KZ: Hi Rachael! You’re headed to the Olympic Games to represent Australia in Breaking, but how did you first start breakdancing?

R: I started breaking in my early 20s, so much later than a lot of my friends. It was my boyfriend who introduced me to it because he was already a breaker. I would go to his training sessions with his friends, but I found it so difficult at first and was too shy to try moves. Luckily I did keep trying otherwise I wouldn’t be here today!

KZ: Do you remember the first breakdancing move you ever learned?

R: I think it was the 6-Step, which is where you take 6 steps to move from like a squat to a table top position and back to a squat. It’s really tricky and takes a lot of technique – it’s one I’m still mastering today!

KZ: How did you feel when you won the Oceania Breaking Championships in October 2023, and qualified to be the first Bgirl representing Australia at Breaking’s Olympic debut in Paris?

R: I felt a huge wave of relief when I won. There had been such a big build up to the event and I had been training so hard to prepare for it that I didn’t realise how stressed I was leading into it. To be honest, I don’t love my winning performance because I remember how exhausted I was, but it showed me how hard I could keep pushing through and the importance of not giving up. When I realized I was going to be the first Bgirl representing Australia at the Olympics, I just got so excited and pumped. 

KZ: Are you looking forward to watching or competing against any particular breakers at the Olympic Games?

R: I’m really looking forward to seeing 671, a bgirl from China. She does really difficult and explosive moves and she always comes out with something new.

KZ: Are there any other sports you’re keen to watch while you’re in Paris?

R: There’s so many I’m keen to watch but my event is right towards the end, so I’m not sure if I’ll get a chance to watch the other events. I’m always excited about the different Gymnastics events, the Skateboarding, BMX, and I’m particularly looking forward to watching the Matildas and Jess Fox!

KZ: Do you have any pre-competition traditions or mental processes that you go through before competing that you find help you focus?

R: I usually stretch the night before to make sure I’m not stiff in any way. I’ll also do some mental training by imagining all my moves and combos. On the day I’ll make sure I’m really warmed up and do some breathing exercises because I still get quite nervous before a battle.

KZ: What often surprises people when you talk about competitive Breaking?

R: A lot of people think we prepare a set with our own music, but actually the deejay chooses and plays the music at the start of the battle and we have to adjust and respond in that moment. Every round also needs to be different, and we must show our individuality and range of vocabulary. So there’s a lot more freestyle and creativity involved than people realise.

KZ: If you could add a fun new rule to the sport, what would it be and why?

R: You have to do something totally new in every battle, like a move or sequence you’ve created, and the judges evaluate that separately.

KZ: When you were a child, did you have any hobbies that gave you useful skills for the sport?

R: I did lots of different styles of dance growing up and they gave me a few different skills that have helped me in breaking, like: musicality, performativity, body awareness, and flexibility. I also did a lot of drama at school and that’s definitely helped me not to be shy performing in front of people.

KZ: Is there a move you would recommend K-Zoners try first?

R: I think the 'CC' is a good move to start with, but just a heads up – all the moves in breaking look easy but they are all hard, for everyone. So don’t be disheartened, just keep trying and whatever you do don’t give up – you never know where it might take you.

The Paris Olympic Games will be held from July 26 to August 11, 2024!

For the main interview with Rachael and the rest of the Paris Games Special, including interviews with athletes in Breaking, Sport Climbing, Taekwondo, and Surfing, grab the 'Space Is The Place' 2024 issue, out now!