Netherlands’ B-Girl India Sardjoe at the Paris Olympics (AFP)
‘India’ serendipitously made history at the Breaking event in the Paris Olympics, becoming the first ever breaker to clinch a win in the official event.
Breaking took the Olympics and the entire world watching by storm, and one particular name that caught the attention of all was none other than Netherlands’ B-Girl India Sardjoe.
‘India’ serendipitously made history at the Breaking event in the Paris Olympics, becoming the first ever breaker to clinch a win in the official event. But, the 16-year-old fell just short of Olympic glory, as she was bested by China’s B-Girl 671 (Liu Qingyi) in the Bronze Medal Match.
But, the teenager’s name and moves most definitely caught the attention of audiences worldwide.
Who is India?
India Sardjoe was born and raised in The Hague, Netherlands.
Her dance journey started with hip-hop classes, before she switched to breaking at the age of seven.
“I found hip hop a little bit boring. Because I was so young the steps were a bit basic and it wasn’t really for me,” she continued.
“But I saw breaking classes at the same school and I was blown away by it. It really was a spectacle.
“You had to be eight for breaking class and I was only seven, but I wanted it so badly. They saw my potential and allowed me to join, which was really cool.
“I had to give up football too, but my dad encouraged me to try breaking. My parents always stood behind me and spent their lives driving me to competitions, and they love coming to my battles.”
While most dancers, known as B-Girls or B-Boys, compete under a pseudonym that could represent their alter ego, the 16-year-old athlete chose to use her real name.
“Many people have asked why I don’t use a B-Girl name, but since I was young it’s always been this way,” Sardjoe told Olympics.com.
“Nobody gave me a crazy name or started calling me something else. I wouldn’t change it for anything, and forever it will be just India.”
Another reason that the name will not change is that B-Girl India took the breaking world by storm in 2022, becoming the Dutch, European, and world champion in the space of six months.
