Watch and Learn - Breaking Is a New Olympic Sport. Meet Sunny Choi from Team USA

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In terms of the Olympics, so many of us,

In terms of the Olympics so many of us

even the breakers were like,

even the breakers were like

There's no way that's going to happen, you know?

There's no way that's going to happen you know

Because it's still such, a like kind of,

Because it's still such a like kind of

an underground street culture.

an underground street culture

Honestly, had you asked me back then

Honestly had you asked me back then

if this was going to be my future, I would have,

if this was going to be my future I would have

I probably would have laughed at you 'cause I

could never have pictured this.

could never have pictured this

Break dancing will become an official sport in

the 2024 Paris games.

the 2024 Paris games

I'm Sean Gregory, senior Sports

I'm Sean Gregory senior Sports

correspondent at Time. I met up with

correspondent at Time I met up with

Sunny Choy, the 35-year-old B-girl who

Sunny Choy the 35-year-old B-girl who

will be heading to Paris to compete for

the US this summer.

the US this summer

Sunny was generous enough to show me some basic moves.

Sunny was generous enough to show me some basic moves

All right, cool.

All right cool

So let's do a little breaking 101 tutorial.

So let's do a little breaking 101 tutorial

So what we'll do is we'll

step across one, and then we'll step

step across one and then we'll step

across, and then we'll step to the side.

across and then we'll step to the side

Oh, sorry. Oh no, actually we can step back

Oh sorry Oh no actually we can step back

so we'll step back, and then we'll step back.

so we'll step back and then we'll step back

Okay, and then come back to the middle.

Okay and then come back to the middle

Yeah, okay, so this is called a 2000.

Yeah okay so this is called a 2000

Usually I can do this cold.

Usually I can do this cold

Oh, lets see.

Oh lets see

So that's like a basic power move.

So that's like a basic power move

Um there's something called swipes which

I'll do, um, which is also pretty basic.

I'll do um which is also pretty basic

Just a few things I can do without warming up

and so we would do like multiple of

those or combo that into something else.

those or combo that into something else

Can I show you the move I did when I was in second grade?

Can I show you the move I did when I was in second grade

Yeah.

Yeah

My talent show.

My talent show

Yes, please.

Yes please

All right, I think I can still do it.

All right I think I can still do it

This was called the spider as I

remember it, and check, just check this out.

remember it and check just check this out

See if you'll see this in Paris.

See if you'll see this in Paris

I went across the stage and went like that.

I went across the stage and went like that

Yeah, that's what I did, the spider.

Yeah that's what I did the spider

So here first you can use

that in Paris if you like.

that in Paris if you like

Thank you.

Thank you

I appreciate it. Yeah, I'll add it to my roll.

I appreciate it Yeah I'll add it to my roll

So breaking, known to many people of

So breaking known to many people of

an older generation perhaps as break dancing.

an older generation perhaps as break dancing

How did you start breaking?

How did you start breaking

If you had seen me on the street before I

started breaking, there's no way you

started breaking there's no way you

would have looked at me and been like

she's going to be a good

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breaker. I was a gymnast for 15 years.

breaker I was a gymnast for 15 years

I quit before I got to college, and so I

I quit before I got to college and so I

was looking for something to do, and I

was looking for something to do and I

was walking around campus, and some

was walking around campus and some

people were dancing on campus, and they,

people were dancing on campus and they

you know I stopped to watch and they

invited me to class and it kind of all

started that freshman year on Penn campus.

started that freshman year on Penn campus

Sunny graduated from the

University of Pennsylvania with a degree

in business and by all accounts was a

big success in corporate America but she

left her job as the Director of global

creative operations for skin care at

Estee Lauder to compete in the 2024 games.

Estee Lauder to compete in the 2024 games

My whole entire life I've been

doing what I should be doing. As dictated

doing what I should be doing As dictated

by life other people, society, culture and

by life other people society culture and

I decided to quit because this is like a

childhood dream and I couldn't bear the

thought of robbing myself with that again.

thought of robbing myself with that again

Especially with the Olympic movement.

Especially with the Olympic movement

I think there's a level of

pressure that like most Breakers have

never felt before. So that's really new.

never felt before So that's really new

But I feel lighter. I feel connected.

But I feel lighter I feel connected

I feel present. I definitely feel like a

I feel present I definitely feel like a

very different person today..

very different person today

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In my opinion and I'm clearly

biased there's so much about breaking

that I feel like somebody can latch on

to it can be anywhere from the fashion,

to it can be anywhere from the fashion

the music,

the music

the swag, the charisma, to you know

the swag the charisma to you know

obviously the physicality of what we're

doing, the artistic expression.

doing the artistic expression

I feel like when Breakers are out there you're

really putting everything, all of you

really putting everything all of you

onto the dance dance floor and I think

when you're watching it you can really

feel and connect with the person.

feel and connect with the person

You know through their dance. It's kind of

You know through their dance It's kind of

It's kind of incredible to be able to experience that

but even if that's not what's

interesting to you it's physically super

demanding and the movements that we do

are very different from other sports and

so I feel like it's really interesting.

so I feel like it's really interesting

Plus it's like improv. It's freestyle so

Plus it's like improv It's freestyle so

when the music turns on we just go.

when the music turns on we just go

So we don't even know what's going to happen.

So we don't even know what's going to happen

So of course to the audience it should

be exciting cuz they don't know what's

going to happen.

going to happen

There will be 16 B boys

and 16 B girls. Sunny among them. From all

and 16 B girls Sunny among them From all

over the world competing in Paris.

over the world competing in Paris

I'm certainly not on the roster, yet, but I'm practicing.

I'm certainly not on the roster yet but I'm practicing

Let me do one more... try to

Let me do one more try to

incorporate everything I've learned..

incorporate everything I've learned

today and you can be the judge and see if..

today and you can be the judge and see if

I'm ready.

I'm ready

All right wait.

All right wait

No.

Wait. I didn't teach that but that's

Wait I didn't teach that but that's

pretty good.

pretty good

There you go.

There you go

I'm not sure you're going to be

winning the Olympics tomorrow, but it's not that bad.

winning the Olympics tomorrow but it's not that bad

Thank you. Pretty good!

Thank you Pretty good

Thank you for your time and your energy

Thank you

and your knowledge

Check her out in paris everybody

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