Dance
17-year-old Shinshan is the first Red Bull Dance Your Style world champion
On October 12, the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final took place, giving birth to a new generation of stars, not least the Netherlands' Shinshan – the very first world champion.
Urban history was written at La Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris when the doors opened for the street dance event. The enthusiastic crowd not only witnessed, but decided, who became the champion of Red Bull Dance Your Style 2019.
After more than 30 pre-selections and two pre-finals, there were only 16 dancers left to vie for the World Champion title – eight of the invited wildcards and eight Red Bull Dance Your Style Pre-Finals winners. Find out everything about the line-up below.
The music dropped by DJ Vinz was curated from top hits from the past decades that had the dancers and the audience bouncing in no time. In street dancing, we usually hear very specific music genres that are tailored to the dance styles, but Red Bull Dance Your Style takes its music from everywhere and therefore presents a bigger challenge to the competitors.
The second major difference: the title is entirely in the hands of the crowd. After every battle, they signalled their decision via a light-emitting bracelet, illuminating the venue in red or blue.
Voting at the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final
© Little Shao
The rise of a new generation
And the audience spoke with a loud voice. They voted a whole new generation of dancers through the battles and after the first round, six of the invited wildcards were gone, including heavy-hitters like Salah, Jaja Vankova and Blondy.
The battle bracket of the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final
© Red Bull Dance Your Style
Guys like Kofi, DELANOTCHÉ, Bogdan the Flava and Kriss, who danced all the way through country pre-selections, pre-finals and now the World Final impressed with their fresh approach, outstanding charisma and ability to connect with the audience.
The opening battle between Salah and Kofi
© Little Shao
In the semi-finals, we had Angyil from the USA vs Japan's MAiKA and Czech Republic's Kriss vs Shinshan from the Netherlands. Angyil beat MAiKA in a close showdown that was dominated by outstanding musicality and the highest level of technicality we saw that evening. Shinshan won over Kriss in an even closer battle. The two B-Boys mixed acrobatics, flexible moves, unique threads and party steps into an enjoyable cocktail.
Angyil in the battle against MAiKA
© Tomislav Moze
Les Twins entered the stage just before the final to perform an intricate choreography full of tricks and jokes.
Les Twins at Red Bull Dance Your Style 2019
© Little Shao
Shinshan is the Red Bull Dance Your Style world champion
In the final, Angyil, on the red side, brought the heat with an on-point interpretation of the Party Rock Anthem from LMFAO, Can't Hold Us from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis as well as Gala's Freed from Desire. But 17-year-old Shinshan, on the blue side, did not bow down and took risks with his acrobatics while keeping up the party vibe. His moves and warm charisma won the heart of the crowd. Bracelets were raised, tinting La Grand Halle de la Villette in a light blue.
Shinshan took the win at Red Bull Dance Your Style 2019
© Little Shao
Hosts Redchild and Dandyguel handed him the trophy and the mic. Overwhelmed with an unexpected win, Shinshan took the chance to thank his mum, family, friends and all his supporters. He caught his breath and added: "It's surreal for me. I sometimes have dark moments where I doubt what I do, so winning Red Bull Dance Your Style is a dream come true."
Congratulations to our new world champion Shinshan from the Netherlands.
