Menno van Gorp (front) and Morgan “Stripes” Andrews compete at Red Bull Lords of The Floor at WAMU Theatre in Seattle, on April 6. PARIS – Once the music is on and Menno van Gorp is on the dance floor, nothing else matters. Breaking is more than just a hobby for the Dutch b-boy, who has come a long way since picking it up in 2000.
The 35-year-old has built an illustrious career, winning three world championship titles and is at the Paris Olympics, where breaking is making its debut. He told The Straits Times: “Breaking has always been my meditation, it’s definitely my outlet, it’s an expression and I enjoy practising very much. “I think that’s why I’m so consistent for so many years.
.. because I enjoy the process of creating and practising more than anything.
“Breaking and putting those practices and creations in effect have made me win a lot of competitions and kept me relevant and gave me the opportunity to keep doing this full-time as a living.” Van Gorp began breaking in 2000, just as it started gaining popularity in his hometown Tilburg. With everyone around him, including his two older cousins, breaking, van Gorp got into it too.
He was initially drawn to how it enabled him to find his own style and express himself using his creativity, but more than anything, breaking gave him a sense of freedom. He had been a judo exponent for around seven years and won some competitions in Germany, but the martial art never had the same appeal to him. So instead.