When Australian breaker Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun, competed in the Paris Olympics and faced elimination, the repercussions resonated deeply within the Australian hip-hop community. The global attention her performance garnered, largely fueled by viral video clips, ignited a complex debate about Olympic breaking and its impact on local scenes.
In Sydney, at a community center housed within a converted warehouse, breakers were preparing for a significant event – a qualifier for the Red Bull BC One World Finals. However, the atmosphere was heavy, overshadowed by the online storm surrounding Gunn’s Olympic appearance. Nervous glances were cast at the cameras present, a stark reminder of the viral videos of Gunn that had dominated internet discussions.
Getty Images Raygun, wearing a t-shirt and cap, holds her arms out in front of her
Alt text: Australian B-girl Raygun, Rachael Gunn, poses in a cap and t-shirt with arms outstretched, representing the focus of viral Australian break dancer videos.
“I feel like it’s just pushed our scene in Australia into the Dark Ages,” commented Spice, a pioneer of Australian hip-hop, highlighting the negative impact of the viral Australian Break Dancer Video controversy on the local community.
Gunn, a 36-year-old university lecturer, became the center of attention after losing her Olympic battles. Videos of her performance, showcasing her green tracksuit and distinctive routine featuring moves like the sprinkler and kangaroo hops, quickly went viral. These Australian break dancer videos triggered a wave of memes, criticism, and online abuse.
The aftermath has created a divide within the Australian breaking community. While many have defended Raygun against the intense online negativity, others believe that legitimate questions need to be addressed regarding her Olympic qualification and performance. However, the overwhelming global bullying has made it challenging to have a balanced and fair discussion about the events in Paris.
The Unlikely Rise of Raygun in Australian Breaking
Gunn’s dance background initially lay in jazz, tap, and ballroom. It was her husband and coach, Samuel Free, who introduced her to breaking at the age of 20. She openly acknowledged the challenges of establishing herself in a predominantly male scene.
“There were times that I would go into the bathroom crying because I was so embarrassed at how terrible I was at this,” she admitted in an interview with The Guardian Australia prior to the Olympics, revealing the dedication behind her journey to become an Australian break dancer.
Despite these early struggles, Gunn rose to prominence, becoming a leading figure in Australian breaking. She achieved recognition as a top-ranked B-girl and also pursued academia, earning a PhD focused on the cultural politics of breaking.
A pivotal moment came at the Olympic qualifying event in Sydney the previous October. Competing against 15 women from Oceania, Raygun emerged victorious, securing her place at the Paris Olympics. This victory, now viewed in the context of the viral Australian break dancer video and subsequent controversy, has become a point of contention within the community.
Breaking itself, much like Gunn’s Olympic journey, was an unexpected addition to the Olympic Games. Originating in the Bronx in the 1970s, breaking evolved from a street dance into a global cultural phenomenon. Olympic organizers, seeking to engage younger demographics, recognized its potential appeal.
However, the inclusion of breaking in the Olympics was not without debate. Some argued that it was undeserving of Olympic status, while others worried that the competitive format would compromise the essence of breaking, separating it from its street culture roots. The Paris Olympics breaking event was highly anticipated, serving as a test of the Olympic Committee’s decision.
Viral Videos Ignite Global Debate
Reuters A breaker in action
Alt text: Dynamic Australian break dancer in action, showcasing the athleticism and skill often highlighted in Australian break dancer videos.
The conclusion of the B-girl battles at the Olympics marked the beginning of a global conversation, largely driven by the Australian break dancer video clips that circulated online. Raygun, specifically, became the focal point.
Criticism and rumors surrounding her performance spread rapidly online. Gunn faced a barrage of abusive messages, and an online petition demanding an apology garnered 50,000 signatures. Accusations, lacking evidence, emerged, alleging that she had manipulated her way into the Olympics at the expense of other, more deserving Australian breakers.
Conspiracy theories also surfaced, falsely claiming she had established the governing body overseeing the Oceania qualifiers and that her husband, a respected breaker and judge, was part of the selection panel. Australian fact-checking organizations and AUSBreaking, the national breaking organization, swiftly debunked these claims. However, the online backlash persisted.
Further criticism centered on accusations of cultural appropriation and disrespect towards hip-hop culture. Malik Dixon, speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, expressed the sentiment that Gunn’s performance appeared to trivialize the cultural significance of breaking.
AUSBreaking issued multiple statements emphasizing the impartiality of the judges, who were trained to the highest standards. They clarified that none of the nine judges for the Oceania qualifiers were Australian. They also stated that while AUSBreaking had interacted with Raygun since 2019, she had never held a leadership role or been involved in decision-making processes related to events, funding, strategy, judge selection, or athlete selection.
Te Hiiritanga Wepiha (Rush), a Kiwi judge on the Oceania qualifying panel, defended Raygun’s victory in a livestream, dismissing the “crackpot theories.” He stated that Raygun had won fairly and squarely. He also added that the judges anticipated she would face tough competition at the Olympics, acknowledging her courage in participating despite the expected challenges.
Prominent Australian athletes and Olympic officials also voiced their support for Gunn. Matt Carroll of the Australian Olympic Committee condemned the petition, calling it appalling and baseless, highlighting the unfairness of the online attacks fueled by viral Australian break dancer videos.
Community Reactions: Divided Yet United Against Abuse
Bek Rushby Spice points to a graffiti art jacket that says Russ
Alt text: Spice, a figure in the Australian hip-hop scene, gestures towards a graffiti jacket, reflecting the deep roots of the community impacted by the Australian break dancer video controversy.
Spice and Russ, veterans of the Australian hip-hop scene, witnessed firsthand the unfolding controversy. Within the Australian hip-hop community, the initial reaction to Raygun’s routine was, for some, amusement. However, this quickly escalated into widespread concern as the situation spiraled out of control.
There was unanimous condemnation of the volume of abuse, ridicule, and misinformation directed at Raygun and the broader Australian B-girl community. However, beyond this united front against online harassment, opinions within the community were divided.
Many B-girls felt that Raygun’s Olympic performance did not accurately represent the standard of breaking in Australia. Spice, who had retired from breaking, admitted feeling embarrassed upon watching the Australian break dancer video. While acknowledging that Raygun would typically receive encouragement for “having a go” in local settings, Spice emphasized the heightened expectations at the Olympic level. “It’s the Olympics for God’s sake!” she exclaimed, highlighting the pressure of representing the nation on a global stage.
Spice also invoked a hip-hop principle: “you step up or you step off… You need to know your place,” suggesting a need for performers to meet a certain standard when representing the community at the highest level. Despite these criticisms, she stressed that the bullying directed at Gunn was “disgusting,” and like many others, had hesitated to speak out of concern for exacerbating Gunn’s distress.
Alt text: B-girl Tinylock competing in a 2022 battle, representing the talent within the Australian breaking scene often overshadowed by viral Australian break dancer videos.
Tinylocks, another B-girl, described the impact of the controversy on the local Australian B-girl scene as “devastating.” She, like others interviewed, requested anonymity due to the intense online abuse. B-girls were facing trolling on their videos, receiving abusive DMs, and even violent threats. Young dancers reported harassment at school, and many felt unsafe practicing in public.
Tinylocks issued a statement expressing the community’s distress: “Telling us to be positive and supportive while we are being harmed is unacceptable… [we’re] allowed to be angry.” While Tinylocks believed Raygun might have simply had an off day, she also raised questions about her preparation and routine, asking, “Were you set up for success?”
Wepiha suggested that Raygun’s qualifying victory reflected the limited size of the Australian breaking scene and the lack of substantial public and government support. He noted the challenge of even finding enough participants for qualifying events, stating, “I mean, we had to actually get people out of retirement to make up the numbers. That’s how small the scene is.”
Others pointed to potentially restrictive rules for qualifiers, such as mandatory AUSBreaking membership and passport requirements mandated by the World Dance Sport Federation, which may have further narrowed the talent pool. AUSBreaking did not respond to inquiries regarding Raygun’s selection, financial support, or talent scouting methods.
Steve Gow (Stevie G), AUSBreaking’s secretary, acknowledged that Australia’s geographical isolation hindered the growth of the breaking scene. Distance from larger hip-hop communities internationally creates barriers in terms of cost and time for learning and development, leading to an “insular” environment.
Despite these challenges, Gow emphasized the continued presence of high-quality breaking talent in Australia, evident at the Red Bull competition he was judging.
Alt text: A B-girl competing at the Red Bull BC One World Final qualifier in Australia, showcasing the competitive spirit within the Australian breaking scene, often unseen amidst Australian break dancer video controversies.
Ultimately, the Australian breaking community felt deeply wounded by the global reaction. They felt that breaking was misunderstood and unfairly judged without proper context or knowledge. Samson Smith of Justice Crew expressed disappointment that the focus was on Raygun’s memes rather than the overall breaking competition and its winners.
However, some, like Wepiha, hoped for a positive outcome. He suggested that the intense attention, even negative, surrounding the Australian break dancer video controversy might attract much-needed resources to the Australian breaking scene. “At the end of the day, Australia has the most famous Olympian of 2024 and she might actually save the scene here,” he concluded, hinting at a potential silver lining amidst the storm.
