A breakdancing pioneer who took dance battles to the mainstream and the world has accused Australia’s Raygun of being ‘on the wrong stage’.
Richard ‘Crazy Legs’ Colón, an American b-boy, played a pivotal role in bringing hip hop dancing to mainstream attention and introduced the Rock Steady Crew to London and Paris in 1983.
Growing up in Manhattan, he started breaking at nine and became an original member of the Rock Steady Crew in 1979, eventually becoming its president.
Today, Crazy Legs continues to influence the dance world through community outreach, dance instruction, and theater productions, while also making appearances in films and documentaries.
While social media has mocked and ridiculed Raygun for her interpretive routine at the Paris Olympics, Colon was not amused.
He said the routine had damaged the work done in the 1970s and 80s and ‘hurt’ the people on the street who had created the culture.
‘Breaking comes from a culture of people who have lived a difficult life — so when we see something like that we’re like, ‘Yo, is that a joke?,’ Colon told the New York Post.
‘Maybe it’s a hobby for her — and that’s fine. Do your thing, girl, have fun,’ he said. ‘But you’re on the wrong stage.
‘You can’t just go in there and disrupt a whole culture of people,’ he said.
Richard ‘Crazy Legs’ Colon played a big role in bringing breakdancing to the world and he was not impressed by Raygun’s performance at the Olympics
Raygun has remained in Europe and thanked her supporters in a video message on Instagram
Colon also accused Raygun of taking the opportunity away from another breakdancer who could have performed better at the Olympics.
‘You don’t have to be an expert to a drive a car but you have to be good enough not to hurt other people on the street,’ he said — comparing her moves to a car crash.
‘The bumbling B-girl took the place of more talented Australian breakers likely because they lacked the resources or money to make it to the Olympics,’ Colon said.
‘It would have been nice if she had bowed out,’ he said.
‘She was taking an opportunity from someone else.’
Raygun herself took to social media overnight to answer her critics and thank her supporters.
‘Hi everyone, Raygun here,’ she said in a video posted on Instagram.
‘I just wanna start by thanking all the people who have supported me.
‘I really appreciate the positivity and I am glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives, that is what I had hoped.
‘I didn’t realise that that would also open the door to so much hate which has frankly been pretty devastating.’
Crazy Legs (red sleeves, centre) was part of the popular Rock Steady Crew in the 1980s
Raygun became a viral sensation after her controversial routine at the Paris Olympics
The AOC has also issued a statement defending Australian Chef de Mission Anna Meares and the AOC Selection Committee after they copped criticism over Raygun’s selection for Paris and a petition launched calling for a public apology.
‘The AOC is particularly offended by the affront to our Chef de Mission, Anna Meares,’ the statement read.
‘The Australian Team Chef de Mission played no role in the qualification events nor the nomination of athletes to the AOC Selection Committee, of which the Chef and I are members,’ AOC chief executive officer Matt Carroll said.
‘It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an anonymous person can be published in this way. It amounts to bullying and harassment and is defamatory. We are demanding that it be removed from the site immediately.
‘The petition has stirred up public hatred without any factual basis. It’s appalling. No athlete who has represented their country at the Olympic Games should be treated in this way and we are supporting Dr Gunn and Anna Meares at this time.
‘It’s important that the community understands the facts and that people do not form opinions based on malicious untruths and misinformation.’
