Chinese breakdancer Photo: Sina Weibo

The training ceremony for the 2021 World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF) World Breaking Championship was held in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province and Beijing on Tuesday. 

Four selected Chinese dancers will undergo 20 days of closed training in Nanjing's Lishui Extreme Sports Hall. 

The sports hall was the venue for the breakdancing event at China's 14th National Games in 2021 and the training base for the national skateboarding team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games, as such facilities will be able to meet the team's training needs.

Breakdancing, a dance form known for its athletic moves and skillful footwork, originated in the 1960s in the US under the influence of athletic forms such as martial arts.

Chen Yiping, vice president of the Chinese Dance Sport Federation (CDSF), said this is the first time that the Chinese national breakdancing team has gathered for training since the 14th National Games in September. He hopes all the athletes and coaches will cherish the training opportunities and build a solid foundation for the 2021 WDSF World Breaking Championship.

Yin Guochen, president of CDSF, said at the ceremony that participating in the 2021 WDSF World Breaking Championship is an important step for Chinese breakdancing on the road to preparing for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and that it can help China understand the development direction of global breakdancing.

The specifications and requirements for breakdancing will surely continue to improve since it has developed from a social niche culture to an international Olympic sport. The national team will also establish a high-standard and systematic training  as well as a high-intensity and high-density training, he said.

According to the website of WDSF, the upcoming breaking championship will be held at the Theatre de Chatelet in Prais, France on December 4.

The 2021 WDSF World Breaking Championship will be held in a one vs one format for B-Girls and B-Boys, the name for breakdancing competitors. Each National Member Body is entitled to nominate two B-Girls and two B-Boys for these respective championships. Any nominated B-Girl and B-Boys must be 16 years of age or older before December 31, 2021.

In 2020, the International Olympic Committee officially added breakdancing as a medal event for the 2024 Paris Games under the name "Breaking."     

Global Times