Dance
The 8 dancers battling in the Red Bull Dance Your Style Challenge on TikTok
Picking eight dancers from online auditions to compete in the online final of the Red Bull Dance Your Style Challenge was no easy task – get to know who will be up against the Wildcard entries here.
These eight dancers will battle eight invited wildcards via online battles on TikTok. From there, it a regular knock-out format, with the winner chosen by an audience vote on TikTok.
Coming from seven countries, they’ve got different strengths, different styles and a huge range of skills. So who are they?
The USA’s Angyil, 27, was the runner-up in the 2019 World Final, and she’s a bona-fide street style star. After ballet training helped her overcome childhood adversity, she really took to street dance – especially popping – and turned it into a career. With charisma to match her technique, Angyil has won dance battles globally, competed on TV, and was Freestyler of the Year at the World of Dance Awards.
Another previous World Final contender who started dancing as a child is 21-year-old Tonini. But those who saw him in action as a little boy in Italian villages might not recognise today’s fluid hip-hop artist, who's won Juste Debout Italy and appeared on Italia’s Got Talent. Watch his feet: Tonini is known for super-flexible ankles and crazy footwork. "What characterises Red Bull Dance Your Style is the vote from the viewers," says Tonini. "It’s a dream every single time I get to perform and bring people into my world and share who I really am."
With Shorty also in the lineup, Italy is the only country with two audition dancers on the roster. The 29-year-old popping sensation has been dancing for a decade and makes it look effortless; whether he’s winning battles in Juste Debout, Shut Up and Dance, or any other competition, the playful way he serves up technical moves always draws cheers. “I love dance music,” Shorty says. “It lets me express everything.”
Locking hits the next level with Candyman, a previous Red Bull Dance Your Style finalist who's toured throughout his native France. Bringing funk, musicality and an expressive personality, the 27-year-old adds innovation to the classic street style and lights up the stage. The 2018 Juste Debout Locking title is one of many sweet victories Candyman has amassed in over 10 years of dancing, and his love of movement is contagious.
All of Japan will be rooting for home hero Lin in the global competition. Although just 18, this dancer has been dazzling the scene for years with a confident combination of hip-hop and popping skills. Lin’s standout moments include a win at the SDK World Battle Tour, second in the World Crew Battle Dance Festival and the top eight at Dance Alive Hero’s (Kids). Whether performing solo or with a crew, Lin’s high energy stands out.
As an 11-year-old, Germany’s JR Game was already in the world top 20 among the adults at the European Buck Session (EBS) krumping competition. Now a grown-up, he has accumulated roughly 30 event wins across Europe. He will be familiar to German TV viewers as one of the stars of the TV mini-series Crews & Gangs, and he also works to grow the dance scene by organising events and teaching workshops internationally.
Another multi-tasking finalist is Tawatha, 24, from the Netherlands. Known for popping, she has studied street styles with masters around the world, as well as forms like modern dance and salsa. Tawatha has won international competitions, performed on stage and TV, sings, studies medicine and makes it her mission to spread knowledge about dance culture, history and techniques. See if you can catch her signature style, 'the ballerina robot'.
One more popping phenom to watch is 250Machine. With a father who is a former dancer, the South African has performance in his blood – but he’s got where he is through hard work. 250Machine practises and teaches for hours every day, and that dedication has paid off, not only with success at national competitions like Red Bull Dance Your Style South Africa, but with recognition abroad as well. The World Final on TikTok awaits, along with the eight wildcards.
Who battles who?
Now it’s time for you to decide who rules the dancefloor. See these eight audition winners battle the wildcards, then vote for the overall winner – only on TikTok, from November 25 until December 13, 2020.
Check out who is up against who in the bracket below or view an always up to date bracket on the Red Bull Dance Your Style Challenge dancer page.
The battle pairs of the Red Bull Dance Your Style Challenge
© Red Bull Dance Your Style
