to think Rachel 'Raygun' gun has broken the phrase 'Oh for the confidence of a mediocre man'?

[Raygunstun]

( Ok, yes I know I am late to the party on this one).

I'm talking about the Australian women's entry into the breakdancing at the Olympics.

She went out there with absolute confidence, and complete lack of self awareness, and did really terrible breakdancing. It wasn't even really breakdancing. It was like some sort of interpretative dance. Her moves were clunky and slow. they did not flow, the connections between moves were awkward. She was like a competitor in a very, very local competition. And she appeared to have no awareness of this. I know there is a lot of creativity and expression in breaking, but it surely has to be combined with technical skill.

She also appears to have no awareness that the Olympics is about showcasing outstanding physical prowess and technical expertise. Both of which she clearly lacked.

In a way, I admire her confidence, but I don't admire her lack of awareness. I also do not believe she was the best female breaker in Australia.

Part of me feels a bit sorry for her as the break dancing world is clearly her world, but I can't help feeling she got so lost in the theory of the ' expressive' side of breaking she kinda lost sight of the technical skill side. A bit like Rachel Dolezol got so lost in the theory of race being a social construct that she lost sight of the fact you actually need to be black to be black.

This is the impression I get of her too.

This has got to be number one on the list of 'sports' that I hope they drop before the next Olympics. Skateboarding by 12 year olds is 2nd. What a joke.

I have to say that one of the things that I feel uncomfortable about with all this is that she, as a white woman, participated in something from black culture and made an absolute mockery of it on the world stage (whether an intentional mockery or not)

This is the bit I can't get away from. I've seen her speaking about breakdancing culture and how she's the one to bring it to the world and 'explain' breakdancing etc (lightly paraphrasing - I'll try to find the clip, but it's a fairly widely circulated, pre-Olympic one I think).

There are several uncomfortable strands of this whole debarcle.

I thought it was Honey G making a comeback at first.

I think she must have some MH issues, the lack of self awareness is just unbelievable. And the confidence/ arrogance to actually perform on a world stage. That is definitely some level of delusion that I think is Mh related. Have friends in Aus who say she's a laughing stock. If you go on her FB page she seems to have a lot of supporters ( with extra sleuthing) have found that they seem to be family memes who encourage this lunacy.

the kid skateboarders can stay-they are fantastic. Breakdancing can get in the bin though-what ever it was rayon thought they were doing, ive seen better done by drunks outside pubs at chucking out time

raygun-bloody auto carrot.

@sunnywithmeatbols

That's an interesting perspective. Maybe she was being cynical with a specific goal.

Most of the breakdancers were utterly inspiringly awesome. I don't really see how you can make a case that they are less skilled than the skateboarders.

I watched her online having not seen any of the breaking at the Olympics.

My thought was WTF. I'm glad I didn't watch it - this is so bad.

Then I realised that's why she was viral and everywhere 😂

I actually wish I'd managed to catch some of the proper competition now because what I've seen of breaking it's brilliant and they spin on their heads and stuff?

I think she’s disgraceful how she set up the governing body and ensured she was selected with her husband as a judge. There needs to be an investigation into how apparently she ensured younger, better talent couldn’t enter selection process. Hardly the Olympic spirit.

she appears to have no shame whatsoever about it. Parading about like some hero

Some of those Skateboarders are incredibly skilled and lots of people love watching it.

I’m not even sure breakdancing is an Olympic sport, but she just looked bizarre. I’m not sure why she entered, 🤷‍♀️

Liz Truss levels of self delusion here.

😂😂😂😂 that sums it up perfectly!

I think if there was a global competition at the foxtrot, and an indigenous person was selected even though they were terrible, and then went on to show the whole country up at the international level there would be a lot of objections. And a lot of people suggesting that they had only been selected (over all the fantastic fox-trotters) because they were indigenous (and point out the issues with this). If its true that the selection process/rules effectively excluded much better dancers due to their "lack of privilege" than that is a problem. Its still a problem, even if it wasn't intentional but a result of poorly thought through processes.

I thought she'd said she was making some kind of point about breakdancing not being a sport that can exist with Olympic confines...or something. But looking at other videos now it seems that is her normal style!

I loved the skateboarding and bmx

I also love the ski and board half pipe in the Winter Olympics.

That's true talent. You have to train and train and there's no natural luck with the right type of body to assist you!

I thought it was obviously a joke.

I think she’s another delusional person who thinks she is the bees knees , someone needs to sit down and give her a few facts or reality .

But even if she was just trying to be creative - you can be creative and still be good. There can be skill and excellence and you can have that smooth effortless seeming ( though hard earned) flow and ease that really skilled dancers have. Her moves were clumsy and slow and awkward.

If she was making a point, it would have to be that breaking is open to all no matter how crap and unskilled you are. She should really join the spiritual dance world if that is her vibe. That genuinely and openly is all about expression and not skill.

im not making any such case, just simply saying that whatever skill is involved, I dont really see it. I watch the olympics to see something extraordinary-no one can possibly think they could do what the skateboarders do without a shed load of-time, effort and talent. breakdancing looks like mostly rolling around on the floor. I could do that.

I think it's a real shame because the Aussie kids who were featured in Dance Life on Amazon prime could have done something amazing.

But it was also hilarious.

Well it was never going to be all black men from the Bronx, particularly in the women's section. Maybe breakdancing is a bit different in Australia, bit like the dancing equivalent of Aussie Rules Football.

I was half-expecting Celeste Barber to step forward afterwards and reveal it was all an elaborate joke, filmed with the co operation of the genuine breakers, for a satirical film, along the lines of Jai'me: Private School Girl.

Maybe it still will be...

You clearly have not watched the break dancing at the Olympics if you think it is rolling around on the floor.

If you think you can do that. If you think that doesn't involve a shed load of time, effort and talent, then your name may indeed be Rachel Raygun Gunn.