Dr. Rachael Gunn, better known as Raygun, whose performance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games breaking event went viral, stirred quite a controversy. While her zero-score routines amused viewers, others pointed to her questionable academic background. As it turns out, Dr. Gunn knew exactly what she was doing.
Australian breakdancer Rachael — whose b-girl name is Raygun — lost all three round-robin battles 18-0, 18-0, 18-0 against the USA, France, and Lithuania during the sport’s debut on Friday night (August 9), with her unique style of breaking since going viral on social media, News.com.au reported on Saturday (August 10).
From her ridiculous ground-twitching moves to her Australian Olympic tracksuit, the 36-year-old was both ruthlessly mocked and praised, as a person on X (formerly known as Twitter) wrote: “If this Raygun lady turns out to be a comedian who somehow blagged her way through qualifiers and all the way to the Olympics, and was bad on purpose, it will be one of the greatest bits ever achieved.”
Amid growing criticism, Rachael took to her Instagram page, seemingly pointing to gender bias, as she wrote: “Looking forward to the same level of scrutiny on what the bboys wear tomorrow.”
Dr. Rachael Gunn, better known as Raygun, saw her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games breaking event go viral
The Aussie had secured her place as Australia’s b-girl representative after winning last year’s Oceania Breaking Championships, News.com.au reported.
In breakdancing, “B-girl” and “B-boy” are terms used to refer to female and male breakdancers, respectively.
The “B” stands for “break,” which comes from the breakbeats in music that dancers originally performed to. The terms were popularized in the 1970s when breakdancing (also known as breaking or b-boying/b-girling) emerged as a key element of hip-hop culture.
Both B-boys and B-girls showcase their skills through a variety of moves, including top rock (footwork performed while standing), down rock (moves performed on the floor), power moves (dynamic acrobatic moves), and freezes (holding a pose).
Rachael also previously shared a post from her country’s breaking team, which quoted her saying: “Don’t be afraid to be different. Go out there and represent yourself, you never know where that’s gonna take you.”
After her performance, Raygun explained she wanted to leave a creative mark, telling reporters: “All my moves are original.
Raygun’s performance stirred quite a controversy
@sydneymorningherald Australia’s RayGun has gone viral after her Olympics breaking routine. But who is she and how did she start breaking? #raygun #rachaelgunn #breaking #olympics #Paris2024 ♬ Hip hop instrumental to get you motivated(1522407) – Love`s BGM
“I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best, the dynamic and the power moves, so I wanted to move differently, be artistic and creative because how many chances do you get in a lifetime to do that on an international stage?
“I was always the underdog and wanted to make my mark in a different way.”
“After I’ve recovered, I’ll probably be writing about it,” Dr. Gunn added.
Rachael is an interdisciplinary and practice-based researcher interested in the cultural politics of breaking. She holds a PhD in Cultural Studies and a BA in Contemporary Music from Macquarie University.
As per her Macquarie University profile, Dr. Gunn’s work draws on cultural theory, dance studies, popular music studies, media, and ethnography.
Moreover, Raygun was the Australian Breaking Association’s top-ranked b-girl in 2020 and 2021, and she represented Australia at the World Breaking Championships in Paris, France, in 2021, in Seoul, South Korea, in 2022, and in Leuven, Belgium, in 2023.
While her zero-score routines amused viewers, others pointed to her questionable academic background
me, trying to get up from bed as as I get a cramp in my leg pic.twitter.com/ppJyXh5fJm
— Laura Martínez ™️ (@miblogestublog) August 9, 2024
“I guess maybe being a bit older, I know how rare this opportunity is and I wanted to take the chance to wear the green and gold,” the university lecturer said of her uniform amid ongoing mocking.
She added: “I don’t know why some of the other girls didn’t want to wear their kit. It was a real moment of pride for me to wear the Australian uniform, I was particularly excited for this shirt to have the Indigenous print on the arms.”
Her performance has sparked dozens of memes, with one of her moves being dubbed “the kangaroo,” News.com.au reported.
So I looked into this. I thought maybe I should feel sorry for the woman, athletes can choke, and maybe it was cruel for people to be making fun of her. Alternatively, I thought it may be possible she was led up the garden path, told she was good break dancer when she wasn’t, and… https://t.co/YQHA0K05wr
— Hannah Berrelli (@HannahBerrelli) August 10, 2024
“Creativity is really important to me,” Rachael further told reporters, Fox News reported on Sunday (August 11). “I go out there and I show my artistry. Sometimes it speaks to the judges, and sometimes it doesn’t. I do my thing, and it represents art. That is what it is about.”
Breaking itself is unconventional for the Olympics. Performers were scored based on the various combinations of dance moves as a DJ played music, as per Fox News.
The head judge for the breaking competition, Martin Gilian, reportedly defended Dr. Gunn, saying: “Breaking is all about originality and bringing something new to the table and representing your country or region.
Rachael is an interdisciplinary and practice-based researcher interested in the cultural politics of breaking
“This is exactly what Raygun was doing. She got inspired by her surroundings, which in this case, for example, was a kangaroo.”
Team Japan’s Amy Yuasa won gold, team Lithuania’s Dominika Banevic won silver, and team China’s Liu Qingyi took home the bronze medal.
Nevertheless, Dr. Gunn’s academic background sparked controversy, as Hannah Berreli, the editor for On The Woman Q, shared on X: “Turns out Rachael Gunn here has a PhD in cultural studies, with a specialty in the gender politics of movement and breakdance.
“She has written about how including break dance in the Olympics changes it from a practice within an alternative subculture, to a hegemonic one that incorporates the dance into what she sees as Australia’s settler colonialist project.
“I am 100% certain what she is doing here, in wearing the Australia kit even, is trying to make some subversive point she can later write journal articles about.”
Hannah slammed Rachael’s performance for being a stunt that diminished Australia on the world stage.
Raygun lost all three round-robin battles 18-0, 18-0, 18-0 against the USA, France, and Lithuania
when Raygun hit the kangaroo jawn I couldn’t see the screen I was crying so hard pic.twitter.com/jcICfTu11d
— Bradford Pearson (@BradfordPearson) August 9, 2024
“Hundreds of Australian athletes who will have dedicated their entire lives to athletic excellence will be forgotten because Rachael wanted to bulk up her ResearchGate profile,” Hannah wrote. “Rather than their medals and efforts, this is what Australia will be remembered for.”
The editor continued: “Not to mention the disastrous effect this will have on break dancing as a sport. Its position in the Olympics is not secure, and surely won’t be taken seriously after this.
“Good job Rachael, you really showed those chauvinist nationalists, hundreds of women and girls will not get their Olympic opportunity now.”
It has since been announced that breaking won’t be returning at the next summer Olympic games, which will take place in 2028 in Los Angeles, USA.
“All of us at the WDSF are profoundly disappointed with this outcome,” World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) President Shawn Tay said amid the decision not to include the discipline at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Shawn admitted: “We worked relentlessly over many months to present a powerful and passionate proposal that detailed all the many advantages breaking as a dance sport discipline brings to the Olympic Movement and Olympic Games.
From her ridiculous ground-twitching moves to her Australian Olympic tracksuit, she was both ruthlessly mocked and praised
“Ensuring the success of breaking’s Olympic debut at Paris 2024 is therefore on the forefront of the WDSF agenda.
“Our performance in Paris will define the future of dance sport within the Olympic Movement, and it is imperative that we must work together to do everything within our power to exceed expectations next summer on the Place de la Concorde.
“By doing so, we will demonstrate on the dance floor that breaking, a sport popular among youths from diverse backgrounds, and a sport rooted in beautiful values such as inclusivity, is a perfect fit for the Olympic Games.”
“I can’t work out if it was a joke”: Adele is mesmerised by Dr Raygun pic.twitter.com/QoScqhLJbM
— australian kitsch 🦘 (@OzKitsch) August 11, 2024
Bored Panda has reached out to Rachael and the Australian Olympic Committee and was consequently told that the lecturer “is taking time off and is not doing media at the moment.”
Raygun, who had kept a relatively low profile, resurfaced with her Aussie teammates ahead of the Olympic Games closing ceremony, and she was treated like a cult hero, The Daily Mail reported on Sunday.
The b-girl joined her fellow Olympians in a heartwarming appearance at Sunday’s closing ceremony, with video footage showing her showing off her iconic moves to a huge ovation from her Australian teammates, as per The Mail.
Rachael holds a PhD in Cultural Studies and a BA in Contemporary Music from Macquarie University
Footage showed how she was lifted onto the shoulders of team Australia’s rower Angus Widdicombe, where she mimicked her infamous kangaroo dance move.
The reasons why breaking was snubbed from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games remain unclear. However, claims that Rachael’s notorious footwork was the main cause appear to be false.
WDSF president Shawn Tay already expressed his disappointment of the discipline not being included in LA in four years, back in 2023.
The Queen has arrived for the closing ceremony. pic.twitter.com/LYMJidfJS1
— Jack Snape (@jacksongs) August 11, 2024
Breaking was one of nine in the frame to be proposed for the LA program, with baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash getting the nod instead, Inside The Games reported last year.
It has since been confirmed that the LA28 Olympic Games will include two new sports, flag football and squash, while baseball, softball, cricket (Twenty20), and lacrosse (Sixes) will make their Olympic returns after absences of years to decades, SBS Australia reported on Monday (August 12).
Shawn reportedly said breaking must now target returning to the Olympic program in Brisbane in 2032.
Dr Gunn’s work draws on cultural theory, dance studies, popular music studies, media, and ethnography
“Our campaign to be added to Brisbane 2032 has already begun and is being ably led by our first vice-president and resident Australian Tony Tilenni,” he said.
As of now, breaking has yet to be confirmed as a discipline featured at the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, as per The Brisbane Olympics official website.
“Though the news of LA 28 is disappointing, I believe that breakers around the world need not give up hope on the Olympic dream,” Shawn said.
Bored Panda has contacted the LA 28 officials for comment.
“Give me 2 tequila shots and I can do what she did,” a reader quipped
