A UAE-based breakdancer will represent the Emirates in the Middle East and Africa finals of an international street-dance competition.
B-Boy Peppa, who is originally from Morocco, will take part in the Red Bull BC One championship in Algeria in September after beating 16 of the country’s best breakdancers in the UAE final held at the Music Hall club in Jumeirah Zabeel Saray hotel on the Palm Jumeirah.
Peppa impressed a panel of three international judges who based their decision on three main skills; technique, innovation and dance flow.
“I had a feeling I would win it, but I wasn’t completely sure. I’m going to work hard to add a Moroccan flavour to the regional finals in Algeria,” said Peppa.
The world final will be held in Paris on November 29.
The Red Bull BC One championship has become the premier competition in the world of breakdancing since its launch in Switzerland 11 years ago.
This is not the first time the UAE has made an impact in the event. Last year, breakdancer B-Boy Omar, originally from Algeria, represented the Emirates in that year’s finals in Seoul, eventually losing out to B-Boy Hong 10 of South Korea.
Breakdancing came to prominence in late 1970 in the Bronx neighbourhood of New York City. It is considered one of the main elements of hip-hop culture, in addition to DJ-ing and graffiti writing.
dmoukhallati@thenational.ae
