Dance crews around Joburg came out in their finest to battle it out and impress the judges at this year’s annual Battlegrounds South Africa, hoping to triumph in the competition and land an opportunity to compete abroad.
The various stylish and energetic crews from as young as seven years old braved the weekend’s cold front and packed the Blairgowrie Recreation Centre in Randburg on 13 May to showcase what they were made of.
Co-director of the event, Chayn Thompson from Creed Crew, shared what the competition is about.
“Battlegrounds is [linked to] the World Supremacy Battlegrounds, which is owned and hosted in Australia. And anybody who is placed in the top three in any of the categories gets to go to Australia to represent South Africa on the world stage competing against other countries.”
The dance categories included popping, locking, breaking, and all style battles for juniors, varsity and monster crews. The competition also added a new category called School vs School, which promotes dancing in schools.
Read: GALLERY: Battlegrounds South Africa dance competition launch
Aiden Greeff and Verushka Rangasamy, from Pretoria, emerged victorious during the duo audition and cemented their spot for the international dance experience.
However, Thompson said all the winners had to pay for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity due to a lack of committed sponsors.
“Unfortunately the competition is not sponsored. Everything comes from the dancer’s own pocket. But if anybody is willing to sponsor, give us a shout, and we will happily accept the offer.”
The Creed Crew is also hoping to take Battlegrounds to Cape Town next year if finances allow.
Thompson also emphasized the importance of dancing and keeping the hip-hop culture alive. “Somewhere along the road, dancing got lost, people didn’t enjoy it anymore or they just got lazy because of technology. But [the benefits of dance] is that it keeps you fit and keeps your mind working, allowing you to remember your dance choreography or routines,” she concluded.
Details: Mike Lamfel 072 2633 763.
