Paris gets in breakdance groove ahead of 2024 Olympic bow

Dancers executing backflips and freezes, gyros and headspins with gravity-defying agility in front of an adoring audience - welcome to the world breakdance championships.

The staple of urban street culture is set to make a splash on its Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games.

And on Saturday night a 4,000 crowd came to be mesmerised by the moves performed by some of the most skilled exponents of 'breaking' at Battle Pro in the French capital.

One b-boy, Stephane Sabotinov, took time out before going on stage to celebrate Thursday's announcement by Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet that breaking was set to become "a future Olympic sport".

"Breakdance is impressive," Sabotinov, kitted out in white and black and baseball cap, told AFP.

"There's the battle side of it, we're here to engage, but with respect.

"We bump fists at the end even if we're going to war."

Sabotinov, one of 120 dancers competing on Saturday evening, hopes breaking's elevation to the Olympics will erase any "negative ...