Breakdancer Rachael Gunn, also known as “Raygun,” caused a stir when she made some bold moves during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The dance’s interpretive nature — at one point Raygun, an Australian native, hopped across the stage, miming a kangaroo — caused many to question her routine.
Members of Temple Breakers, the university’s student breakdancing team, had a different view of the performance, focusing on the discussion’s broader meaning for their art.
“It is less on Raygun’s performance but more on how traditional media pushes a narrative that puts this community in a bad light,” said Lian Long Xuan, vice president of Temple Breakers and a sophomore dance major.
Though it sparked controversy within the breaking community, the Temple Breakers viewed Raygun’s performance as proof of breakdancing’s growing influence. Temple’s team members say a stylized, commercial approach that deviated from the dance’s historical roots does not sacrifice authenticity, labeling the public wave of criticism an “overreaction.”
Within the club, Temple Breakers works to foster an environment that encourages the very kind of experimentation Raygun was ridiculed for.
“I was part of Temple Breakers for one day last year and already felt part of the team,” wrote Noah Sickman, a sophomore theater major, in a statement to The Temple News. “The environment we’re surrounded by is very supportive and has no drama.”
Some feel the amount of criticism aimed at Raygun was unwarranted and excessive, but many of the Temple breakers viewed her piece as an individualized form of breaking.
The discussion surrounding Raygun’s performance eventually turns to the larger subject of commercialization. The Olympic debut of breaking instilled a sense of fear that the art form would lose its originality as it gained more mainstream recognition.
The Olympic committee decided not to include breaking in the 2028 Olympics before Raygun’s performance. The choice is influenced by the host nation and strikes a compromise between practicality and worldwide appeal.
Despite the negative press in the U.S., breaking continues to receive acclaim in other parts of the world.
“I believe this incident has only affected people’s views on breaking in the U.S.,” said Yasseen Rouni, a junior computer science major and member of Temple Breakers. “The media in the States took Raygun’s performance and milked it for views and impressions.”
The new attention is still exciting to Temple Breakers. They believe that, with careful management, breaking can develop while maintaining its integrity. The debate has encouraged the group to concentrate on their performance in collegiate tournaments.
The team’s immediate objective is to become National Collegiate Breaking Association Champions by winning a collegiate jam, an intercollegiate breakdancing tournament that features dancers or crews competing against one another.
“There’s no doubt that the Olympics are out of reach,” Rouni said. “However, we play in a collegiate league with other East Coast universities like Northeastern, BU, Harvard, Rutgers and Penn.”
The group is still committed to representing breaking with pride and integrity in the face of changing public attitudes and media scrutiny.
Their response to the Olympic controversy demonstrates Temple Breakers’ care for the sport and their desire to see it develop. As the team progresses, their dedication to breaking’s artistic and cultural significance remains unwavering.
“This community has survived tougher times,” Long Xuan said. “So what if we are not in the Olympics in LA 2028? This community will continue to grow with or without the Olympics.”
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