Red Bull BC One returns to India

City Cyphers will be held in six cities this year – Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Jalandhar; the Red Bull BC One Cypher India will be held in Delhi for the first time ever

February 21, 2018/Team Estrade//– Red Bull BC One, the world’s foremost one-on-one B-Boy championship, will return to India next month for its fourth edition in the country. Having begun in the country with one National Cypher in 2015 in Mumbai, the competition expanded to Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata the following year, with two more new cities being added this year. The tour will begin with workshops and cyphers in Mumbai on March 13, followed by workshops and cyphers in Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Jalandhar on March 15, and then the Red Bull BC One Cypher India in Delhi on March 17. The winner of the Red Bull BC One India Champion will travel to the World Finals later this year, to compete at the Last Chance Cypher.

Registrations for the workshops and cyphers are now open on www.redbull.in/bcone

Four members of the Red Bull BC One All Stars crew – Lilou, Negiun, Ronnie, and Lil G – and star Moroccan B-Boy Lil Zoo will travel to India to conduct the workshops and judge the cyphers.

Each year, B-Boys and B-Girls from around the country compete in the city cyphers to earn a chance to make it to the top 16, and battle at the Cypher India. Last year, Arif Chaudhary, aka B-Boy Flying Machine, from Mumbai was crowned the India Champion – his second title, after having won the inaugural edition in 2015 as well. B-Boy Abdul, also from Mumbai, won in 2016.

Schedule:

The Judges:

LILOU: Two-time Red Bull BC One World Champion Lilou has built a formidable reputation as one of the sport’s most uncompromising and popular characters. With a unique dance style and an engaging stage presence, he perfectly combines the new style of flexible moves with classic footwork and power moves. His B-Boy name comes from his family nickname, Alilou.

Born in France, but of Algerian descent, a six-year-old Ali Ramdani first discovered B-Boying on TV, where he was fascinated by breakers doing power moves and headspins. His brother taught how him to moonwalk, and from there the rest is history. Lilou helped found the legendary Pockémon Crew just a few years later in 1999.

Competing in his first Red Bull BC One in 2005 labelled the underdog, he surprised everyone by taking the World Champion title. Winning again in 2009, Lilou became the first ever B-Boy to be crowned the Red Bull BC One World Champion two times.

Lilou lists his greatest influences as Michael Jackson, Zinédine Zidane, Mohammed Ali and Jamiroquai. He admires their careers, their charisma and recognizes them for being legends in their respective area of expertise. In addition to his success on the international battle circuit, he also joined Madonna as a dancer on her MDNA tour. Passionate about videography, Lilou runs a popular YouTube channel called TVLilou, where he reveals stories of his global dance travels.

NEGUIN: Neguin’s approach to B-Boying is at once celebratory, psychological and aggressive. A very confident dancer, Neguin likes to look into his opponent’s eyes to communicate nonverbally that he’s going to win. He uses special strategies and tactics to outperform anyone he battles, using his own style, at every moment, in every battle.

Born Fabiano Carvalho Lopes, Neguin began dancing at the age of 14 on the streets of his hometown Paraná, a Brazilian city where dance is a way of life. Starting off with freestyle and social dance, he added B-Boying to his dance vocabulary in 2003. It only took him a few years before he began scooping up wins, battling in his native Brazil and beyond.

Among the highlights of his B-Boy career he lists battling in both 2007 and 2008 at R16 Korea, O Duelo 2008 in Brazil, Coosh Crash Test 2008 in the USA, the Battle Of The Year 2008 in Brazil, Humanitarian Massy Battle 2009 in France, and the World B-Boy Classics in Holland. He appears on many B-Boy battle DVDs produced from these competitions as well as short movies and commercials produced in Brazil. He also toured with Madonna on her MDNA tour as a dancer.

RONNIE: The best way to describe Ronnie’s approach to B-Boying is believed to be ‘well-rounded‘. He focuses on incorporating all elements of B-Boying into his style: footwork, power moves, toprock, musicality and more. His signature moves include variations of freezes and intricate footwork transitions combined with power moves. His battle strategies are very straightforward: consistency, composure and aggression.

Ronnie first learned about Hip Hop culture in the mid 1980’s, and was fascinated with Hip Hop cult classic movies like Wild Style and Beat Street. While still living in Guam, he saw B-Boying performed live. After his family relocated to California, he began dancing in what he calls the new jack swing era of the early 90s.

Since 2004, Ronnie has traveled around the world, battling, producing shows in his hometown Las Vegas, running a Hip Hop culture center and as a Red Bull BC One All Star.

His crowning victory on the Red Bull BC One circuit came in 2007, when he took first place in Soweto, South Africa.

LIL G: Known for his intricate, original power moves and transitions, Lil G brings with him an extreme confidence that makes the most difficult moves look effortless. When dancing, his focus is threefold: power, style, and rhythm.

Born Gibrahimer Beomont, he began B-Boying at the age of 11, inspired by watching Venezuelan B-Boys Shadow and Cannon perform. He was given the name Lil G by his crew, Speedy Angels Family.

Lil G has competed in five Red Bull BC One World Finals. He has grown a global fan base of B-Boys who respect him for pushing foundation moves unlike anyone else. He’s also taken home international titles at Chelles Battle Pro, 8 One Power Moves and SDK Europa.

While not initially enthused about his non-traditional career choice to be a professional B-Boy, Lil G’s family members were eventually won over as they realized the time, energy and passion that he dedicated to the art. The exchange of cultures, styles and knowledge at B-Boy battles are what Lil G enjoys the most about his lifestyle. He considers everything that he’s doing and has been through as highlights in his career including training, battling, performing and learning from other B-Boys in his crew.

LIL ZOO: A super fast and energetic B-Boy who is always smiling when on the dance floor, Lil Zoo’s style is a creative blend of explosive power combinations, dynamic freezes, and crazy acrobatic moves that he pulls off to the music.

From Casablanca, Morocco, Foad Ambelej, aka B-Boy Lil Zoo, is a member of L’Hiba Kingzoo, and also The Royal Team crew. He started breaking in 2008 with the local kids in his neighborhood, and was taught by a member of his crew, B-Boy Yoriyas, at late night training session that both of them attended.

Lil Zoo is also the first three-time winner of a Red Bull BC One Cypher qualifier, having won the Middle East Africa qualifier in 2012, (after only after 4 years of dancing), 2013 and 2015.

Red Bull BC One returns to India