TEAM NIGERIA DAZZLES AT THE 2014 WORLD HIP HOP DANCE CHAMPIONSHIP IN LAS VEGAS
For the first time since its inception 13 years ago, Nigeria
finally joined South Africa and Zimbabwe as the three African countries with
representatives at the world’s most celebrated dance event.
For six days, over three thousand five hundred of the
world’s best dancers came together in the Sin City for the 2014 World Hip Hop
Dance Championship, an event true to the real values of hip hop culture. Crews
and MegaCrews from forty seven nations competed to capture the world title and
international bragging rights in the presence of hip hop icons, artists and
celebrities.
Hip Hop International founded in 2002 and based in Los
Angeles is the producer of multiple live and televised street dance
competitions. Among them are MTV’s Randy Jackson presents America’s Best Dance
Crew, the USA Hip Hop Dance Championship, the World Hip Hop Dance Championship,
the World Battles and Urban Moves Dance Workshops. Hip Hop International is
recognized in more than 100 countries by its broadcasts on many international
networks.
Coming out after a great opening with Davido's Skelewu by
Ukraine representatives, Stars on Earth, the winners of the maiden edition of
the Nigerian Hip Hop Dance Championship, held at the Sports Hall of the
University of Lagos in May 2014, dazzled the international audience with their
intermix of Nigerian and international hip hop moves.
The unique choreography by Michael 'Grey' Oseghale earned
Stars on Earth a standing ovation by Hip Hop International's founder, and the
executive producer of "America's Best Dance Crew' of MTV fame, Howard
Schwartz. Schwartz expressed his gratitude to MindStream Media for sponsoring
the crew to the Olympics of Hip Hop
Dance and prayed that they will get the much needed support to send more teams
from Nigeria to the championship in the nearest future.
Hip Hop International is represented by official licensees
throughout the world who respect the origins of hip hop and who conduct their
events and competitions under the auspices of Hip Hop International and who
qualify street dancers and dance crews to represent their country in Hip Hop
International’s World Hip Hop Dance Championship and World Battles: Bboy,
Popping, Locking and All Styles.
According to the Country Manager, Hip Hop International
Nigeria (HHIN), Fola Said, the Nigerian contingent was led by the Country
Director (HHIN), Ademola Andrew Owolabi and the Director, Diaspora Operations
of MindStream Media, operators of AMC TV on the StarTimes Network, Obafemi
Obayemi.
Before departing for Lagos, the crew attended Urban Move
Workshops led by renowned hip hop dance icons Parris Goebel, Popin Pete, Brian
Puspos, Ian Eastwood and Shaun Evaristo. Stars on Earth also had the
opportunity to watch a live performance by the legendary Jabbawockeez and
toured Sin City's landmarks such as Caesar's Palace, Mandalay Bay and MGM on
the famous Las Vegas Strip.
The team returned to Lagos on August 12, 2014 and was met by
officials of the sponsors and their colleagues from the Society for Performing
Arts in Nigeria (SPAN).
The qualifiers for the 2015 edition of the Nigerian Hip Hop
Dance Championship will commence with a workshop in Lagos to be hosted by HHI's
Technical Director, Ian Levia in January 2015. The workshop will offer the complete
and official analysis of the HHI rules and judging procedures. The one day
course will include the history of street dance, demonstration of the styles
and a video review featuring expert evaluation and scoring of routines from
past world championships. Dancers, crew members, crew leaders, choreographers,
studio owner, future judges or anyone interested in street dance and hip hop
competition are encouraged to attend the workshop.
The qualifiers will be held in Benin, Abuja and Lagos in
March 2015, while the finals will be held in Lagos in April 2015.
Fola Said reiterated the commitment of HHIN to foster unity
among Nigerian youths through hip hop dance and solicited for corporate sponsors
to support the movement to put Nigerian dance on the world stage, like they did
for music and movies.
FOR MORE INFO please email:info@hiphopdancenigeria.com
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