On Saturday 28 January 2023, young dancers from London were crowned champions at ‘Battle’, a unique and high-energy hip hop dance event organised by Step into Dance.
Young people from across London and Essex took part in this year’s event, which featured a full day of workshops, solo, duo and crew battles, and took place at Conway Hall in central London.
‘Battle’ is an annual celebration of hip hop dance organised by Step into Dance, the UK’s largest inclusive dance programme run by the Royal Academy of Dance and funded by the Jack Petchey Foundation.
The event provides the opportunity for young dancers to come together and share their passion for dance, all the while battling it out in front of their friends and a rapturous audience.
Young dancers are able to put their skills to the test in solo, duo, and crew battles for the chance to be named champions, and can also take part in workshops in commercial and breaking, rounds of knock out battles, and showcases.
An event that celebrates the joy of dance and bringing everyone together, ‘Battle’ further enables young dancers to develop skills such as collaboration, creativity, discipline and expressing their individuality, which they can take forward in every direction life takes them.
This year’s ‘Battle’ was hosted by hip-hop choreographer, dancer and teacher Yami Löfvenberg and featured live music from DJ Rosie Riot. The judging panel who selected this year’s winners included Gavin Vincent, Shannelle ‘Tali’ Fergus and Roxanne Milliner all of whom are professional dancers currently working in the industry.
To bring Battle to a triumphant finish, a range of awards were announced and presented to the young dancers by RAD’s Artistic Director Gerard Charles and Riana Morrison-Kirnon, Step into Dance Alumnus and member of the Jack Petchey Foundation’s Youth Consultation Panel.
The winners were:
• All Styles Crew: House of Rebels, a dance group from I Got Soul Performing Arts in Ruislip
• 1v1 Beginner: Leandrah from Harris Girls Academy in Bromley
• 1v1 Experienced: Emma, House of Rebels
• 2v2 Beginner: Aliyah and Feran from Ark Walworth Academy in Southwark & Step into Dance Youth Company (SYNC)
• 2v2 Experienced: Ava-Flav and Missy, House of Rebels
Gerard Charles, Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Dance, commented: The infectious attraction of attending the Battle is the positive energy that you get from seeing dancers from so many places coming together to put all they have on the dance floor. Although it is a competition the atmosphere is incredibly supportive of all – from the least experienced dancer to the most highly regarded professionals, all are equally valued.
