POPSUGAR: How did you get into breakdancing?
Swami Rizzitello: I started to dance when I was 6 years old. I fell in love in the first class. It was just a hobby, then at 9 years old, I won my first competition on the day of my birthday. After that day, I could not stop dancing. The thing I most enjoy is the feeling when I'm dancing, when I'm sharing, and when I teach because I like to teach, too. I like to make people feel what I'm feeling when I'm dancing. And that feeling is something I'm addicted to.
PS: What do you usually wear during competitions?
SR: There are some tricks you need a long T-shirt for. Because if you have a slide with the elbow, if you do it with that [against the skin], it's going to burn. It's going to hurt. Some people need to use heavy shoes, but I like super-light shoes. One of the classic shoes are the Nike Huaraches. Now, I'm trying to learn how it feels with New Balance.
PS: Which materials do you lean toward when you're putting your competition outfit together?
SR: They must be light, as light as possible, because you don't want to feel heavy. Because when you dance, you want things to be flowy and stylish. I like it. It's a trick, too. If you use leggings, you're gonna seem maybe like a robot. I don't know how to explain it, but when you use big pants, it looks like you have more flow.
PS: How would you describe B-girl style?
SR: I think everybody has her own style. But there are a lot of particular styles, like some girls have painted their hair. They put on big earrings. I like to dance with big pants because they look more flowy and the [fabric] doesn't go up too much when you are upside down. A little bit of makeup and big earrings. I like a lot of the attitude. The attitude is so important in fashion. Attitude is super important in the dancing and in life.
