Leonardo Casula needed only his bedroom to train when the pandemic closed the spaces where he practised breaking. Those days also brought him closer to his younger sister, Ginevra. “We’ve always trained side by side, helping each other improve every single day,” he says in an interview with the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF). Today, they compete as ‘B-Boy Leo’ and ‘B-Girl Gintonic’. They argue, have different styles and find a way to work together through dance. “Remember her name, because I’m sure you’ll be hearing a lot about B-Girl Gintonic in the future,” he says.
Fifteen-year-old Leonardo will represent Italy at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, where the breaking competition takes place on 12 and 13 November. Born in Cagliari, he grew up with his sister in Serdiana, a village of around 2,500 residents surrounded by vineyards in Sardinia. Both have won Italian titles in their respective categories. Leonardo’s preparations for Dakar now add an international milestone to a family story shaped by swimming, boards and dance.
A childhood between water and dance
Their parents are swimming instructors, and Leonardo began getting used to the water when he was just two months old. Skateboarding, tennis and surfing followed. “Sometimes you discover your talent by taking a roundabout path,” he reflects. As a child, he tried different ways of moving before finding the one he enjoyed most: “When I discovered breaking, I found the best way to express myself and decided to dedicate myself to it completely.” By then, the sea already occupied an important place in his life, both for sport and relaxation.
In December 2019, aged eight, he was the youngest participant in the Buggerru Surf Trophy. He discovered breaking at the same age and began transferring what he had learnt on a surfboard to the dance floor. “Thanks to the sports I had practised previously, especially surfing, I was able to make rapid progress; I already had strong control of my body and even incorporated elements of my experience into some of my moves,” he explains. Although breaking became more prominent during lockdown, he continued entering surfing events: federation results still place him in a national competition in Buggerru in 2023.
Arguments like any other siblings
Ginevra is also building her own path. Her school, Black Stars, confirmed her Italian national championship title in the eight-to-eleven age category in 2025, while Leonardo finished second in the twelve-to-fifteen category. He had begun competing internationally in 2022, travelling across Europe to meet and test himself against other dancers. At the Youth World Championships in Porto in 2025, he gained a clearer sense of his potential: “That was when I realised where I wanted to go and what I was capable of.”
Their close bond does not prevent disagreements. “Like all siblings, we often argue… but in breaking, we always find common ground, a way to help and learn from each other,” Leonardo acknowledges. He speaks enthusiastically about Ginevra and recognises what each brings: “We have different styles, yet together we create a perfect connection.” They also have something they would like to try together. He hopes to enter duo battles with her, perhaps in a format such as ‘Bonnie & Clyde’, turning their side-by-side practice into a shared performance.
A teacher who became a godfather
Claudio Cogoni, known as ‘Yaio’, a member of the Ormus Force crew, has been part of that journey. He was Leonardo’s first teacher and remains his main coach. Their relationship grew beyond training sessions, becoming a bond between godfather and godson. “From the beginning, I could see his complete dedication to breaking and everything it represents; he immediately became an inspiration and a guide,” Leonardo explains. That closeness has developed over years, from his first steps to preparations for the Youth Olympic Games.
When he needs to slow down, Leonardo returns to the sea. “I love my island, Sardinia, and especially the sea. It’s my favourite place to relax, usually on my surfboard,” he says. The coast remains his refuge as travel and training take up more of his time. He offers a simple explanation for that balance between movement and calm: “I’ve always been a high-energy person, so the calming effect the sea has on me creates the perfect balance. A connection with nature has the power to steady the soul.”
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