Bombay (AFP)
A vibrant dome, a conquered public and dancers electrified by the atmosphere: Bombay, which makes the hearts of Indians beat with its Bollywood temple, played the game of hip hop culture by hosting Saturday the big breakdance global finals.
"I am a super happy man!": Menno, almost incredulous and exhausted, grinned after giving everything to take down his third Red Bull BC One World Finals. Never seen in 15 years of existence.
The b-boy (name given to the Dutch breakdance performer) has fed on a public he is particularly fond of beating his opponent in the final, the formidable Kazakh Killa Kolya.
The two rivals delivered an anthology "battle" by sending incredible moves to the ground, twisting their legs endlessly, turning on their heads - a classic of the genre! - or still moving upside down on a hand.
The battle is a five-minute question-and-answer game between the two dancers, in which the audience takes part screaming their enthusiasm or disapproval over the acrobatics performed.
Arms extended, they accompany the performers who dance to the rhythms of a powerful music, a kind of 'pop / hip hop'. Menno has repeatedly asked for loud support from the crowd to get the energy he needs.
- Large platform -
At the height of his 13th birthday, Rahul Saket has enjoyed this first final in his country, he who discovered breakdance just 6 months ago. "I loved the show, I want to learn even more, but I can only do a few basic steps, but these performers tonight are really brilliant and really inspiring."
The breakdance, or rather breaking according to the good terminology, born in the 70s in the Bronx district in New York, is back in force since the announcement of its entry into the Olympic program in 2024, in Paris.
What to dream of Indian kids.
"This final tonight is a great platform to show what breaking really is," said Rahul Gupta, 23, a breaking teacher who came to admire his idol, Menno.
"The breaking scene in India is growing and growing fast, not so long ago we did not have any girls, and today we have high-level b-girls." salesman, who has struggled to convince his parents to let him evolve in this branch of hip hop culture.
It is largely with the family that the Indians came to attend the grand finale, in a circular arena, which certainly, had not filled up. There were some three thousand to take place in the NSCI Dome of Bombay, located near a neighborhood of religious buildings and a major financial center.
- The Divine star -
Settled in a circle around the stage - the 'cypher' -, the audience started slowly the evening before building pressure after the men's and women's quarterfinals. It was then that Divine appeared. An Indian rap singer, who has become a superstar and Bollywood has already given a film about his life.
Divine offered three songs that set the Dome on fire. The two finalists b-girls, Russia's Kastet and Japan's Ayumi, made their way into an overheated room. Kastet was the most convincing, decided the judges.
Point of points on the world finals, but an opinion of the judges. There are five of them and each of them indicates with the help of a cardboard the dancer (or the dancer) who deserves to win. Kastet got 3 votes and received his very first world belt under a shower of confetti.
"I can not believe it!" She said, moved, joined on the stage by his family and all the dancers who followed the final, glued to the cypher.
Saturday night, in Bombay, they were 15 girls and 16 boys to fight to be crowned world champion. Hoping to have inoculated the virus of the breaking to young Indians in a city which does not count less than 12 million inhabitants.
© 2019 AFP