Local breakdancer to battle with the best at national level

Breakdancing might not be one of the most popular art forms in Ikageng and the greater Potchefstroom, but that has not stopped Oupanyana Moeketsane (34) from achieving success.

Moeketsane also known by his performance name “Bboy Nanky” recently made it into the top 16 finals of the prestigious Red Bull BC One Cypher National competition.

Moeketsane, who pursues his breakdancing passion in his spare time, will now take on the best of the best across the country in a breakdancing battle on Saturday, 23 March in Braamfontein this year.

What makes this breakdancer’s story that much more spectacular is that he is a full-time nurse at Witrand Hospital, whilst most other competitors pursue this art form in a fulltime capacity. Moeketsane also only started breakdancing relatively late when he was already 22.

“I watched a lot of videos of breakdancing and it really interested me. I come from a background of doing flips, so I had the athleticism. It knew I just needed to practice and put my mind to it,” explains Moeketsane.

As an eager learner, he knew he needed to broaden his horizons and compete in tournaments in Gauteng in order to get exposure and learn from fellow breakdancers.

“There is not a lot of support for breakdancing in North West. I want to inspire others to also start breakdancing. Qualifying for this prestigious competition has given me an opportunity to put the province on the map, and to be the one pioneering this unique art form. I would like to pass my skills and experience on to the next generation,” he added.

To qualify for the Red Bull BC One Cypher, Moeketsane had to showcase his skills in 30 second- and one-minute rounds in head-to-head competition at the Joburg leg on 27 January. He managed to finish second in this most recent qualifier.

“It really is very competitive and physically demanding. It’s all about being creative and doing moves that can impress the judges.” In the lead up to the top 16 finals, Moeketsane has had to juggle work and the need to prioritise certain aspects of his training.

“The biggest challenges that I currently have is that breakdancing is not a full-time job. So, I need to train after work and prioritise my training so that I improve, but don’t overtrain and injure myself. It’s a fine balance,” he explained.

His overarching vision, with the help of the North West community, is to build a dance crew that can represent the North west on the national Hip-Hop dance scene.

“I am inviting parents and teachers that would be interested in their kids learning this dynamic dance style as well as individuals who are interested in getting in shape while having fun and learning some super cool breakdancing moves. It will also be amazing if I can be assisted with funding. Keeping up with a diet (high protein) is quite a challenge,” he added.

Interested parties can contact Moeketsane on 061 263 5283 for more information.