A Kangaroo Hipping and Hopping

Late Night (3am) Thoughts on Bgirl Raygun/Olympics:

This is not business related, just wanted to help spread some sympathy for someone who's being bullied around the world online.

My Background: I was VP and President of the BYU Breakdance Club for 3 years. I had danced for many years, participated in battles, judged battles, watched countless hours of Rbbcone, IBE, etc. I was in a crew for a few years and competed locally as well. I also taught breakdancing weekly to beginners for close to 5 years. I DJ'd using vinyl turntables, mixed my own breakbeats and playlists.

My Initial Reaction: Similar to everyone else, I totally demolished Raygun in my initial opinions, comments, texts about her. I messaged my old breakdancing buddies with scathing criticisms that eviscerated Raygun's routines. I bemoaned that now that breakdancing had FINALLY had its chance at the Olympics, it got totally humiliated. I hated that my personal breakdancing favorite Phil Wizard got completely overshadowed by a stupid routine (and also that Hong10 got beat out by Phil Wizard is sweet sweet payback for that 20-round battle! Yet the world won't even get to know the name Hong10!!)

Further Thoughts: As the online and global criticism of Raygun increased to toxic levels, it got to the point where I started wondering if breakdancing is worth suicide-inducing levels of virtual vitriol, so I looked into Raygun's past battles and online footage. I also looked at her competition and started considering the real issue.

Final Thoughts: Raygun is a sacrificial lamb. After looking over about 2 hours of previous battles with Molly, her primary competition, I could easily tell that Molly was not "clearly better" than Raygun. In short, Molly goes after blowups ("wow!" moves like flips and tumbles) and powermoves (like windmills, airflares, 2000's, basically anything that spins), but often crashes and doesn't complete the move. In the breakdancing community, we strongly frown upon this, viewing it as basically street performer crowd work. It's gimmicky. Molly's toprock, energy, speed, and fluidity are her saving graces.

On the other hand, Raygun shies away from almost all power and blowups. As often seen with people too nervous about injury or that can't physically attempt powermoves, Raygun fills her weaknesses with "flavor" and style and footwork - albeit poorly. Her transitions are rough, her freezes are basic - many of her moves seem poorly borrowed from something she saw online from Phil Wizard (who won men's gold!!!!!!!) or Menno or someone else. The failing of weak styleheads is that style and flavor often need to be powered by speed, which Raygun lacks.

But what truly killed Raygun is the "youth" of the bgirl scene.

Until 2018, Red Bull BC One, the uncontested king of global breakdancing competitions, did not have a category for female breakers. After 13 years of male only brackets won by muscled bboys, we finally had a bgirl bracket series won by Ami (yay! also 2024 Olympic winner!!).

In my years of actively dancing under my "bboy" pseudonym, spinning vinyl, and being deeply entrenched in the breakdance world, I have really only met ONE, SINGLE active bgirl - "active" being defined as someone who practices at least 2-3 times a week, EVERY week. The gap is huge. I used to practice basically 6 days out of the week at the BYU RB, either solo, with the crew, or with other random people that were look for break beats to dance to.

Women in the breakdance community are drastically underrepresented. Think about it - how many women now were told that they could be a breakdancer as a little girl? I am not including "hip hop" dancers as a whole - because "hip hop style" dancing has developed into another culture and style entirely.

So what happened to Raygun? Well, after reviewing the videos of Australia's bgirl competitions, it became painfully clear that the scene still had a long way to go to have seasoned, mature bgirls that had been breaking from grade school. Either you had young bgirls like Molly, who looks like she's been dancing enthusiastically (10-15 hours a week) for maybe... 4-5 years? Or someone like Raygun, who probably picked it up as a side hobby (1-5 hours a week) for maybe 5-10 years. Most men I danced with trained 12-18 hours a week for at least 6-8 years.

To be honest, Raygun's non-Olympic performances were pretty damn good for local levels. What failed was probably the plan of "Let's send whoever the qualifier winner is to Paris" because the winner may still not be qualified enough - which in this case, it is apparent that Raygun was not good enough - even if she was the fair winner of the qualifications round.

So, she got sacrificed.

Australia's committee should have known this would happen. We're in the age where almost all half decent battles are on YouTube. They should have known that they didn't have a breakdancing athlete to send. But instead, they encouraged Raygun to go compete and get slaughtered. She probably was just so excited to represent her country and have a LIFETIME CHANCE to compete in the Olympics...who would say "no" if an entire national professional committee told you you were good enough?

Summary: Raygun did not achieve the level of "global competitor" of breakdancing, but took the chance of a lifetime. Her committee completely hung her out to dry. Yes, she should have known better - but she shouldn't have been led on from the start.

Now, extremely unfortunately, a (probably) innocent lady is getting her guts trashed online all over the world for just doing her best and being a little too eager. I really don't think she got there by fraud or nepotism and I really don't think anyone could have turned down the chance, and I really don't believe that her performance and choices merit a suicide-inducing level of evisceration online.

Take it from me, who totally guffawed and swore at her performance, it's time to change the tune and let the lady live her life. She was presented with an offer she couldn't possibly have refused and took the entire brunt of the shame that she actually didn't earn. We can manage to spread some understanding, tolerance, and kindness.

side note, you can ignore: Breakdancing culture was established on the streets of New York by people like Afrika Bambaataa, Alien Ness, etc. and organizations like the Zulu Nation as a way for youth to gain a brotherhood, similar to that felt in gangs, but without the gang violence. It was a way to get that battle energy out without getting children killed. That's why you have "battles" and "crews".