Breaking
B-Boy Junior's remarkable journey from disability to the breaking stage
The breaker didn’t have it easy in his youth, but his philosophy helped him turn his disability into a superpower.
Junior is a second generation member of the Wanted Posse and goes by the moniker Buanson there. He's also a part of the Red Bull BC One All Stars and the Flying Steps. Below, for The Red Bulletin's special Power of Life edition, Junior explains his journey through his own words.
I have always tried to turn my disability into an advantage. The best example is dancing
"I contracted polio when I was three years old. The difference between me and the other kids became evident when I realised that I couldn’t run as fast as them.
"But I’ve never given in. I focused on sports like table tennis and boxing, and when I played football I was the goalkeeper. Whenever people would make me feel I couldn’t do something, I worked extra hard to prove them wrong.
"I have always tried to turn my disability into an advantage. The best example is dancing. When I was little, I would dance along to Michael Jackson videos. To compensate for moves I couldn’t do, I came up with my own mix of gymnastics and martial arts – moves I could do on my hands.
"When I was 12, I saw some street dancers on TV, and, to my surprise, their moves were quite similar to mine. I realised that I’d been breakdancing before I even knew what it was. From then on, I trained really hard. I had found my thing. Soon, kids stopped seeing me as the little guy who was disabled – I became the guy with the crazy moves.
"Sure enough, two breakdance teachers discovered my talent and took me under their wings. What has always helped me through difficult times is my way of thinking. I try to think about what I have and what I want, instead of what I don’t have and what I miss.”
Instagram: @bboyjuniorofficiel