Mounir Biba: Breaking the Boundary between China and France

From street corners to the world stage, breaking - often known as breakdance - is now an Olympic sport. In the breakdancing arena, few names shine as brightly as Mounir Biba. CGTN Europe went to Paris and talked to the French breakdancing legend who played a key role in breaking's Olympic inclusion.

An unexpected start

As 13-time breaking world champion and head coach of the Chinese breaking team, Mounir Biba has unmatched skilled and electrifying dance moves.

"My crewmates always called me 'supermarket' in a sense that I was almost able to do everything," said Biba, "I love power moves, I love footwork, I love tricks, I love every aspect of breaking."

It was in the northwestern French city of Angers where Biba was born, and it's also where his breaking journey began. But his first encounter with the activity was purely by chance.

"When I was 13 years old, my plan was to become a professional soccer player. But then suddenly in autumn 1997, people in the youth club proposed a hip-hop class to me," said Biba, "it was not even a breaking class, but I fell in love within the first day."

Road to championship

After getting a first taste of breaking, Biba started to have lessons around the city and keep rigorous training, which involves relentless hard work and dedication.

"I started to practice six hours a day, seven days a week – every day, all day since I was like 16, 17 years old," said the B-boy. "There were plenty of those times when I started to doubt or get tired because it's a lot of effort. But you need a strong vision, stick to it and keep working hard every day."

In 2004, 21-year-old Biba joined the Vagabonds Crew, one of the most successful breakdancing crews in the world.

"The team spirit for me is really important – I think it's the collective that pushes the individual," recalled Biba.

He had a string of successes in major competitions with the crew, including being crowned world champion in November 2011.

A year later, solo, he took home the biggest prize of Red Bull BC One, one of the world's most prestigious breaking competitions. Winning the world championship in Rio pushed him to the pinnacle of his career.

Head coach of Team China

Breaking was born in New York's Bronx district in the 1970s, when street rivals tried to avoid gang violence and solve disputes by this type of dance. Half a century later, it's embraced in every corner of the world. But the craze entered China relatively late.

"China only started 15 years ago, and less than ten years ago breaking really blew up in the country. So that's still very young," said Biba.

To help establish and train its national team, China was eager to find someone with plenty of experience.

"When China came to me. I know the ambition of China. Chinese ambition is to be the best. To be number one. To stay number one. So, my ambition match," said the head coach of the Chinese National Breaking Team.

"I know I have great athletes, full potential with a lack of experience and knowledge. That's what I'm willing to share with them. I want them to start where I stopped," added Biba.

To be the best

From physical training to mental preparation, the young Chinese team members have quickly made progress with the guidance from their head coach.

"To be the best, you have to be with the best, and you have to beat the best," said Biba.

The young Chinese breakers have made a name for themselves on the international stage, including the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, when Chinese B-girl Liu Qingyi claimed the historic first-ever women's gold medal in breaking. 

"She's definitely the best in the world with the biggest potential. But like I always say, even the best has to prove it. Even the best has to show it," said Biba.

Like a proud but demanding parent, Biba knows all his team members inside-out.

"She's only focused on her goal, which is progressing. You know, she understands her potential, but she also understands her weaknesses," said Biba, "and that's what makes the difference between good and great."

Aiming for Olympic gold

It's in Paris 2024 that breaking will make its debut at the summer Olympics. For years, B-boy Mounir Biba had been working alongside Tony Estanguet, the president of Paris 2024, to have the sport added to the Olympic program. 

"I never doubt that breaking being a major success, it would change something in breaking history," said Biba. 

And soon, the Chinese team will make their move to Paris, aiming to win the first-ever Olympic breaking medals. 

"I have for the team the same expectations I always have for myself, is to win, is to represent the country, be proud of ourselves, to prepare ourselves the best possible," said Biba, "we have made tremendous progress in the last year and a half, so now we can really visualize that competition and say yes, we can do it."

Biba admitted it's a "tough question" to answer when being asked which side he would support if China and France are competing in the Paris Olympics.

"For me, it's not about country, it's about people. I would be very happy and proud of Team France or any other team to have great result," said Biba, "but I have my goals and I have my team. I'm the head coach of Team China. I love my team. I love my athletes, my dancers, so I'm here to win with Team China."

Breaking as a bridge

As China and France celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties, Mounir thinks breaking can act as a bridge to connect two cultures.

"It's a universal language that requires the same characteristic, being creative, being yourself. I'm learning through you. You're learning through me," said Biba, "that's why this exchange is what made breaking so unique."

As a breakdancing legend, Mounir is again ready to defy gravity, and take the Chinese team to reach new heights. He's keen to use breaking as a language to pass on his passion, and present to the world a new fusion of styles and stories.

"Breaking is one of the tools that can really help China and France to continue growing together. We have so much to share with each other.It's about history. It's about how we see things," said Biba. "Because we are together, we grow."

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