Early modern Olympic games (1896,1900,1904) allowed for individuals to be from different nations. The IOC (International Olympic Committee) grouped their results under the ‘mixed team’ designation with its code ‘ZZX’ such as GER for Germany or NED representing the Netherlands.

Through my family’s background in the world of sports, I have a high connection to active wear and the feeling of importance of individuals being united in a team. Sport is often regarded as one of the main stages for exemplifying national pride. It can in many ways function as a direct mirror of national identity.

Do we still identify within our nationality in times of globalization?

I was triggered to start this research driven by my curiosity of different cultures coming together and when exchange happens. Being involved in the urban dance scene from my early childhood on introduced me to ‘hip-hop’ and started to shape my fascination for that subculture. It has a welcoming and open nature. But there is also a void between that fact and the lack of educating on the actual roots of the culture out of which the dance emerges. In a collaboration with dancers I researched if we can we overcome the imbalance of celebrating hip hop as a trend but not consider urban dance such as `Krump` as equal legitimate part of the high culture.