Dust off your boombox and buckle up for a slice of Olympic history as breaking makes its Games debut this summer.

Breaking is the only new sport added to the programme for Paris 2024 with its thumping hip-hop, rebellious roots, battle format and iconic Place de Concorde venue all ingredients for an instant hit.

Breaking is in the slipstream of skateboarding, surfing and BMX, sports that have simultaneously and successfully changed the face of the Games and harnessed its spirit, bringing a new wave of young talent and supporters into the fold.

The first sighting of breaking was during block parties in the Bronx and was carefully curated from the 1970s hip-hop culture of New York before emerging onto the competitive scene twenty years later.

The sport made its first steps towards a formal Olympic inclusion at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires and easily became the most watched sport at the event, pulling a staggering one million viewers online.

But how does the new kid on the block actually work?

The first step to understanding the sport is to discard any preconceptions of the term 'breakdancing'.

For those new to the sport, it can be confusing as to why the terms 'breakdancer' or 'breakdancing' are incorrect ways of referring to someone who breaks or to the dance style they practice.

'Breakdancing' is the unofficial term for the viral movements most people have come to know but in reality it is only an incorrect name that was placed on the sport by those who were unaware of its roots.

Competitors are referred to as b-boys (break-boys) or b-girls (break-girls), a term originally coined due to the fact they started to dance at the break of a track when DJs would mix two records together.

Breakers can choose their own b-boy and b-girl name to demonstrate their relationship to the sport and the music, such as Team GB's first-ever breakers at the 2023 European Games, B-Boy Kid Karam (Karam Singh) and B-Boy Sunni (Sunni Brummitt).

Breaking might be a unique addition to the Olympic programme but it shares obvious common ground with gymnastics, such as Max Whitlock's ‘flare’ moves on the pommel horse that are a staple in routines.

Breakers combine ‘top rock’ - standing moves - and ‘down rock’ floor moves in an improvised routine set to the DJ's beats.

Be prepared to have your jaw drop to the floor as b-boys and b-girls perform seemingly impossible head-spins, windmills and freezes to impress the judges.

The French capital will see 16 men and 16 women 'throw down' in one-on-one battles in front of an uneven panel of judges in a round robin, semi-finals and finals format to determine the first-ever breaking Olympic champions.

A battle features a fixed number of sets, typically two or three throw downs until the final, which has three or five throw downs which can’t be longer than a minute.

With judges scoring battles on six weighted criteria - creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity and musicality, it's a jam-packed sport of action and thrill.

The competition is navigated by an Emcee (Master of Ceremonies) whilst the DJ provides the backing track beats for the battle to add to the ever-present atmosphere and hype up each athlete's performance.

The breaking at Paris 2024 will take place on the 9 and 10 August, surrounded by BMX Freestyle, Skateboarding and Basketball 3x3.

One of the most exciting recent additions to the Olympic programme, one this is for certain, breaking is set to captivate and educate global audiences this summer.

Watch every moment of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 live only on discovery+, the streaming home of the Olympics.