VOA文化艺术2024--Breakdancer Hopes Her Olympics Sport Will Energize Paris Games

 

Breakdancer Hopes Her Olympics Sport Will Energize¹ Paris Games

An American breakdancer says she hopes the sport's debut² at the Paris Olympics next month will help energize the Games.

Twenty-one-year-old Logan Edra recently spoke³ with reporters from Reuters about breakdancing's introduction to Olympic competition. "Breaking is going to do so well in Paris," Edra told the news service.

This breakdancer, or "breaker," from Southern California also goes by the nickname⁴ "Logistx." The word is similar to the term "logistics," which means to organize something in a productive⁵ way. Her father gave her that name because, as a child, she always knew how to get where she wanted to go.

Breakdancing is believed to have started in the Bronx area of New York City in the 1970s. The sport is now preparing to make its Olympic debut. The Paris Games' opening ceremony is on July 26.

A total of 32 breakdancers are set to compete - 16 men and 16 women. The dancers are also known as "B-Boys" or "B-Girls."

"I pray that we bring the most hype and steal attention from the other sports," said Edra. "They are going to hear the music and they are going to be so curious. Like, what's going on?"

Edra was born in Chula Vista⁶, California, and is a second-generation Filipino American. In addition to her own training, she teaches breakdancing at a dance school in Los Angeles.

Reporters from Reuters recently visited the school. "We need music in our lives!" she shouted before turning up the hip-hop music the students train to.

Edra then connected with the music and was soon demonstrating her dance skills that included head spins, flips⁸ and complex footwork. "Are you a B-Girl already?" she asked one student after she pulled off one of her moves. She then added, "We're just having fun, that's all we're doing."

Edra's skills helped her win the B-Girl division of the Red Bull⁹ BC One World Championship in 2021 in Gdansk, Poland.

Some have compared breakdancing to boxing because of the one-on-one nature of its competitive¹⁰ battles. The sport also has similarities to gymnastics.

But Edra said she thinks it is more closely related to skateboarding, which permits competitors to demonstrate deep creative and technical abilities. Skateboarding quickly became one of the most popular Olympic sports following its debut at the 2021 Tokyo Games.

Edra told Reuters she is looking forward to competing and is even hoping to become the first woman to win a gold medal in the sport. She still must officially qualify¹¹ for the Paris Games during an event later this month in Budapest, Hungary. She just needs to finish in the top 16 to quality.

Edra said she trains twice a day. Most mornings, she centers on building technical skills. Later in the day, she seeks to improve her dance creativity and fully¹² connect to the music.

"I can be a competitive person, so I still train very hard to focus on doing my best to win," Edra said. She then added, "But we're artist-athletes."

She admitted that dance battles can be "subjective¹³" during judging. But, "It's whoever is killing¹⁴ it that day," she added. "These battles are a very fun, competitive game but it's also inspiring to see all of us bringing our own style."

Edra said she sees her wins as spreading her message of unity¹⁵ to the world. "I see any title or championship as a megaphone to amplify¹⁶ any message I want."

"I couldn't care less about the attention for personal satisfaction," she added. "I represent the culture, I represent dance, I represent the peace-love community and having fun."

Edra said she also sees herself as "being a student of the game, caring about its evolution, and keeping it alive."

Words in This Story

debut - n. the first time someone performs or presents something in public

hype - n. a lot of attention given to something, especially in newspapers, on television, etc.

curious - adj. wanting to know or learn about something

spin -v. to turn around many times quickly

flip⁷ -v. to turn in the air so that one's feet go over one's head and then land on the ground

qualify - v. to meet a required standard

focus -v. to center one's attention on something

subjective - adj. influenced by someone else's beliefs or feelings instead of facts

inspire - v. to make someone feel that they want to do something and can do it

amplify - v. to make a feeling or opinion stronger or clearer

evolution - n. a gradual process of change and development

1 energize   

vt.给予(某人或某物)精力、能量

参考例句：

• It is used to energize the city.它的作用是为城市供给能量。
• This is a great way to energize yourself and give yourself more power!这种方法非常棒，可以激活你的能量，让你有更多的活力！

2 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 nickname   

n.绰号，昵称；v.给...取绰号，叫错名字

参考例句：

• She called me by my nickname.她叫我的外号。
• Why do you fasten such a nickname on her?你为什么给她取这样一个绰号？

5 productive   

adj.能生产的，有生产价值的，多产的

参考例句：

• We had a productive meeting that solved some problems.我们开了一个富有成效的会议，解决了一些问题。
• Science and technology are part of the productive forces.科学技术是生产力。

6 vista   

n.远景，深景，展望，回想

参考例句：

• From my bedroom window I looked out on a crowded vista of hills and rooftops.我从卧室窗口望去，远处尽是连绵的山峦和屋顶。
• These uprisings come from desperation and a vista of a future without hope.发生这些暴动是因为人们被逼上了绝路，未来看不到一点儿希望。

7 flip   

vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的

参考例句：

• I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书，看来似乎很有趣。
• Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。

8 flips   

轻弹( flip的第三人称单数 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥

参考例句：

• Larry flips on the TV while he is on vacation in Budapest. 赖瑞在布达佩斯渡假时，打开电视收看节目。
• He flips through a book before making a decision. 他在决定买下一本书前总要先草草翻阅一下。

9 bull   

n.公牛，买进证券投机图利者，看涨的人

参考例句：

• It's only a hair off a bull's back to them.这对他们来说，不过九牛一毛。
• Many dogs closed around the bull.很多狗渐渐地把那只牛围了起来。

10 competitive   

adj.竞争的，比赛的，好竞争的，有竞争力的

参考例句：

• Some kinds of business are competitive.有些商业是要竞争的。
• These businessmen are both competitive and honourable.这些商人既有竞争性又很诚实。

11 qualify   

vt.取得资格，有资格，限定，描述；vi.取得资格，有资格

参考例句：

• I won't qualify until next year.我明年才具备资格。
• You must qualify yourself for the post.你必须使自己具备担任这一工作的资格。

12 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

13 subjective   

a.主观(上)的，个人的

参考例句：

• The way they interpreted their past was highly subjective. 他们解释其过去的方式太主观。
• A literary critic should not be too subjective in his approach. 文学评论家的看法不应太主观。

14 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

15 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

16 amplify   

vt.放大，增强；详述，详加解说

参考例句：

• The new manager wants to amplify the company.新经理想要扩大公司。
• Please amplify your remarks by giving us some examples.请举例详述你的话。