Cebu, Philippines — On July 13, at APEX Super Club, the city of Cebu came alive with rhythm and intensity for the Red Bull Dance Your Style Qualifiers. The best dancers in Cebu competed head-to-head for a berth in the next National Finals, showcasing their amazing talents and skills.
L-R: Nemesis and Khlai | Photo by Red Bull
Red Bull Dance Your Style is a worldwide one-on-one street dancing competition that recognizes and promotes the uniqueness and creativity of dancers worldwide. Dancers must do freestyle routines to unexpected music and display their incredible improvisational abilities. The unique battle format of the global competition, in which the audience decides the competitors who advance to the next round, makes it stand out.
APEX Super Club Cebu / Photo by Red Bull
The competition was fierce with 16 dancers showcasing a stunning array of dance styles. The audience was completely amazed by the outstanding performances 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 won following a tough set of combat rounds. She won first place and a trip to the National Finals thanks to her impeccable performances throughout the competition.
“(It) feels great,” remarked Nemesis, who also participated in last year’s Cebu qualifier. “Last year, I only won second place, so this serves as my redemption.”
Nemesis stated that competing with other dance crew members, "Underground," was one of the tournament's highlights for her. She said, “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.”
Nemesis in action. | Photo by Red Bull
When asked how she plans to prepare for the National Finals, she said, “Since the competition for the National Finals is already filtered from Baguio, Davao, and Manila, I need to level up my training.”
Khlai, the first runner-up who also guaranteed her spot in the National Finals, expressed her happiness at making it to the competition. “It feels so surreal, I don’t even know where to begin,” she said.
Khlai shared that her late grandfather motivated her to join the competition despite her long-term knee injury. “Today is the birthday of my grandfather, who passed away. The performance that I did was dedicated to my grandfather and grandparents.”
In preparation for the National Finals, Khlai said she wanted to work on her stamina, stating, “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.”
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,” said Vince Mendoza. “Compared to last year, we multiplied by a lot. Many dancers supported Red Bull Dance Your Style, and the skills really leveled up from last year.”
“Nemesis had really unpredictable moves and undeniable skills,” said Mendoza.
Khlai in action | Photo by Red Bull
He expressed his excitement for the next round of qualifiers, saying, “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.”
Asked for advice he wanted to give dancers competing in the National Finals, Mendoza said, “We always tell them to 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, the next generation, the OGs, our past, present, and future.”
All eyes are now focused on the exciting next round of action following the conclusion of the Cebu qualifiers. The Manila qualifiers for Red Bull Dance Your Style will occur at Octopus Makati on July 27, 2024. Devoted dancers will compete nationwide in hopes of shining in the World Finals.
Take a piece of the action! Watch the Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines team heading to the World Finals in India on November 9, 2024, and watch for the last qualifying round.
Witness the Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines National Finals in September. You won’t want to 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 )
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