Breaking
Get the lowdown on the breakers who'll be battling for victory at this year's Red Bull BC One World Final in Rio de Janeiro.
At the Red Bull BC One World Final in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on December 6, the Top 16 contenders consist of the invited dancers, who go directly to the World Final stage, and the winners of the Last Chance Cypher – where the national champs compete to advance. Below are the wildcard dancers for the Red Bull BC One 2024 World Final with more names to be added as they're announced.
01
Victor
B-Boy Victor, is a Mexican-American breaker from Florida who was introduced to the art of breaking by his father and uncle (both breaking pioneers) at the young age of six.
He has been breaking for 20 years and boasts numerous impressive achievements, including having his own signature move named after him, becoming a two-time Red Bull BC One World champion, being on the cover of the New York Times, making an appearance at the Emmy Awards and writing history in Paris as a Team USA Olympian and bronze-medal winner.
Despite his victories, Victor has also experienced plenty of set-backs, but has always persevered and stayed positive “I loved losing because it pushed me to do more. I remember training hard, going to all these events and not placing, and I’m like, 'Ugh, I gotta go back and train harder'. Then I’d go into another event and place but lose. I’d be like, ‘I gotta get better'. The more I started losing, the better I started getting."
With that mindset Victor is returning to the world stage to take a shot at his third Red Bull BC One title.
02
Samuka
I want to show the world that the impossible is an opportunity to explore
Samuka was born in Recanto das Emas - Distrito Federal, Brazil. Growing up, he was a championship basketball player with dreams of becoming a professional soccer player. However, both of those were cut short when he lost his leg due to cancer. After he lost his leg, he felt lost himself, depressed and excluded. Thankfully, he was inspired to start breaking after seeing Tommy Gun LY from ILL Abilities breaking with one leg and began believing that his body could do the same.
Samuka's journey is a testament to remarkable personal power and determination. Still, he credits many dancers for playing a crucial role in his journey. His greatest inspiration initially came from Robin and Yuri from DF Zulu and his other friends from the crew, who visited him at home and encouraged him to pursue breaking.
2024 will be the first time Samuka battles at a Red Bull BC One World Final, but it certainly is not his first time on stage. His proudest achievements have been performing at the Olympics and the Paralympics, breaking on America's Got Talent. Samuka beams that travelling worldwide and inspiring people with his dance is a dream come true.
03
Quake
Red Bull BC One is the coolest stage for me, so I've got to win it
Sun Chen, aka Quake, was born in Hsinchu City, Taiwan, the same day an earthquake called the 921 Earthquake Taiwan took place. His breaking name is a mix of that, his Chinese name (Chen), which has the same meaning, and his style of breaking, which he refers to as "Quaking the floor."
Today Quake lives in Taipei City, where he's attending college and training in the national sports centre in Kaohsiung as a breaking athlete representing Taiwan. He's a member of the City4KGB and SightTeam crew, who he loves and thinks are amazing people.
In the future, he wants to promote the breaking scene in Taiwan and showcase how amazing breaking is from both the athletic side and as an art form – as well as showing how strong the community is. Quake would also like to create a breaking and arts foundation or school for kids who have dreams they want to achieve.
04
Hiro10
I just want to show myself to the world and want everyone to know who B-Boy Hiro10 is
Born and raised in Kanazawa, Japan, Hiro10 started breaking when he was nine years old. He was inspired to take up the dance when he followed his sister to her hip-hop class to try it out and saw a breaking class taking place in the same studio. Shocked by seeing kids doing head spins, he says he knew straight away, "I want to do this!"
Mentored by B-Boy Katsu One, Hiro10 says Katsu helped him develop his mentality and the way he thinks about breaking. What drives Hiro10 is how much fun breaking is for him, all the good, real people he's met through the scene and how breaking has taken him all around the world.
When Hiro10 steps onto the world final stage, he says: "I want to show my style, energy and all the moments of enjoyment. Honestly, I just want to show myself to the world and want everyone to know who B-Boy Hiro10 is.”
05
Leony
The belt is the only thing missing from my collection
Born and raised in Belem, the capital of Brazil's Para state, Leony started breaking when he was 12, introduced to the dance by his cousin. Coming up, he never had a specific teacher, but was helped a lot by his crew when it came to learning.
Through breaking, Leony has learned to stop caring about the opinions of others, is proud that he gets to show the world the style of breaking from the northern region of Brazil and is looking forward to the day he gets to dance alongside his son at an event.
Leony says that receiving a wildcard for the 2024 world final is, “realisation and confirmation that I am on the right path to being the best in the world." To prepare he's been training a lot and focused on improving his best breaking skills. When he gets onto the world final stage, Leony says he wants to show the world, "the potential that breakers in Brazil have, especially breakers from the northern region of the country."
06
Khalil
I want to put my name in the Red Bull BC One history books
Khalil was born in the small French city of Sète and grew up in Montpellier. He started breaking at 11 years old after seeing b-boys dancing in the streets of his neighbourhood and then – even though he didn't actually want to go, his mother took him to Battle of the Year – in 2002, when it came to his city. That was the first time Khalil saw a breaking competition and he fell in love with the art form. After that, he began to connect with the b-boys in his neighbourhood.
Khalil has learned that you need to enjoy everything about your breaking or else, he believes, "you’ll dance with fear." What drives his passion, he says, is that, “breaking is unlimited, you can always create a new path, threads and moves. That’s what gives me motivation every day. It's an endless process you can always express yourself through."
Motivated to the win prestigious championship Red Bull BC One belt and show new moves at the 2024 World Final, when asked how it felt to once again receive a wildcard, Khalil said: "It means a lot to me. It’s my second wildcard and I don't want to waste it. I have a chance to win the biggest 1on1 competition in the breaking scene and I want to put my name in the Red Bull BC One history books."
07
Dias
I'll show everyone my fresh breaking style
From the Kazakhstan capital city, Astana, Dias started breaking when he was 10, inspired when he saw guys breaking at his school and in his neighbourhood. Liking what he saw, Dias started to practice the moves and learn from different videos. He then went on to be taught and influenced by B-Boy Dom from the Simple System crew.
Through breaking, Dias has learned that the most important thing is to, "stay yourself and listen to your heart." He's also most proud of being able to enter contests worldwide and win big battles representing his crew, Predatorz, who he says, "are my brothers in spirit who give me a big boost."
Dias has been watching the Red Bull BC One World Final since he started breaking and now he has the chance to compete in the competition. He says his motivation is "to show everyone my fresh breaking style."
