San Fernando woman prepares for world's largest breakdancing competition
LOS ANGELES - The finals for the world’s largest breakdancing competition are taking place in Los Angeles this weekend, and only two Southern California dancers have made it this far, including a young Latina from San Fernando known as LilyBreeze.
Lilian Ortega will battle some of the best in the country at Red Bull’s BC One Cypher USA. The winner will get a chance to compete at the World Finals in one of the most prestigious dance competitions of the genre.
"I definitely want to take on this whole Red Bull competition, and like yeah, I wanna win this thing," said Ortega. Ortega is the daughter of Mexican immigrants, whose humble beginnings echo the world from which so many hip hop and breakdancers came; from living in an uncle’s garage when her family first arrived in this country, to her first dance steps as a toddler with her father, who had saved up enough for a small home in San Fernando.
At the family home, we sat down with Lily, who says she loved dancing from the beginning and grew up at family recitals and in Azteca dancing troupes. She knew about hip hop, but it was Missy Elliot’s video for "Gossip Folks" that made her pause. She signed up for every breakdancing class she could find, eventually catching the eye of local instructors.
SUGGESTED: Dolly Parton, Kelly Clarkson team up for reimagined version of ‘9 to 5’
Believe it or not, breakdancing has strong backing in the Southland, from Long Beach to the Inland Empire, troupes regularly square off in competitions. But Red Bull BC One is in a league of its own.
LillyBreeze knows it, and she says she is ready. She has worked hard for years. When she is not dancing, she is teaching dancing, or working on her art and healing projects. You can check her out on Instagram @Lilybreeze27.
If you want to root for her and check out some of the best break dancing in the country, Red Bull’s BC One Cypher USA Los Angeles will take place this Saturday, Sept. 17th, at Eden Sunset. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite via www.redbullbcone.com.