The 2024 Paris Olympic Games are making history by introducing breaking to the competition docket, and 21-year-old Logan Edra is one of the hopeful dancers raring and ready to take the international stage. Also known by her B-Girl name “Logistx,” Edra’s career highlights include winning the 2018 NBC World of Dance championship and being the youngest B-Girl to win the Red Bull BC One World Final in 2021 at age 18. Before Edra’s Olympics debut, she sat down with Character Media to talk about the culture, her favorite snacks and responsibilities that come with the art of breakdancing.
Character Media: What’s it like being among the first breakdancers to compete in the Olympics?
Logan Edra: It’s an honor because it might be one of the biggest moments of all time for breaking, and [it] also comes with opportunities that a lot of our elders didn’t get to experience. The word is definitely “honored.” It feels surreal, and it’s exciting. I have a responsibility, and I do put that upon myself; with this amazing opportunity, I want to create visibility for the rest of the [breaking] community and to honor the past as well. I [also] get to work with my childhood snack, GoGo squeeZ, which is super exciting!
CM: You mentioned art-sports in a recent interview with NBC. What kind of uniqueness do you believe art-sports hold compared to traditional ones? What uniqueness do you bring to the sport?
LE: Generally [people think] we’re more artists than athletes, but we’re actually both. Breaking brings a lot of aspects that aren’t really offered by other sports. We are actually creating in the moment; we bring spontaneity and musical connection. We value community, and we are building for the next generation. It’s just part of our culture. We bring peace, love, unity and fun because those are the basic principles of hip-hop culture.
CM: The Filipino breakdancing community is so big. As a Filipina, how does it feel to represent your culture on a global scale?
LE: It’s an emotional question for me because there are Filipinos around the world — there are a lot of us — [but] I feel lost sometimes because there aren’t too many role models out there representing [us] on large platforms. I hope I can be an example for other young Filipinas and anyone in general. Sometimes it’s very stressful, and sometimes it’s very empowering. It’s not easy because I didn’t really plan to get as much visibility as I have now in my career. Getting recognition for my accomplishments and how I represent [myself] brings a sense of responsibility; there are other young Filipino girls out there, [and] maybe they see me and relate. My first mentor happened to be another Filipina B-Girl, and she is one of my best friends. What she did for me, I want to be that for other females. It wasn’t just about winning; it was also about connecting — being a support and being a big sister, too.
CM: How does your partnership with GoGo squeeZ align with your own values of looking after your body?
LE: I grew up with GoGo squeeZ. I was eating GoGo squeeZ before I started breaking and before I started dancing. It was actually a childhood snack of mine. I feel a personal connection to this partnership, and it means a lot to me and my inner child. I started being more conscious about what I eat at a young age, so GoGo squeeZ works perfectly with that. I just hope that message spreads to other people that see this partnership.
CM: Who are some breakers that you look up to? I recently came across a video of you with D-Trix, who I grew up with as well, and it was totally awesome that you’ve worked with him before.
LE: I have a lot of mentors [because] I like to ask questions, [but] I don’t really plan like, “This person needs to be my teacher; this person needs to guide me!” With D-Trix, it was just an alignment with the performances I was doing when I was younger. I have other mentors, their B-Boy names are VillN and MPACT. They’re twins that started the crew that I’m in, Underground Flow. Mentorship [is] everywhere. It’s great to learn. Maybe it’s also the Filipino in me, too, that’s seeking guidance and always remaining a student, but it helps on the journey.
CM: In addition to the Olympics, what are you looking forward to in Paris?
LE: Other than this big moment, I’m [looking forward] to meditating a lot. I spend a lot of time in meditation and prayer. I love to write, read and study. So, outside of dance, outside of training, outside of zoning in on my focus [and] my goals, I’m just taking care of myself mentally, spiritually, physically. I might become extremely antisocial for the next month, and that’s totally cool with me. It’s our first time with this type of moment for breaking, so it’s all learning, too.
