TULSA, Okla. — Breaking, or what many of us know as break dancing, is the only new sport debuting at the Paris Olympics.
"I'll definitely be watching the Olympics, front-row seats!" said Colin McCullors.
But center stage and in the spotlight is where Colin McCullors shines.
"Dance is the love of my life, my life journey. It helped me make a lot of friends and get me through a lot of traumatic stuff that I am proud to have survived," said McCullors.
Now, at 22, McCullors can trace where his dancing dreams began. At age 6, he was first introduced to Breaking at Lacy Park.
"In elementary school, middle school, and high school, every day, everybody asked me what I liked to do, and it was dancing," said McCullors.
And McCullors, a champion Breaker or b-boy as they're called, began competing at 13.
"On my birthday, it was the best birthday gift. My mom and pops were out here cheering me, and the whole crowd was building me up," said McCullors.
He's dedicated his life to working on his goals from there. "I train every day doing 100 handstand pushups," said McCullors. Plus, he is spinning up new skills with the help of Hurd Family Studios. Emmanuel Hurd runs the dance studio and production company.
"I would say Breaking is the highest level of dance, like I mean, you have to use your body in a way that nobody on earth does," said Emmanuel Hurd, who owns the studio.
The urban dance style has roots in hip-hop and dates back to New York City in the 1970s. This new generation, from kids to teens to 20-somethings like McCullors, has taken old-school Breaking to the next level.
"You got people flipping on their heads, sliding across the floor on their heads, spinning their bodies in ways that just seem impossible—and that's why I believe the Olympics is picking it up —because it is unmatched," said Hurd.
McCullers simplifies the dance style down to the fundamentals, including the Top Rock, Groundwork, Power Moves, and Freezes.
"It looks like they stop time," said Hurd.
And in this sport, you have to do it all on beat. "If you're off beat- they're going count you for that," said McCullors.
You'll see it all put together in amazing Breaking battles. "It has been a long time coming for the hip-hop community to be acknowledged on the level of Olympians. You guys are in for a treat, and it's going to be amazing," said Hurd.
And just like any sport, it takes daily dedication and the heart of a champion to reach for the gold. Something McCullors says he strives for every time he hits the floor.
"I really feel like I could be an Olympian someday, I do, and I hope that actually happens," said McCullors.
You can catch Olympic Breaking with the B-girls on August 9 and the B-boys on the 10th right here on 2 Oklahoma.
We've added a link for anyone interested in learning the dance style.
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