The competition was sizzling hot at the Red Bull Dance Your Style Qualifiers in Davao. The best dancers from all over the region brought their A-game, delivering performances that dazzled the audience, who wielded the power to choose the competition’s winner.
Red Bull Dance Your Style is a unique, global 1-on-1 street dance competition that brings out each dancer’s individuality and creativity, and celebrates the diversity of their dance styles. Unlike other dance competitions, Red Bull Dance Your Style challenges dancers to show off their improvisational expertise and freestyle dance moves to unpredictable songs.
For its third year in the Philippines, Red Bull Dance Your Style extended the search for the country’s top dance talents to Mindanao. This culminated in the first-ever qualifiers in Davao held last June 29 at Club Echelon in Davao City.
Sixteen dancers from the region took to the dance floor and unleashed their impressive moves and creativity with REPETER (Peter Nugas III), MJ (MJ Mejos), MSTR PIECE (Regie Harris Lavestre), and R3DMAN (Edrian Alcaria) dancing their way to the Top 4. In the end, R3DMAN took home the trophy. His unique style and prowess left the audience in awe, earning him the title. Both R3DMAN and MSTR PIECE, as first and second place winners respectively, secured their spots in the National Finals.
“It’s very overwhelming,” said R3DMAN. “I didn’t know what to feel. Earlier, when the champion was called, I was dazed. It felt like a dream for me.”
R3DMAN admitted he was not fully prepared for the competition as he had limited time to get ready. “The preparation was really quick; I only had two days to prepare because of school and work.” He also shared that he rarely participated in dance battles, preferring to choreograph rather than perform. “This is actually my fourth battle, which is why I still consider myself a rookie,” he added. “What I did was believe in myself and enjoy the moment.”
His win is not the end as he gears up for the next round of the competition. R3DMAN shared that one of the things he wants to work on is his endurance. “The preparation will be intense. I feel like I’m going to battle with myself as well for consistency, which is what I really need to work on.”
Present at the event was dance consultant Lema Diaz of the Philippine All-Stars. “I’ve been coming to Davao since 2006 to 2008, I know how great the dance artists are in Davao and Mindanao,” she remarked. “As a dance consultant, we make sure that we visit Davao or any place in Mindanao to find the best representative for the Philippines in the World Finals in Mumbai.”
Diaz claimed that R3DMAN’s performance throughout the competition was truly one of the highlights of the Davao qualifier. “Seeing him live, seeing him go through rounds, just the mastery of his own style is there,” said Diaz. “He can put his own personality, the ease of listening to the music, and the conversation he has with the audience and opponent.”
She added, “He’s really entertaining to watch, which is why I’m excited for Manila to witness him, for the whole Philippines to witness him, to have an exchange with the other dancers, because it’s going to be inspiring.”
As the Davao qualifier wraps up, the excitement builds for the next round of qualifiers happening in Cebu on July 13 at APEX Super Club. Diaz conveyed her enthusiasm for the upcoming rounds, saying, “(Dancers) elevate in a week, two weeks, three, and four weeks. What more in a year?” She added, “That’s why I’m so excited to see how high the level has become and how many people are coming because we’re growing.” Diaz also expressed her eagerness to see both new faces and familiar ones returning to compete on the dance floor.
Along with Diaz, fans of the competition are eagerly awaiting more incredible performances and unforgettable moments as dancers from across the Philippines vie for their chance to shine at the world stage.
Don’t miss a beat! Stay tuned for the next round of qualifiers and be sure to catch the Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines National Finals on September 7. This is an event you truly won’t want to miss! Follow the 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 )
All photos provided by Red Bull.
