The Switzerland-based World DanceSport Federation stands accused of misusing breaking to push its own traditional ballroom and Latin dance styles into the Olympics. But it failed. An investigation by Swiss public broadcaster SRF reveals a story of power plays, opaque cash flows and dodgy deals. Breakers spinning mid-air, hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg lighting up the ceremonial opening, and a stadium buzzing with fans: breaking made its debut with a bang at the Paris Olympics last summer. As some of the world’s top breakers battled it out, it wasn’t their moves that had everyone talking. Instead, Australian breaker Raygun’s unconventional performance became the defining moment of the Games. Behind the scenes, another storm was brewing. Breaking is represented by a body with no prior history with the dance. The Lausanne-based World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) is traditionally focused on Standard (or ballroom) and Latin dance. But it brought breaking to the Olympic Games in Paris.
