Think you’ll be able to breakdance higher than Raygun? Well, here’s your likelihood.
Rachael “Raygun” Gunn, the Australian breakdancer who almost single-handedly broke the web this past summer, is difficult anyone who thinks they’ll dance higher than her to prove it in a brand new competition — and the winners have a shot at some serious moolah.
Raygun was suddenly thrust into (not-so-kind) viral fame after her cringe-worthy performance in Paris over the summer, when she took to the ground throughout the sport’s Olympic debut and showcased an unusual routine, featuring kangaroo jumps, sliding around on the stage like a snake and doing the sprinkler.
She didn’t quite finish last on the Olympics (another person was disqualified) but she didn’t rating any points across her Olympic battles against competitors from France, Lithuania and the U.S., losing each battle 18-0.
B-Girl Raygun of Team Australiacompetes throughout the B-Girls Round Robin – Group B on day fourteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Place de la Concorde on August 9, 2024 in Paris, France.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Her performance led to easy online chaos, birthing 1000’s of memes and subjecting her to international ridicule — a “pretty devastating” response, she previously said.
It appears, nonetheless, the dancer is decided to dust herself off and is now encouraging dancers who think they’ll top her Olympics performance to submit a video on social media.
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Teaming up with price comparison website Finder, the 37-year-old has launched the “Raygun Challenge,” where groups of two dancers who share a video of their original choreography will get a shot at AUD$10,000 (C$9,124), while solo dancers are eligible to win AUD$5,000 (C$4,577.)
“I’ve heard a few of you’re thinking that you’ll be able to do higher than me,” she said in an Instagram video announcing the competition, showing off a few of her familiar moves. “Really? Let’s discover, we could?”
To enter, fans can pair their dance video to the “Finder Beat” track in Instagram or TikTok and upload it to either social media platform using the #RaygunChallenge hashtag. They ought to be following Finder Australia, too.
People everywhere in the world are welcome to enter and it’s not only limited to pros: “This competition is open to everyone… It’s all about creativity and having a great time!” the eligibility rules state.
The challenge, very similar to Raygun’s Olympic showing, has fans divided. Some are calling it “cringe” and “physically painful to observe,” while others are supportive of the dancer, applauding her for poking fun at her viral fame.
Australia’s Rachael Gunn, often known as B-Girl Raygun, competes throughout the Round Robin Battle on the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park on the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France.
Abbie Parr / The Associated Press
“The reality is a few will probably do higher than her, but the very fact is, she is using what she got to provide back to the community. Haters gon’ hate, b-boys and b-girls just participate,” a supportive fan replied.
“You’re sensible! Such an awesome Aussie thing, turn that hate into love. We find it irresistible!” one other wrote.
In September, Gunn apologized to the breaking community, telling The Project: “I’m very sorry for the backlash that the community has experienced.
“But I can’t control how people react. Unfortunately, we just need some more resources in Australia for us to have a likelihood to beat world champions.
“I don’t think I’ll be competing for some time. Probably not wanting to be within the highlight, breaking, competing.”
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
