Super Solid

18 Aug Super Solid

Breaking was introduced into this year’s Olympic Games. At first, we dismissed the event as young people spinning on their heads, but were we wrong. Not only is breaking athletic and entertaining, it throws down a challenge for anyone who performs to an audience.

Breaking has three sections. The complexity and drama of the performance increases with each round. The athlete does sixty seconds of rehearsed material, then hands off to their competitor who is standing in the circle with them.

When you speak, in sixty seconds your audience has decided if you are worth their time and attention. Like breaking, when you adhere to a structured talk with content in ascending importance, it makes your presentation compelling.

In breaking, you can’t repeat a move. Excellent advice for speakers. Audiences feed on variety. And like using a pause for effect in speaking, breakers freeze during a dramatic move to drive the effect home. Victor Montalvo won bronze for the U.S. Congrats, B-Boy, you were super solid.

(Breaking is not included in the upcoming LA Olympics. Get with it. Breaking was invented on home soil, like Jazz.)