MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Davao’s dance scene was ablaze at the Red Bull Dance Your Style regional qualifier last March 22 at Club Echelon. The competition brought together a thrilling lineup of Davao’s best dancers, all competing for a spot at the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Finals.
Red Bull Dance Your Style, a unique global 1-on-1 street dance competition, has proven once again why it is one of the most exciting street dance events. The competition celebrated Davao’s diverse dance culture and offered a platform for local dance talents to showcase their skills and creativity. From hip-hop and house to wacking and popping and locking, the dance floor was alive with explosive energy as participants battled for supremacy.
The competition’s battle format, where the crowd decides the winner, added an extra layer of excitement to the competition. It made every dancer’s move and musical interpretation crucial.
After an intense series of battle rounds, SUJI emerged victorious. Throughout the competition, they showcased not only their technical mastery but also their commanding stage presence that won over the crowd.
“My mindset was plain and simple,” said SUJI. “I didn’t have much expectation, I just wanted to be here.”
With this win, SUJI has officially become the first official finalist for this year’s Red Bull Dance Your Style National Finals in Cebu. The competition will have the best dancers from across the country go head-to-head for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent the Philippines at the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Finals in Los Angeles, USA, in October.
Aside from winning, SUJI sought to get to know more about himself through the competition. “All I have is dance, and I wanted to push through,” claimed the winning dancer. “A friend helped to make it possible for me to be here today. I only had to do my part which (was) to dance.”
SUJI also said that while he didn’t have a specific strategy to win over the crowd, he held true to the essence of the competition: to battle against other dancers and to connect with the crowd. “I just did what I could with my 7-year experience of freestyling. Everything is about getting to know more about myself, and while doing that, I also get to know how a person’s mind works.”
He talked about how he tried to figure out his moves during the competition by watching his fellow dancers, stating, “I observed the other dancers and how they would play from their rounds before our battle. So, I tried to figure out how our battle round would play out.” SUJI remarked, “I see it as two dancers communicating; it’s more than just movement. There is no verbal connection, only kinesthetics.”
On how he is going to prepare for the National Finals, SUJI shared, “For me, I just want to stick to something that I’m already sure of.” They added, “Win or lose, I’m after the experience. I want to see how people would react to what I do or what I offer (during the competition).”
The key to winning the National Finals? For SUJI, it was “to be yourself and to be authentic with your intentions.”
After Davao, Red Bull Dance Your Style is headed to Manila for the second regional qualifier on April 25. The finals will be held in Cebu on May 24.
