American bboy Victor Montalvo, now 29, also known as Victor was eleven years old when he started to his breaking career. He is currently the top-ranked American in the sport, which will make its Olympic debut in Paris next summer.
He competed in the dancesport competition at the 2022 World Games and took home the gold in the B-Boys division. In addition, he has won the Red Bull BC One championship twice, in 2015 and 2022.
Victor Montalvo Family and Early years in Florida
Victor Montalvo was born on May 1, 1994, in Orlando, Florida, growing up in the nearby city of Kissimmee. He attended Gateway High School locally before eventually moving to Los Angeles.
He was born to his parents father Victor Bermudez and mother Lupe Bermúdez. Victor has 3 siblings, 2 brothers and one sister he also has Uncle Hector Bermudez who is twin to his father. His uncle helped him a lot in his career.
“He was the only one who truly believed in me. My mum and her side of the family were really upset, they thought it was horrible, that I was going to be a nobody, and that I needed to go back to school to have a career. But my dad was OK with it. He was like, ‘Just follow your dreams.'”
Montalvo’s said:
So while not all of his family initially supported his breaking ambitions, his father and uncle had his back as the most unwavering believers.
Victor’s father Is His Biggest Supporter
Victor’s father, Victor Bermúdez, has been the backbone of support behind his son’s breaking ambitions over the years. When other family members questioned Victor’s career path, his father continued urging him to follow his passion.
Also Read: Meet Sunny Choi from Team USA Breaking, Paris Olympics 2024
“He was the only one who truly believed in me. My mum and her side of the family were really upset. They thought it was horrible, that I was going to be a nobody, that I needed to go back to school to have a career. But my dad was OK with it. He was like, ‘Just follow your dreams.'”
Victor told Red Bulletin:
The elder Victor Bermúdez is a pioneer in Mexico’s breaking scene himself, so he understood the dedication required in the sport.
After Victor won his first Red Bull BC One World Championship in 2015, he gave the champion’s belt to his father as a tribute.
“I did it for my family. I had a lot of doubts in my mind. My dad was like, ‘I always wanted to be a champion. Come on, you got this.’ After winning it, he was so proud of me. He called me crying. He’s like, ‘Man, I’m so proud.’”
Victor said:
Victor Montalvo’s wife Kateryna Pavlenko is also a Breakdancer
He is married to his wife Kateryna Pavlenko. Kate is also a Breakdancer, DJ, and fitness influencer. Victor posted his wife’s photo first on January 29, 2017.
The two regularly celebrate competitions together and often travel for events, visiting diverse destinations like Russia, India, and Kate’s native Ukraine as their careers intertwine.
“He’s really humble and hard-working. It feels like he was born under a lucky star. His hard work takes him wherever he wants. He has a really good heart, passion and patience. It just accumulates and allows him to keep getting better at whatever it is that he wants to do.”
Kate’s said:
Victor Montalvo Qualify for the Paris 2024 Games
In September 2022, Victor Montalvo qualified as the first American breakdancer to qualify for the Olympic Games by capturing gold at the 2023 WDSF World Championships in Leuven, Belgium.
Competing under his b-boy name Victor, he bested rival Philip “Phil Wizard” Kim of Canada in the culminant battle to earn his ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics, where breaking will make its debut as an official event.
Victor is quickly refocusing his training towards bringing home another gold for Team USA.
“It’s like here and there. I’m just in my home, hanging out and I think to myself like, ‘Wow, I’m an Olympian. I did it. This was my main goal, and I did it.’ So it’s an awesome feeling.”
He said
With his spot locked up, Victor now plans to step back from individual competition over the next year to concentrate full energy on team-based crew battles leading up to the Summer Games.
Career
Early Love for Breaking
Victor’s passion for breaking traces back to his early childhood in Florida. As a Mexican-American, he was first exposed to the dance at age 6 by his father and uncle, pioneers of the culture in Mexico.
The late b-boy legend Mex One also played a pivotal role in Victor’s development.
“MexOne was mentoring me for three months. He made me believe in myself. He was the main person that really subconsciously put it in my head without me knowing. He brought that side out of me. Even after his passing, I still use what he told me till this day.”
Victor says
Additionally, When he was 9 or 10, his cousin invited him over to his room where he was playing music. His cousin taught him a couple of moves and he remember it being really difficult, but he loved how challenging it was.
Now with over 15 years of elite experience, Victor enters his physical prime with an enriched mental grasp of breaking’s nuances.
Professional Career So far
Now 15+ years into his professional career at just 29 years old, Victor has gained many victories, some are listed below.
The accomplishments cementing his status as America’s premier b-boy speak for themselves:
- 2x Red Bull BC One world champion (2015, 2022)
- 2x Silverback Open champion (2015, 2018)
- 2x Undisputed World B-Boy Series champion (2015, 2017)
- 2x Outbreak Europe champion (Slovakia, 2017 & 2019)
- 2019 World Urban Games champion (Budapest)
- 2021 WDSF World Breaking champion (Paris)
Victor reached each of these milestones by holding creativity over athleticism.
Victor carries his name in history as the first American b-boy to qualify for the Olympics with his dominant 2023 WDSF World Championship victory.
