Inspiring Manchester teens to get Breaking.

Back in November Breaking arrived in Manchester with the European Championships. With the BBC on board and committed to airing every round as over 250 athletes took to the floor over two days of high intensity competition, it was an opportunity to open up this sport to those who had no clue what breaking was.

The event organisers want to use the event to inspire a new generation of breakers to get involved. Weekly classes at youth groups across Manchester enabled young people fro the city to feel what it’s like to pull off some of the sports athletic moves, intricate footwork and develop the musicality required for this sport.

B-Boy LB, aka Anton Phung, took breaking to a cohort at the Manchester Youth Zone in Harpurhey, one of the most deprived areas in North Manchester, expertly enticing young people from a wide spectrum of backgrounds to simply ‘have a go’. No pressure, no groundwork needed, just a friendly relaxed environment to learn new skills, get active and have some fun.  

With community groups in Manchester getting on board just as breaking becomes an Olympic sport in Paris 2024, it meant that young people could ride the wave with the elite breakers from the UK. Team GB Olympic hopeful B-Boy Kid Karam, aka Karam Singh, who won silver at these European Championships, is one of the most down to earth athletes in the sport. He got involved, alongside B-Boy LB, with a humble nature and approachable manner making novice breakers feel like the stars of the show within workshops he attended.

When chatting to BBC Breakfast who aired footage from the classes B-Boy Kid Karam said ‘When you see these amazing kids in this class, who are more incredible than I was at that age, having opportunities like this knowing that someone in this room could become an Olympic medallist - it’s life changing.’

Competitive atmosphere and jaw dropping moves aside, this event left an imprint on both the hearts and minds of these youngsters. A new accessible, low-cost sport has been facilitated, showcased and delivered as a viable option to increase physical activity and improve the mental wellbeing of teens across the city.

With thanks to BBC Breakfast for covering the story of the European Breaking Championships, along with airing it live on demand from Belle Vue, helping to inform a new generation that breaking is a sport that is rising through the ranks and accessible for all across the nation.