As the countdown to the Paris 2024 Olympics continues, 21-year-old Filipina American breaker Logan Edra, known on the dance floor as b-girl Logistx, is embracing both the pressure and excitement of representing Team USA in breaking’s Olympic debut.
Edra’s journey to the global stage has been marked by perseverance and passion. Despite being one of the world’s top breakers, her official qualification for the Paris Games came only last month, at the final competition where she could secure her spot. Ranked No. 14 globally, Edra has experienced a meteoric rise since stepping onto the international breaking scene in 2018.
“As much as we have people around us that are encouraging or part of the hype, it’s still a lonely journey. No one really knows what you’re going through except for you,” Edra reflects, highlighting the personal challenges behind her public successes.
Her path hasn’t been without setbacks. Expected to defend her championship at the 2022 Red Bull BC One World Final in New York, Edra was edged out in a heated final round by the Netherlands’ India Dewi, also known as b-girl India. Undeterred, she dominated the Olympic Qualifier Series in Budapest in June, securing her Olympic dreams.
With breaking officially joining the Olympic roster, Edra and her teammates are navigating the unique pressures of performing an art form rooted deeply in American and hip-hop culture on a global stage that now recognizes breaking as a worldwide phenomenon.
“I value this goal, but not because of what it comes with. More so because of how I’ve grown through it,” Edra shares, emphasizing personal growth over accolades.
Team USA’s breakers carry the additional honor of representing the birthplace of hip-hop, a movement that began in the Bronx in the 1970s and encompasses breaking, DJing, MCing, and graffiti art. Victor Montalvo, known as b-boy Victor, expresses his enthusiasm: “I’m really excited to represent a whole country, but I’m more excited to represent my dance, my art form, and I’m super excited to bring the hip-hop culture to the Olympics. We’re going to bring something new to the table. We’re going to bring a vibe, we’re going to bring that peace, love, unity, and having fun.”
While breaking may be considered by some in the United States to have “died out in the ’80s,” globally, the culture is thriving. Edra and her fellow breakers are set to showcase the evolution and resilience of this art form to the world.
As the first Olympic Games to feature breaking approach, Edra remains focused on staying grounded and embracing the challenges ahead. Her journey symbolizes not just personal achievement but also the global unity and cultural exchange that the Olympics strive to promote.
Reference(s):
Breakers weigh pressure and excitement before Olympic debut in Paris
cgtn.com
