Luzon’s Top Dancers Shine at Red Bull Dance Your Style Manila Qualifiers

Another epic dance battle took place at the Red Bull Dance Your Style Manila Qualifiers, which were held on July 27 at Octopus in Makati. The intense competition featured Luzon's top dancers. With the conclusion of the series of qualifiers, the country eagerly awaits the grand showdown where finalists will battle it out for the coveted title and the chance to represent Philippines in the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Finals. 

The regional qualifiers for the unique global street dance competition swept the nation, challenging dancers from Cebu, Davao, and Manila to showcase their talent as they freestyled to a random selection of songs. Each city hosted intense competitions, with dancers from all over the country pushing their limits and captivating audiences with their distinct styles and high-energy performances. Each of them competed for a spot in the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Finals. 

Manila experienced extraordinarily high levels of competition. With his flawless moves and unquestionable charisma, Klockwise (Kenneth Martinez) won the competition and gave an incredible performance. Considering his experience with Red Bull Dance Your Style.

“I’ve only (followed) Red Bull Dance Your Style via social media, then when it came to the Philippines, I went over to watch it live (and) the (following) year as well. When I was in the audience, I had a vision of myself performing on stage. That’s when I made it my goal that one day I would dance, perform, and show my skills. It’s super unexpected. I just wanted to enjoy, to show what I enjoy doing. I’ll prepare highlights and ground moves, create new patterns of my locking, and of course, listen to new music.” ~Klockwise (Kenneth Martinez)

He revealed that he listened to a lot of music and performed freestyle to it in order to get ready for the qualifiers. He added that in the run-up to the National Finals, he would continue much as before.

Kid Magnus (Flourence Lavesores) who won first runner up, shared that the event felt less like a competition. 

“I really just enjoyed it. The crowd was so energetic and happy, which made me feel that I was just dancing, enjoying the music, dancing to the beat. I was a bit pressured because (my fellow) competitors (are) well known, but all of them were very nice.” ~Kid Magnus (Flourence Lavesores)

Tatai, a Japanese dancer who made it to the top 4, expressed her joy and enthusiasm at being able to join the competition. 

“It’s about letting your mind go crazy, expressing your love for dance, and enjoying music.I want to practice more, perfect my favorite dance, and give it my all on the next stage.” ~Tatai, a Japanese dancer

 

Klockwise, Kid Magnus, Tatai, and Q have also qualified for the National Finals, joining R3DMAN (Edrian Alcaria) and MSTR PIECE (Regie Harris Lavestre), the Davao qualifier's winner and first runner-up, respectively. The finalists include Nemesis (Sam Rivera) and Khlai (Khlai Vargaso Batula), the winner and first runner-up of the Cebu qualifier, bringing the total to eight from the qualifiers. The remaining National Finals slots will be filled by wildcard picks.

Red Bull Dance Your Style dance consultants, Vince Mendoza and Lema Diaz of the Philippine All-Stars, expressed their excitement for the upcoming National Finals especially after seeing the talents from the qualifiers in Manila, Cebu, and Davao. 

“There were so many unforgettable moments. You could tell that everybody brought their A-game and did not hold back. Everybody really wanted to have the top spot to participate in the National Finals. All you have to do is be yourself, show everybody what you’ve got. What makes you different from the rest is your own experience, your own flavor, where you come from. Carry that with you and let the crowd decide who moves on to the next (stage).” ~Lema Diaz of the Philippine All-Stars

On what he looks forward to seeing in the National finals. Vince Mendoza offered as his advice for dancers as they gear up for the National Finals.

“I want to see more identity, creativity, performance, and maturity of the dancers, understanding the message of the music and the crowd. That’s really hard to achieve as a dancer, but for the young generation, they’re really fast at learning and adapting. Listen to new music, different styles, and different genres. Enjoy the music; don't force yourself to train. It’s not about winning or losing; it’s about transformation. Accept your identity, accept your uniqueness, and showcase that uniqueness. Don’t be afraid and believe in yourself.” ~Vince Mendoza  of the Philippine All-Stars

The Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines National Finals are quickly approaching, and excitement is building. Crowds from all over the country are looking forward to what promises to be an electrifying and intense competition. The National Finals are set to be a spectacular celebration of street culture, with thrilling dance battles, stunning choreography, and a showcase of the nation's best talent. 

Mark your calendars! Don't pass up the opportunity to take part in this incredible competition and cheer on your favorite dancers as they compete for glory. Catch the Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines National Finals live on September 28, and stay tuned for more information.  Prepare to witness the ultimate street dance showdown! Follow Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines' journey to the World Finals in India on November 9, 2024. 

For more information and updates regarding this year’s season of Red Bull Dance Your Style, visit the official Red Bull website and the following social media pages (Facebook | Instagram | Tiktok)

About Red Bull

Red Bull gives wings to people and ideas. As a functional beverage, we give wings to people by vitalizing the body and mind – supporting their dreams and aspirations through their passion for dancing.

Red Bull Dance Your Style Showcases Cebu’s Dance Scene in Provincial Qualifiers

On July 13, at APEX Super Club, Cebu came alive with rhythm and energy for the Red Bull Dancing Your Style Qualifiers. The best dancers in Cebu competed head-to-head for a spot in the next National Finals, showcasing their amazing talents and skills.

Red Bull Dance Your Style is a worldwide one-on-one street dance competition that celebrates and fosters the uniqueness and inventiveness of dancers from all over the world. Dancers are forced to perform freestyle routines to unexpected music and display their incredible improvisational abilities. The distinctive battle format of the global competition, in which the audience selects the competitors who advance to the next round, makes it stand out. 

There was intense competition, with sixteen dancers displaying an amazing variety of dance forms. The audience was left in complete amazement by the incredible performances given by the Cebu qualifier finalists. The Top 4 were JPY (Jeffrey Casas Toledo), Khlai (Khlai Vargaso Batula), Nemesis (Sam Rivera), and Baby Titan (Shihan Maui Ricablanca). Nemesis emerged victorious following a tense set of combat rounds. She won first place and a trip to the National Finals thanks to her faultless performances throughout the competition.

“(It) feels great. Last year, I only won second place so this serves as my redemption. Underground. This year, there are a lot of dancers from outside Cebu; some are my friends and some I just met during the competition. I think one of the highlights for this year is meeting new friends and competitors. Since the competition for the National Finals is already filtered from Baguio, Davao, and Manila, I need to level up my training. Nemesis had really unpredictable moves and undeniable skills.” ~Nemesis (Sam Rivera)

Nemesis shared that what she found to be one of the highlights for this year’s competition was getting to compete with fellow members of her dance crew.

First runner up Khlai, who also secured her spot in the National Finals, expressed her joy for placing in the competition. 

“It feels so surreal, I don’t even know where to begin. Today is the birthday of my grandfather who passed away. The performance that I did was dedicated to my grandfather and grandparents. I don’t really prepare that long or have a specific training, but I’ll try to do cardio for my stamina so that I can keep up with the dancers.” ~Khlai, First runner up

Khlai shared that her motivation to join the competition, despite her long-term knee injury, was her late grandfather. 

In preparation for the National Finals, Khlai said she wanted to work on her stamina stating, 

Philippine All-Stars legends and dance consultants Lema Diaz and Vince Mendoza were seen at the event. 

“All I can say is that (the competition) was full of inspiration and new faces. Compared to last year, we multiplied by a lot. A lot of dancers supported Red Bull Dance Your Style and the skills really leveled up from last year. It’s going to be more crazy. We’re excited for the Manila qualifiers. There’s a lot of dancers and new faces. I’m excited that I can witness that moment. “We always tell them to always have fun no matter what. Win or lose, it’s all about the transformation. If you win, there’s transformation. If you lose, there’s transformation. It’s all about giving love to the community, to the next generation, to the OGs, to our past, present, and future.” ~Vince Mendoza, Philippine All-Stars legends and dance consultant

All eyes are now focused on the exciting next round of competition following the conclusion of the Cebu qualifiers. The Manila qualifiers for Red Bull Dance Your Style will take place at Octopus Makati on July 27, 2024. There will be more devout dancers competing nationwide in hopes of shining at the World Finals. 

Take a piece of the action! Watch the Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines team as they head to the World Finals in India on November 9, 2024, and keep an eye out for the final round of qualifiers. In September, watch the Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines National Finals. You shouldn't miss this!

For more information and updates regarding this year’s season of Red Bull Dance Your Style, visit the official Red Bull website and the following social media pages (Facebook | Instagram | Tiktok )

About Red Bull

Red Bull gives wings to people and ideas. As a functional beverage, we give wings to people by vitalizing the body and mind – supporting their dreams and aspirations through their passion for dance.