Lil Zoo poses for a portrait prior to the Red Bull BCOne World Final around Victoria Station in Mumbai, India on November 7, 2019
© Little Shao/Red Bull Content Pool
Breaking
We asked Lil Zoo about b-boying success, his career progression and more
Moroccan b-boy Lil Zoo won everything there is to win in 2018 and tours the world with Red Bull BC One All Stars. We caught up with him to ask him about what’s coming next…
By Emmanuel Adelekun
4 min readUpdated on
2018 was a landmark year in the b-boy career of Lil Zoo. He won the BBIC and Taipei B-Boy City crew battles with different teams of breakers, took 2-on-2 competition wins at World B-Boy Classic with the legendary B-Boy Machine, and Bomb Jam Vol. 10 with B-Boy Sunni. He also won the solo competition at Battle in Taoyuan and added his biggest achievement yet when he won the Red Bull BC One World Final, which he'd been chasing for over half a decade.
Check out that win below:
9 minLil Zoo vs LuigiB-Boy Lil Zoo takes a look back at his battle against Luigi at the 2018 Red Bull BC One World Final in Zürich.
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Since 2019, he is touring the world with his fellow Red Bull BC One All Stars. He is competing, performing and sharing his love for the dance with b-girls and b-boys worldwide. For many, this might seem like the pinnacle of a dancer's career, but Lil Zoo doesn't think about slowing down.
Find out what the future holds for Lil Zoo and what plans, ideas and paths he wants to follow next, as we caught up with him to find out.
Learn more about B-Boy Lil Zoo and how his life has been changed by breaking in this episode of the Beyond the Ordinary podcast.

How has being part of the Red Bull BC One All Stars changed your mindset to your breaking career?

Lil Zoo: The biggest change is that I'm more responsible. I plan to take better care of my body and stay in shape. I'm also more particular about certain things, like what I choose to post on social media, because now I'm representing a big brand and with this you have to always make sure that you're representing yourself in a good way.

Lil Zoo is pictured with the Red Bull BC One winner's belt.
Lil Zoo celebrates his victory at Red Bull BC One 2018© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool

What lessons have you learned that'll help you in the future?

Having met some of the best doctors and teachers for athletes, I’ve been educated with useful information, so I’m no longer just a kid from the streets breaking. Now, for my future, I’m more aware of how to be a top athlete and dancer and this is helping so much for my future plans as a competitive dancer.

What are your future plans as a competitive dancer?

Because I was injured a lot, the first thing on my list is that I want to do a lot of competitions. I'm focusing on achieving a lot more wins and representing in the best way possible. I also have future plans to do projects that I have ideas for.

4 minLil Zoo vs Philip – round of 8B-Boys Lil Zoo and Philip face off in a one-on-one battle for a chance to make it to the semi-finals.
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Breaking's will debut at the 2024 Games. Is competing there something that's in your mind?

Yes, for sure. My plan is to stay in shape for 2024, as of course I want to try out for the Olympics. I now have access to resources that I can get great training and practice from, so I can now focus completely on preparing for that possible future goal. I plan to stay ready for 2024.

Is there anything outside of competing that you want to do in the future?

I want to support and help train the young, up-and-coming kids who are breaking in Austria and Morocco. I want to share my knowledge and experience with them and help to bring these young B-Boys and B-Girls up to international level. This is one of my biggest future plans that I want to do outside of competing.

B-Boy Lil Zoo posing for a portrait during the Red Bull Bc One Camp in Vienna, Austria on April 11, 2019
Lil Zoo at the Red Bull BC One Camp 2019 in Austria © Little Shao/Red Bull Content Pool

Any advice or insights you could give to dancers who might be working to achieve a career in dance?

I would say to always be aware of how you represent yourself at battles, or when you're posting on social media, as you want to represent yourself in a positive way, and everything you do will impact the opportunities that can help you build a good future as a dancer.

The most important thing is to look professional because there are a lot of people who may be following or paying attention to you, and you don’t know if they may be people who can help you build a good career.

You also do have to achieve a lot, train hard, be smart, and don't be shy of using social media to build a following. But also remember that your time is now, so live it. Focus on the present, not just the future, and take and utilise any opportunities that you get now. Then, be ready, sharp and prepared for any positive opportunities that might come your way.

Part of this story

Lil Zoo

A member of El Mouwahidin crew, the Flying Steps, and the Red Bull BC One All Stars, Lil Zoo won the coveted Red Bull BC One world title in 2018.

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