Breaking at the 2023 Pan American Games: Preview, competition schedule, and how to watch live dance sport action

Breaking is set to make its debut at the 2023 Pan American Games and will serve as a qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics, with the top B-Girl and B-Boy in Santiago each obtaining a quota.

The sport combines urban dance and acrobatic movements and draws ties back to the streets of New York, where 'breakdancing' originated in the Bronx in the 1970s. It will be seen for the first time at a Summer Olympic Games in 2024 having also been part of the Youth Olympics in 2018.

At Santiago 2023, 16 B-Girls and 16 B-Boys will go head-to-head for the Pan Am title and with that, secure the spots to Paris.

As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.

• How to qualify for breaking at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained

World-renowned breakers including B-Boy Phil Wizard and B-Girl Sunny are amongst the headliners competing on 3 and 4 November at the Gimnasio Chimkowe.

Here are some athletes to keep an eye out for in Santiago, as well as the schedule and how to watch.

Breakers to watch at the 2023 Pan American Games

Santiago 2023 will be the breaking showdown of the year for the Americas, as everyone appears to be sending their A-Team.

Ranked one and two in the Americas, Canada’s B-Boy Phil Wizard and Team USA’s B-Boy** Jeffro** will step into Santiago as the top male contenders. Respectively, the two are ranked second and fourth in the world according to the World DanceSport Federation.

In the continent’s number three spot is USA’s B-Boy, who is the first and only breaker in the region to have already secured an Olympic quota. He will not be present in Santiago.

Sitting one world ranking below B-Boy Victor is fellow American, B-Boy** Gravity** who will also be a strong contender in Santiago.

For the women, B-Girl Sunny (USA) sits on top of the ranks for the Americas at seventh in the world. Earlier this year, she took silver at the Pan American Championships behind Colombia’s B-Girl** Luma**, who is also a gold medal favorite in Santiago.

USA’s B-Girl Logistx falls directly below the Colombian in the world ranking and will step up the floor in Santiago ranked third in the Americas. Canada’s B-Girl** Tiff** is also a strong contender.

With the electric Chilean crowds in attendance at all Santiago 2023 events, local favorites B-Girl Menta, B-Girl Vale Chica, B-Boy Matita and B-Boy Daf are also set to make headlines at home.

Breaking competition schedule at the 2023 Pan American Games

Schedules below are shown in Chile Summer Time (CLST), which is 3 hours behind GMT/UTC.

Friday, November 3

• 17:20 - 18:50 – B-Girls. Round Robin
• 19:10 - 20:40 – B-Boys. Round Robin

Saturday, November 4th

• 17:00 - 17:30 - B-Girls. Quarterfinals
• 17:30 - 18:00 – B-Boys. Quarterfinals
• 18:00 - 18:25 - B-Girls. Semifinals
• 18:25 - 18:50 - B-Boys. Semifinals
• 18:50 - 19:00 – B-Girls. Duel for the bronze
• 19:00 - 19:10 – B-Boys. Duel for the bronze
• 19:10 - 19:20 – B-Girls. End for the gold
• 19:20 - 19:30 – B-Boys. End for the gold

Where to watch breaking at the 2023 Pan American Games

The Olympic Channel on Olympics.com and the official Olympics app is the best way to find highlights from every day of the 2023 Pan American Games.

To livestream breaking and all other sports, use the PanAm Sports Channel online or via mobile app for free.

Viewers in the Americas can tune into the various TV broadcasters and on-demand streaming provided by the broadcasters. The list includes:

• Fubo TV (subscription required) in USA and Canada
• PanAm Sports Channel in USA, Canada, and Jamaica
• Chilevision, TVN and Canal 13 in Chile
• Canal Olímpico do Brasil and CazéTV in Brazil