Breakdancers in Dakar, Senegal, prepared to compete in the Youth Olympic Games, which the country hosted this month. The event marks the first time any Olympic competition has been held in an African nation.
The Senegalese National Sport Dance and Break Team trained in the capital city, incorporating traditional regional dance elements into their routines. The team is composed of roughly half-a-dozen teenagers, including Suzanne Toure, 15, who is currently the only female member of the national squad.
Coach Francis Siméon Gomis stated that the team’s choreography blends international influences with traditional African styles. Specifically, the dancers integrate moves from mbalax and Yela, which involve windmill-like arm and leg motions, alongside breakdancing techniques like shin-gliding and midair heel clutches.
A reader in Senegal would notice international athletic activity in Dakar during the month of the games. The inclusion of breakdancing as a competitive sport means that local youth involved in dance now have access to a formal athletic pipeline managed by the Senegal National Sport Dance and Break Team.
The long-term effects include the precedent of Africa hosting Olympic events. By mixing mbalax and Yela into their routines, the dancers are also attempting to showcase what their nation can offer on the dance floor. The source does not report the specific dates for the medal rounds or the closing ceremony, nor does it specify the next scheduled Olympic event for these athletes.