India made history by winning the first-ever-breaking battle at the Paris Olympics. India Sardjoe, known as “b-girl India,” advanced to the next round after defeating Manizha Talash, known as “b-girl Talash,” in a special pre-qualifying match. India Sardjoe is a Dutch player and her ancestry comes from the country of India.
Sardjoe was born in 2006 in The Hague, Netherlands. Her father is of Indo-Surinamese origin, while her mother has a mixed heritage of Indian and Dutch descent.
The pre-qualifying match marked the debut of breaking, also known as breakdancing, in the Olympics, with India Sardjoe representing her name on the world stage. This round was added because Talash, originally from Afghanistan, missed her chance to qualify due to registration issues. The International Olympic Committee invited her to participate, recognising her courage in defying the Taliban’s strict rules in her home country.
Talash’s powerful message
During the battle, b-girl India showcased her powerful moves, while b-girl Talash focused on a different style, starting with toprocking and then moving into footwork. In a symbolic gesture, Talash unfurled a cape that read “Free Afghan Women,” highlighting her fight for freedom and rights in Afghanistan.
The road ahead in Olympic breaking
The competition now moves into a round-robin phase, where groups of four breakers will compete against each other. Only two breakers from each group will move on to the quarterfinals, leading up to the semifinals and final match to determine the Olympic champion by the end of the day.
Snoop Dog show before the event
Before the competition began, American rapper Snoop Dogg made a grand entrance into the stadium, performing “Drop it Like it’s Hot,” which got the crowd cheering and dancing. The emcees introduced the 17 b-girls competing, with the loudest cheers going to the b-girls from France and the U.S.
The ‘cool’ judges
The judges, all experienced b-boys and b-girls from around the world, sat near a circular dance floor designed to look like a record. Nearby was a massive replica of a boombox, paying tribute to the musical roots of breaking — the breakbeat. This is the part of a song when the vocals drop and the DJ repeats the beat, giving b-boys and b-girls the perfect moment to showcase their moves on the dance floor.
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