Breaking
Dance
Dance Battles Explained: Inside the world of competitive breaking
Who goes first in a dance battle? And what’s the judging criteria? Learn from insiders about the roles of judges, MCs, and DJs, and what flies between competitors and audience.
Breaking has officially stepped into the limelight having made its way from the Bronx to the biggest games of 2024. The dance style is dynamic, artistic, and incredibly athletic—but if you’re watching a breaking battle for the first time, it can feel like entering another world.
So who gets to judge? How do you know who’s winning? And what do those hand gestures mean?
If you ask Australian B-Girl Holy Molly, battles may look aggressive, but they’re actually a conversation.
"Dancers use their moves to talk. So when it comes to the battle conversation, you have to be really good at responding to each other. That’s the beauty of it," says B-Girl Holy Molly, winner of the 2022 Red Bull BC One Cypher Australia.
So if battles are a conversation, you just need the vocabulary. Here are the basics of the breaking and battling world.
B-boy C-LIL from Laos performs at Red BC One
© Red Bull / Little Shao
01
The Competitors
Battles follow a knockout format with three rounds per match-up. When the DJ plays the beat, each breaker must dance, improvising and adapting their movement.
A round is also known as a throw-down, and major competitions like Red Bull BC One often have five rounds in the finals, normally 60 seconds for each one. There is no penalty if a breaker chooses to dance for a shorter time. If they go for longer, the MC will time them out.
After all rounds are completed, the MC will signal to the judges to indicate the winner. In the case of a tie, breakers will compete in one extra round (often to the delight of the crowd and the exhaustion of the dancers). While Red Bull BC One is a 1 vs 1 competition, there are also 2 vs 2, 3 vs 3 battles, and so on.
Phil Wizard, Hong 10, Narumi judging during Red Bull BC One Cypher in Seoul
© Red Bull
02
The Judges
There is usually an odd number of judges, often three or five. The diverse judging panel is carefully selected and includes well-respected dancers known for their technical ability, personal style, and winning track record.
But what do judges look for in a battle? Well, it depends. B-boy Neguin from Brazil says he’s looking for “something that is real… organic”. While B-boy Hong 10 from Korea says he wants to be surprised.
There's no globally standardised judging system for breaking battles, but common categories include technique, vocabulary, execution, musicality, and originality. There is also a judges’ showcase towards the end of the battle event.
03
The MC
Also known as the ‘master of ceremonies’, the MC runs the battle with microphone in hand. There are normally one or two MCs who announce the order of competitors, signal the judges to cast their votes, keep the crowd’s energy high, and make sure the event runs on schedule.
DJ performs at a Red Bull BC One Cypher
© Red Bull
04
The DJ
Breakers dance to music genres like break beats, funk, rap, and soul. Each DJ curates their setlist, ensuring the BPMs, genres, and range are suitable for battle. They also keep track of time and observe the physical responses of the dancers and audience.
05
The Crowd
Unlike many other dance performances or events, audiences are expected to be vocal during a battle. Yelling your appreciation for what you see on the dance floor is not only encouraged but expected. A silent or politely clapping crowd is the last thing a battler wants.
You might also see hand gestures from both the breakers on stage and the dancers in the crowd. Breaking and hip-hop culture emphasises originality, so if a dance move is believed to be copied, dancers aren’t afraid to signify it with a hand gesture. Copying a move is called a ‘bite’, and the breaker will be penalised.
Winners B-Boy Vinh and B-Girl Mags at Red Bull BC One Australia
© Ken Leanfore
06
The Winner
With only one minute to impress the judges, time is of the essence. But breakers won’t simply perform their biggest or signature moves without thought. Every b-boy and b-girl decides how to introduce each round, build movements with the music, and eventually reach a climax.
There are many paths to winning a battle, but dancers always aim for the crowd’s energy to climax along with the set. When it reaches the peak and everything breaks loose, you experience a battle in all its glory. So lean in—Red Bull BC One 2024 is just around the corner.
Love Breaking? Watch the 2023 Red Bull BC One World Final held in Paris, France for free on Red Bull TV.
Red Bull BC One World Final 2023
Watch the world's best b-boys and b-girls battle it out to become the 2023 Red Bull BC One World Champions.
