. With a roster full of skilled breakers in both events, the competition is expected to be incredibly tough.
For the B-boys, standouts include:
- Lithe-ing (CHN) and Menno (NED), who both placed highly at the 2023 WDSF World Breaking Championship as well as a regional championship (Lithe-ing placed third at the 2023 Asian Games and Menno second at the 2023 European Games).
- Hong10 (KOR) and Issin (JPN), who placed second and fourth respectively at the 2023 Asian Games.
- Lil Zoo (AUT), who placed third at the 2023 European Games.
- Jeffro (USA), who placed second at the 2023 Pan American Games.
Furthermore, other strong competitors like Amir (KAZ), Lee (NED), and Gravity (USA) have not placed as highly or participated in Olympic qualifying events yet. All three of these breakers, as well as those listed above, have solo or crew titles at renowned international events like Outbreak Europe, Battle of the Year, and Red Bull BC One.
For the B-girls, watch out for:
- Ayumi (JPN), Syssy (FRA), and Kate (UKR), who placed second, third, and fourth respectively at the 2023 World Breaking Championship. Ayumi also won second at the 2023 Asian Games.
- Ami (JPN) and Ying Zi (CHN), who placed second and fourth at the 2023 Asian Games, respectively.
- Stefani (UKR), who placed second at the 2023 European Games.
- Luma (COL) and La Vix (USA), who placed second and third respectively at the 2023 Pan American Games.
Flying somewhat under the radar are Kimie (FRA) and Riko (JPN), who have gone head to head with the others on this list but have not placed at the highest level Olympic qualifying events yet.
Any of these breakers could win the Paris 2024 breaking qualifications in Shanghai this May. Those who miss out can still look forward to Budapest in June for another shot at Olympic spots.
