Meet the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Athletes: Spain’s B-Girl MiniAli, From Dreaming to Breaking!

Before she even knew what Breaking was called, Alicia Babarro knew she needed to dance. At six years old, after watching B-Boys on the streets of Porto and Paris during a family trip, she began leaving handwritten notes around the house asking her parents to let her learn what she called "dreik dance". Those childhood notes became the unexpected first step toward representing Spanish Breaking at the Youth Olympic Games 2026.

Meet the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Athletes: Spain’s B-Girl MiniAli and the Room Where It All Began

Growing up in Ourense, Spain, Alicia was always the youngest in her local training space. That dynamic earned her the affectionate nickname "Mini" from the older B-Boys. When she later stepped into her first competitions, she added "Ali" to complete her signature handle.

Far from feeling intimidated, she found a protective community of adult dancers who nurtured her growth. Today, even as a leading European youth competitor and qualified Olympian for Dakar 2026, the name MiniAli keeps her closely tied to those foundational days.

"‘Mini’ was the nickname the older B-Boys gave me because I was the youngest in the room," Alicia recalls. "They didn't make me feel small; they always protected me, encouraged me and helped me grow as a B-Girl and as a person."

Grounded in Roots: The Room That Didn't Change

Despite traveling across borders, training in diverse facilities, and competing internationally, Alicia returns every week to the exact same room in Ourense where her journey began. Training alongside the friends and mentors who watched her grow keeps her perspective centered.

"When I'm there, I'm not just the athlete who competes internationally. I'm Alicia, training with my people and doing what I love," she shares. "Coming back to Ourense keeps me connected to my roots. That room will always be a special place for me."

That ongoing connection to home is now creating a ripple effect. Local children in Ourense watch her trajectory and train in that very same room, proving to a new generation that reaching the Youth Olympic Games is possible from a small northwestern Spanish city.

Stepping into the Olympic Cypher

As she prepares to take her style to the Olympic stage in Dakar, Alicia’s mindset is focused on authenticity, energy exchange, and enjoying the process:

"Breaking is about competing, but it's also about expressing yourself, showing who you are through your dance, sharing energy and respecting the people you dance with," she explains. "I'll try to stay true to my style, trust my preparation and make the most of this experience."

Behind her stands a close-knit support network: her parents, her brother, who started Breaking alongside her and still travels to support her competitions, and her Ourense mentors and crew. Those small childhood dreams of "dreik dance" have carried her Breaking to one of the most important stages that young Galician girl could have ever imagined: the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

You can follow B-Girl Mini Ali’s journey to Dakar 2026 on Instagram: @bgirl.miniali