Poppin' and lockin'...

Last night I went to the World BBoy championships at Brixton Academy. We got to the venue, not really knowing what to expect, but guessing the crowd was going to be pretty funky considering we were going to watch the best break dancers, poppers and lockers in the world... and the audience didn't fail to impress. The queue included some really well dressed people, with their pristine trainers, baseball caps with matching bandanas and baggy jeans. There was some not so well dressed guys and girls in the crowd too though, one of which got up on stage for the most fresh dressed award (the prize for the best dressed audience member). The guy was head to toe in PINK, pink bobble hat, pink vest top, pink baggy combats, even pink boxers (he graciously showed them off on stage).

I'm amazed at how good the crews and singles were. Those of you who don't know what goes on at the championships, crews of dancers take the stage, one on each side, and take turns to breakdance while the other crew jeers at them. Crews alternate between a single member dancing and the whole crew joining in to perform routines or acrobatic stunt-like moves. There were four different categories, the poppers, lockers, and the breakdancing crew battles, and bboy solos. What's the difference? Poppers 'pop' their bodies, making their movements snap, a bit like doing the robot... lockers dance in a funky 60's style with some breakdancing mixed in, and bboy/breakers breakdance, spinning on their limbs, heads, backflipping etc.

Obviously, I was expecting the Korean crew to win, as Korea is famous for their breakdancers and they've won year after year. So I was shocked when the Russian team won, albeit deservedly so as they really were amazing. The UK team did their best, and were good, but it was either an act of genuis or desperation to bring on a small kid on stage with the crew to sway the crowd. He was better than the other UK team's female crew member though!

Anyway, I'm definitely going again next year, dressed more appropriately (it was a sauna in there!). Not only was it worth going for the entertainment, but the eye candy in the audience wasn't bad either! Ok, ok, I know, I have a weakness for the bad boy look, what can I say!! haha... maybe next year I'll make it to the after party at Plan B if I can rope the girls into it!

But for those of you who want a taste, here's some highlights from this year's championships.