Vicki Chang, 33, is making waves as she transitions from a restoration ecologist to a full-time breakdancer, known in the breaking community as “La Vix.” Her journey began at the University of California, Berkeley, where she discovered breakdancing as a new hobby due to limitations in her college volleyball career. Despite initially feeling intimidated, Chang quickly developed a love for breakdancing, finding it to be a creative outlet that allowed her to connect with a supportive community. Balancing her career in restoration ecology with her passion for dance, Chang dedicated hours each day to practice, ultimately leading her boss to encourage her to pursue her true passion for dance.
Transitioning to full-time dance, Chang found the shift smoother than expected due to savings, though making a living as a dancer in the U.S. can be challenging. For Chang, dance is not just a career but a form of meditation and personal expression that provides a sense of freedom essential to her well-being. With breaking included as an Olympic sport in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Chang is excited about the opportunity, while also acknowledging debates within the community about judging a dance form that is subjective and artistic in nature. Her journey through Olympic qualification has had its ups and downs, with significant changes in the process partway through, requiring her to adjust from viewing breaking as an art form to approaching it as an organized sport.
Preparing for the Olympics involved rigorous training for Chang, focusing on upper body strength, core exercises, weight lifting, and mental preparation for competing on a global stage. Despite the challenges, Chang offers words of encouragement to aspiring breakers, advising them to have an open mindset and explore what feels right for them, acknowledging the difficulty and learning curve in breaking, but emphasizing the importance of perseverance in achieving goals. The inaugural breaking events at the Olympics are set for August 9 and August 10, with the World Dance Sport Federation and the Olympics expressing enthusiasm for breaking’s inclusion in the Games, aligning with the vision of showcasing youth-focused, urban sports on the Olympic stage. As Chang embraces this new chapter, her story stands as an inspiration for those pursuing their dreams with dedication and passion.
