Dance
Meet 8 fiercely original UK street dancers igniting the London scene
As they prepare for battle at Red Bull Dance Your Style in London, learn what makes these UK street dancers stand out from the crowd.
This Sunday, Red Bull Dance Your Style returns to London.
EartH in Hackney will play host to 16 fiercely original UK dancers representing genres including waacking, krump, popping, afrobeat, house and more. Each dancer will go head to head in an attempt to win the crowd vote and lock down the right to represent the UK at the world final in Johannesburg, South Africa this December.
I am a dancer coming from different backgrounds and cultures who wants to express that – I think that’s also very much what London is about.
Ahead of Red Bull Dance Your Style UK battle, eight finalists talk about their blazing rise: Kofi, Chantelle, Myss Tru, Mash, Quake, DeeDee, J GADGET and Turbo to find out how each one has ignited the local scene here in the UK, what separates them from the rest and why fans, hip-hop heads and street dancers across the globe need to pay attention.
We live in a society where there is definitely a strong narrative of ‘what’ and ‘how’ a woman should be. But in krump this is really dismantled.
Chantelle
Chantelle says krump is "about showing up as yourself"
© Red Bull
Krump dancer Chantelle has stormed that scene recent years, racking up numerous titles and battle wins to be proud of along the way, including making it to the top 32 for the FCD, an online female krump tournament.
How would you describe your experience as a female in the UK krump scene?
“I think being a female inside a style that is highly male-dominated in itself is an advantage. All of our experiences, whether they be good or bad, are totally different and krump is about showing your true, raw self. We live in a society where there is definitely a strong narrative of ‘what’ and ‘how’ a woman should be. But in krump this is really dismantled. The dance style is about showing up as yourself, unapologetically outside of the stereotypes. That for me is the most powerful thing about being a female in krump and I think what helps us bring something different.
"Krump is forever evolving. In 2021 still, krump is a very male dominated style and even though there may be not as many females representing the style as males, I’ve definitely seen a change. A lot more females today are willing to learn and show interest and a lot of that is thanks to the UK pushing krump in different spaces such as battles, workshops, music videos, TV, film, on stage and in showcases.”
Kofi
Kofi's main aim is to induce "cultural movement" in his body
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Londoner Kofi started dancing at age 16 when he was pressed to join a youth club in order to stay out of trouble following his parents’ divorce. He signed up for nearly every dance class they offered, and the rest is history.
How do you fuse your culture into your dance?
“My name comes from Ghana, my parents come from the Caribbean and I was born in London. So I have a mixture of three different black cultures within me. I can give you the London grime and the UK hip-hop energy, but I can also give you the understanding of black diaspora from my namesake heritage, and sunny carnival/soca vibes from my Caribbean roots. I've never trained with African dance, so that’s something I really want to learn.
"My main aim is to induce as much cultural movement into my body as possible. The biggest thing that drives me as a dancer is that when I started out, I was told at 18 that 25 years old was the limit. I'm 38 years old now, and I’m nowhere near my limit yet”
J GADGET
J Gadget: "It's in my blood"
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Born in London and bred in Nigeria, GADGET’s story is intertwined with football. He quit Fulham’s Development Academy to focus on dancing, and got introduced to street dance during half-time of a World Cup match, while getting pizza in Piccadilly Circus.
He came across a group of dancers busking and jumped in. They invited him to come back to an afro jam later that night, and even though he had little experience, the crowd reaction was enough to convince him that he was destined to become a dancer.
How has your background influenced your style?
“Because of the duality of my upbringing, my style is majorly based on afro and hip-hop. My grandfather is the pioneer of theatre and dance in Nigeria and a lot of my family are dancers, so technically it’s in my blood. Whether I’m in London or Nigeria I would say that I very much mirror what’s around me whether that’s the type of rap, beats, the way people are moving day to day etc and reflect that in my dance.”
When I’m in a competition I’m not thinking about battling someone, I’m thinking of sharing with everyone on the floor.
Myss Tru
Myss Tru likes to ‘dress to impress’
© Red Bull
Born in Gran Canaria, the phenomenally sassy waacker Myss Tru started dancing at the age of three. Since settling in London in 2015, she’s racked up respect on the scene for her alluring waacking style.
Myss Tru also likes to ‘dress to impress’ when dancing, paying homage to the roots of waacking fashion, she’s most always in heels and a look that makes her feel powerful on the floor.
What is the most important skill you need to ‘work a room’?
“Waacking isn’t about battling, it’s about performance. It’s about theatre. Putting on a show. Having all eyes on you.
"When I’m in a competition I’m not thinking about battling someone, I’m thinking of sharing with everyone on the floor. For me waacking is all about sending a message and connecting emotionally and physically not only to your opponent but with the music and the crowd and the dancefloor. When I’m waacking it’s almost as if I turn into my alter ego. She is this dramatic queen who is shining everywhere, she is confident and full of magic.”
How important is it for dancers to know the history behind their styles?
“I didn’t grow up where or when waacking took place, but two of my greatest inspirations are Archie Burnett – the first papa of the New York-Vogue – and waacking and soul train legend Tyrone Proctor. It’s so important for me to merge these original pioneers with the new generation. I can’t have the new without the old. It’s the difference between appreciation and appropriation. So, when I started waacking, I thought, ‘I’m on the shoulders of someone who created this dance before me. If I am going to carry this on I have to represent their artform truly, with all my heart.’”
Mash
Mash: "I am a dancer coming from different backgrounds and cultures"
© Red Bull
Growing up, Chiara Stella Saporito, aka Mash, was the only street dancer in her hometown of Salerno, Campania, Italy. Having studied ballet and modern jazz in her youth, at 18, she discovered hip-hop and fell in love with the music. She watched VHS tapes and music videos to immerse herself in the culture, but had little more information.
How did you get your dance name?
“I never wanted to create my own dance tag because that’s just not cool, but a friend of mine gave me the name ‘Mash’ because of the way I ‘mash-up’ so many diverse styles. When it comes to my dance style, expressing myself is very important to me.
"I don’t like to say that I’m a house dancer. I don’t like to say I’m a hip-hop dancer. I don’t want to put myself into categories. I am a dancer coming from different backgrounds and cultures and who wants to express that in my environment now. I think that’s also very much what London is about. Connecting my dance to the community, culture and music is so important to me. Because likewise those things have made me who I am today.”
What has been the most challenging obstacle you’ve overcome?
“I was injured very badly two years ago and I wasn’t able to dance. I realised how important it was to take care of my body and find solutions. I couldn’t just give up. So I had to improvise my training and find different environments to put myself in.
"I couldn’t be in battles because that style was too much for my body, so I got into choreography and started exploring other avenues for my dancing. In the past I studied breaking, but [since the injury] I had to focus on the top half of my body more and showing the feeling and emotions of my dance. I had to be very patient, but I learnt so much about myself and most importantly how to listen to my body.”
I have a lot of masculine and feminine energy when I dance.
DeeDee
DeeDee was taught by legendary hip-hop dancer Adolfo ‘Shabba-Doo’ Quiñones.
© Red Bull
Duran aka DeeDee started studying ballet the age of three. Growing up in a Turkish household in north London, she was also introduced to belly dancing, immersed in music and encouraged to dance by her family.
DeeDee cites her proudest achievement as being qualified to teach the unique ‘Shway Style’ waacking/streetdance, which was taught to her by its creator – and legendary hip-hop dancer and choreographer – the late Adolfo ‘Shabba-Doo’ Quiñones.
How would you describe your style?
“I have a lot of masculine and feminine energy when I dance. I like to make my dancing something electric and unpredictable, but also soft. I specialise in a very rare and unique style of technique called Shway, which fuses various elements from the technical world of dance with the street dance world.
"My proudest achievement in dance is my journey being qualified to teach Shway style by the legendary Adolfo ‘Shabba-Doo’ Quiñones. Not only did he share his knowledge with me, but because of my training I’m now able to share the style by teaching. Through performances, in the UK and around the world, to keep it evolving.”
Turbo
Turbo has been dancing since the age of three
© Red Bull
A respected OG on the scene, east London-born Turbo cut his teeth doing African dance from Ghana and playing the djembe – a West African drum – for dancers in his class. He’s experimented with all styles of hip-hop street dance, from breaking to house.
What’s your proudest achievement in dance so far?
“One of the proudest things for me, looking back, is seeing people that I’ve trained progress. When it comes to shows, performances, battles and tours - they all have their own energies, but those come and go. To see one of my proteges like J-Funk, who has gone so far in his career, and dancers who put their trust in faith in what I’m teaching, then end up doing world tours – that’s a very proud moment that I cherish.”
My favourite genre of music is grime.
Quake
Quake says the UK has its own accent on krump
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Quake is from Hackney, east London, and earned his krump nickname when someone described his strong dancing style as being ‘like an earthquake’. Describing it himself, he says it’s raw, groovy and unpredictable.
How does the UK krump scene differ from the US?
“My favourite genre of music is grime. I grew up listening to it, and it represents a group of young people coming together and creating something different which I highly align with. When it comes to krump, the UK brings a completely different vibe compared to the US. Our krump is very concept and character heavy, especially amongst the newer generation of krump. The UK dances with the same US made foundations (jabs, chest pops etc.) but adds skanks and unconventional grooves that give that UK accent to the krump language”