Shinshan is Red Bull Dance Your Style‘s first ever World Champion
Representing the Netherlands, Shinshan bested 16 of the world’s top dancers at the first ever Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final held in Paris, France on October 12.
PARIS, October 12, 2019 – The South African flag flew high at the European street dance mecca in Paris, this past weekend, as Mitchells Plain‘s 26 Lee-Shane Booysen; 2019 Red Bull Dance Your Style champion, along with Soweto’s Teboho Diphehlo, who won the first Red Bull Dance Your Style in 2018, battled over 30 other talented street dancers from around the globe.
While the pair only came close to scooping the global crown, Red Bull Dance Your Style is thrilled to announce its first ever World Champion, Shinshan from the Netherlands. Shinshan emerged victorious at the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final held on October 12 in Paris, besting 16 of some of the top street dance names globally.
The Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final, hosted at the historic La Grande Halle de la Villette, was the culmination of a dance battle series comprised of 65 events held across 29 countries throughout the year. Pioneering a unique battle format where the crowd is the judge, Red Bull Dance Your Style had attendees voting red or blue – ultimately deciding who will rule the dance floor.
After numerous national competitions, 32 country winners competed across two Pre-Final battle events before the World Final, joining an invitation line-up of eight wildcards. The top 16 dancers who made it to the World Stage included:
DELANOTCHÉ (Belgium);
Mavinga (Belgium);
Lment (Cuba);
Jaja (Czech Republic);
Kriss (Czech Republic);
Blondy (France);
Mel’s (France);
Salah (France);
Tonini (Italy);
MAiKA (Japan);
Bogdan the Flava (Kazakhstan);
Vovan (Russia);
Tebza (South Africa);
Angyil (United States);
Kofi (United Kingdom).
The heated competition saw battlers dancing to some of the most iconic party beats, including Technotronic’s Pump Up The Jam, Lou Bega’s Mambo No. 5, LMFAO ft. Lauren Bennett, GoonRock’s Party Rock Anthem, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis‘ Can’t Hold Us, Gloria Gaynor‘s I Will Survive and more.
The global dance event saw performances from Juste Debout School and renowned French dancers and choreographers, Les Twins. The event was additionally attended by some of the biggest international names in dance, including Galen Hooks, Kinjaz’ Jon Shih, LeeJ Razalan and Mike Song, Shaun Evaristo, and more.
GET TO KNOW YOUR CHAMPION: SHINSHAN
Shinshan shot to stardom at 17-years-old by becoming the winner of Holland’s Got Talent. Possessing one of the craziest, most unique and recognisable styles in the game, not to mention being incredibly dexterous and musical, Shinshan describes his style as, “Like a Cuban snake. I’m flexible, but I’m also rhythmic and static.”
Being a proper music head, Shinshan admits, is the most important element of all. “I listen to music all the time, from jazz to hip-hop, latin to funk, classic and hard rock. It doesn’t depend on the style,” Shinshan says. “Even more important than that is the vibe, the emotion and the story the music tells you.”
On winning the first ever Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final in Paris, Shinshan says: “It’s surreal for me, I’m seventeen. For me, to win something like this is like a dream. Red Bull Dance Your Style was crazy, there were so many new dancers from so many countries. I enjoyed it!”
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