Australia’s most talked-about breakdancer, Raygun, has reportedly lost her role at one of the country’s leading universities.
Rachael Gunn, widely known as Raygun, rose to global fame after representing Australia in the debut Olympic breakdancing competition at the 2024 Paris Summer Games.
She drew worldwide attention after receiving a score of zero for a routine that featured moves resembling kangaroo hops, snake-like motions, and even the sprinkler.
The performance quickly went viral, turning her into a global meme sensation.
Gunn had been working as a lecturer in media and popular culture at Macquarie University in Sydney, but according to the Australian Financial Review, she was included in the institution’s latest round of job cuts.
Australian breakdancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn has reportedly lost her position at Macquarie University in Sydney.
A university spokesperson declined to confirm or comment on the situation, citing confidentiality around individual employment matters. “This is our standard practice for legal and privacy reasons,” the spokesperson said.
According to the Australian Financial Review, a drop in international student enrolments has pushed universities across Australia to implement cost-cutting measures, with Macquarie’s Arts faculty among the latest affected by staff redundancies.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she spent more than a decade at Macquarie University, where she earned a Ph.D. in 2017 focused on the gender politics of Sydney’s breaking scene.
Her academic work centered on the cultural and social dynamics of street dance, including research commissioned by the City of Sydney examining the experiences of dancers performing in public spaces.
In the aftermath of her Olympic appearance, then-Senator Gerard Rennick publicly criticized the use of taxpayer funding for academic programs he described as lacking practical value.
Gunn had been working as a media and popular culture lecturer at the Sydney-based university.
In a Facebook post, Rennick questioned the value of certain university programs, writing: “Just how many obscure and pointless courses do universities offer that are subsidized by the taxpayer?
“It also goes to show just because you have a Ph.D. in something doesn’t mean you are any good at it.”
A Macquarie University spokesperson declined to confirm or comment on Gunn’s employment status, citing confidentiality around individual staff arrangements. “This is our standard practice for legal and privacy reasons,” the spokesperson said.
Earlier this year, Gunn also capitalised on her viral fame by launching a profile on Cameo, where she charges fans around $70 for personalised video messages.
The platform allows users to purchase custom messages from celebrities, actors, and athletes worldwide.
