Lingo says...

BY GIFT GAVINKO AND BONGANI M After a months of grueling auditions all over South Africa with over 200 dance crews audition for the most sought after title in South Africa’s dance industry. The day finally arrived where the 8 dance crew finally went head to head in hopes to be crowned this year’s Red bull beat battle Victorians. The guide mag crew made its way to Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, for this year’s red bull beat battle. After last year’s crazy battle we were not going to miss this year’s one. This year’s competing crews 1.     Freeze Frame – Hip Hop (Kempton Park, Gauteng) 2.     The Prophelaz  – iSbhujwa  and 2013 champions (Tembisa, Gauteng) 3.    Fire – Pantsula (Tembisa, Gauteng) – Wildcard crew as voted for on www.redbullbeatbattle.co.za 4.    Panzan Entertaiment – iSbhujwa (Sebokeng, Gauteng) 5.   Psyko Souljahs – Breaking (Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape) 6....

Red Bull Beat Battle’s quest to find the best dance crews in the country to go up against the 2013 champions The Prophelaz (formally known as I.D.A.) is over. With a new twist, this year saw a ‘Wildcard’ element introduced. From the qualifiers six crews were selected and will have 7 weeks to prepare for the finals in Soweto. Five wildcard dance crews were selected and Red Bull Beat Battle fans had to vote for their favourite crew on www.redbullbeatbattle.co.za , with ‘Fire’ winning the crowd vote to compete in the final. Fire join Freeze Frame, Panzam Entertainment, Psyko Souljas, The Perfect Storm, Supreme and Warrior Knight as the seven crews who will have to go up against newly renamed defending champs, The Prophelaz.  Having scoured Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg for the Mzansi’s best dance crews in styles ranging from iSbhujwa, Hip Hop, Pantsula and Krump, to Breaking judges were impressed with the way in which talent has grown y...

Red Bull Beat Battle continues its quest to find the seven best dance crews in South Africa to challenge 2013 champions, I.D.A, for the title. Now in its fourth year, Red Bull Beat Battle has grown immensely since its first edition in 2011 and now sports some famous alumni who have gone on to do great things in the South African dance world. Back in 2014 to find the top seven dance crews to go up against last year’s champions, this year the qualifiers head to 5 cities to find Mzansi’s best. As a platform for urban dance styles like Pantsula, iSbhujwa, Krump, Hip Hop, and Breaking, the event has unearthed some amazing talent. Choreographer and Red Bull Beat Battle head-judge Somizi Mhlongo has had the opportunity to see that firsthand. “Red Bull Beat Battle has been instrumental in the development of dance in the country and unearthing quality talent. I’ve worked with many of the dance crews involved since they competed in the finals in all three previous editions. ...

Months of choreography, practicing and perfecting routines culminated in Red Bull Beat Battle where in the final against Clinch Crew, I.D.A  took the crown.  E ight of  the country’s best dance crews 8-one-oh Meninas, Ace, Beauty and the Beasts, Brooklyn, Clinch, I.D.A, Via Volcano and defending champs Reptilez faced off in the ultimate dance battle in front of the 2500-strong crowd at Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto. Having made it through the arduous qualification process that saw over 170 crews audition, the top 7 who joined the Reptilez in the final, come from various dance backgrounds and specialise in various styles from Sbhujwa, Breaking, and Pansula to Hip Hop and everything in between.   The final bout came down to the wire – Clinch Crew went head-to-head with I.D.A and I.D.A. won the crowd and the judges over to be crowned the 2013 champions, though i can say i was little disappointed i wanted the clinch crew, they held it down very w...

With just a few days until they take the stage in the Red Bull Beat Battle final, all eight crews are hard at work perfecting their routines. It’s been a long two month lead up to the event for the crews and they’re eager to put their practice to work on the stage.  Not only will the crowd be treated to the country’s best crews but they’ll also enjoy a list of Mzansi’s best performers.  Award-winning DJ Black Coffee joins DJ Dr. Malinga, Reason and Zakes Bantwini on the list of hotly-anticipated performers on the night.   Returning as judges are Somizi Mhlongo,  Lorna Maseko and Bboy Gerald Witbooi aka Vouks  while Red Bull Beat Battle alumnus Tumi Tladi joins the judging panel. Tumi was part of the 2011 Red Bull Beat Battle winning crew Artistic Intelligence and has since performed and choreographed for international acts both at home and abroad.  Each crew’s   overall performance, technical execution, originality and group uniformity durin...

With just 15 days to go to the Red Bull Beat Battle final, Mzansi’s best are lined up to take the stage. South Africa’s best dance crews across a number of genres are hard at work choreographing their routines in preparation for the Red Bull Beat Battle final at Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto on the 1 st of June 2013. The top eight crews, including the defending champions The Reptilez, have a month to perfect the dance sequences for the final. Many strenuous practice sessions and late nights lie ahead for them. Not only will spectators have the opportunity to see the top eight crews perform but will also be treated to some of the country’s best performers as house whizz kid Jullian Gomes, breakthrough MCs Okmalumkoolkat and Reason, Kwaito Legends Thebe and Dr Malinga take the stage. A headline performance by Zakes Bantwini will complete the lineup and DJ duo Sphectacular & Naves will take the party into the early hours of the morning. Switch retur...