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Dancer spotlights: Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final wildcards
Meet the iconic dancers invited to grace the stage on May 18 in Atlanta at the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final and Weekender USA.
Every year, hundreds of dancers compete for an opportunity to earn a spot on the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final stage. From auditions, to city qualifiers, to regional qualifiers, dancers do their best to outperform an opponent, with the hopes that they’ll make it one step further in the journey. Throughout the years, various dancers have left a mark on the Red Bull Dance Your Style stage – cementing their impact not only at the competition, but in the community. These dancers return time and again to showcase their skills and battle their way to the top. This year, eight dancers – the wildcards invited to compete at the National Final – will have an opportunity to be one step closer to competing at the World Final in Mumbai in November.
Read on to meet this year’s wildcards and why they are pumped for the upcoming Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final in Atlanta.
01
BRIANNA ‘PASSION’ GREY
Brianna began dancing at a young age, thanks to her brother Manuel, who introduced her to breaking (also known as breakdancing), and various music videos, TV shows, and movies. But it wasn’t until high school that she fully immersed herself in the world of dance, joining hip-hop team, Urban Movement.
Passion at Red Bull Dance Your Style Qualifier 2023 in Denver, Colorado
© Daniel Milchev / Red Bull Content Pool
“Ever since I was little, movement in general has always made me feel good and has been my way of expression and healing,” she says. “Although I have had my ups and downs with dance, I always find myself reconnecting with it and can't let it go. What brings me joy is how I get to connect with other people through this culture and dance…dance is a language we all speak together. It is a form of connection.”
Her battle journey began at 14, where she earned her battle name, Passion. Over the years, her relationship with dance has gone through ups and downs–impacting her mindset toward battling. But now, as she continues to dance and battle, her motivation stems from overcoming doubts to fully pursue her passion. For this year’s Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final, Passion notes that she feels “more focused” as compared to last year, and she “[doesn’t] want to let [her] thoughts get the best of her.” She continues, “It's never about the win but how I represent myself overall. I've been feeling good with my dance, so I just want to continue that.”
02
DERRICK ‘KID NIMBUS’ JUDKINS
Kid Nimbus’s journey to the battle stage was not a simple one. In fact, he recalls that he was “so bad at movement that [his] family would ask [him] to dance and would laugh.” But in 7th grade, at an end-of-year school celebration, Nimbus, alongside his friend, found joy in dance, and that joy pushes him to continue today.
Kid Nimbus at Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final 2021 in D.C.
© Jesus Presinal / Red Bull Content Pool
“I love bringing the music to life,” Nimbus says. “I love the fact that I can pick apart the music and show people exactly what I'm hearing through my movement. It’s almost like a super power. The joy comes from being able to have another way to express myself without words. It's a way to convey a feeling or emotion I'm feeling without having to speak, and I think that's a powerful thing.”
The year 2016 was the beginning of Kid Nimbus’s battle career, encouraged by his friend who wanted Nimbus to discover a side of himself he never explored. His dance and battle years shaped his style–drawing from a mix of different inspirations including breaking, animation, and freestyle hip-hop–tying all of that together with a crowd pleasing personality that excites and energizes spectators.
“I’m feeling free,” he says as he approaches the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final. “While I do have some jitters here and there, I am perfectly okay with whatever [the] outcome will be. The words I tell myself when stepping on stage are ‘welp, you feel the music, you feel your presence–do you [and] let it rock.”
03
SON LAM NGUYEN
Son Lam credits his initial love of dance to an obsession with the viral TV series, “America’s Best Dance Crew.” Inspired, he dove headfirst into learning street dance via YouTube—a habit he continued every day after school. After a year of practicing solo, he performed at his school’s talent show, catching the eye of a choreographer who suggested he join a local hip-hop crew, XClown, in Saigon, Vietnam.
Son Lam Nguyen at Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final 2022
© Jesus Presinal / Red Bull Content Pool
“Dancing brings me profound joy because it transports me back to a time when I was a child, marveling at the magical possibilities of my own body,” Son Lam says. “Despite life’s chaos, there’s nothing more precious than seeing people let go and explore with curious minds, their smiles radiating the beauty of living fully in the present moment.”
In his first popping battle, he felt seen and recognized, which gave him a special sense of purpose and a feeling that he was destined to pursue this art form. He continues to use popping in his dance style, intertwining it with a contemporary approach that crafts emotive patterns that challenge him physically through intricacy and tension.
Ahead of taking the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final stage, Som Lam reminds himself, “I am fired up to share my art. I focus on being fully present in the moment. This means letting go of distractions and embracing the now, [and] I encourage myself to explore and take risks. By embodying these principles, I step onto the stage with confidence and openness, ready to engage in the battle and showcase my true artistry.”
04
ENOCK ‘BROTHA-E’ KADIMA
Brotha-E, originally from Congo, Africa, fell in love with dance from a young age. A part of his culture, dance is integral to who he is, how he expresses himself, and the joy he feels from being able to freely dance.
He began battling in 2015 and ties his motivation to keep going to the various kinds of people he’s met and competed against. As he has continued his journey, his style has evolved to be raw, free, honest, energetic, complex, and with deep roots—all traits he plans to have in his arsenal at the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final on May 18.
“I am looking forward to being on stage,” he says. “As we get closer, I tell myself ‘you are already here. Just have fun and be you!’”
05
DAISY ‘VMZ’ VAZQUEZ
Daisy has always been surrounded by dance–music videos from the likes of Daddy Yankee, Usher, and Rihanna played throughout her home. When she was nine years old, her mother signed her up for dance classes, which began her many year stint in training in various styles including jazz, ballet, and hip-hop. Hip-hop proved to be Daisy’s favorite, which prompted her to join Chapkis Dance Family and compete in a variety of competitions.
Sean Lew and Daisy VMV at Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final 2023
© Chris Hershman / Red Bull Content Pool
Fast forward, and in 2021, Daisy entered the battle scene. “I absolutely loved it right away,” she says. “I was super geeked making top sixteen for the first time and knew right away I want to do this. I love entertaining people when I dance, and it motivates me to push even harder when I see people enjoy and feel my movement.”
Daisy utilizes the various styles she has trained in and honed over the years to bring a technical expertise to her battles. As the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final approaches, she notes that “so many emotions have been going through [her] body” but they push her to give everything and go further than she did in 2023, where Daisy VMZ was the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final runner-up.
06
REBEKAH ‘BEKS’ DENEGAL
Beks, the dancer known for the personal style and raw energy she brings to the stage, was born into dance. At a very young age, she copied everything she saw in music videos–using the visuals to learn new movements. In elementary school, she began to battle–both for fun and as a way to stand up for herself when she felt people questioned who she was as a person.
Beks at Red Bull Dance Your Style Qualifer 2023 in Los Angeles
© Carlo Cruz / Red Bull Content Pool
It wasn’t until she was 20 years old that she began to take battling seriously. On stage is where she allows that unfiltered and unabashed energy to exude–weaving in her training and her personal flavor to outperform her opponent.
As the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final nears closer, Beks is prepared. “I feel good, I feel great. I can’t wait,” she says. “The dance is already in me. I just allow it to come out.”
07
TOMOE ‘BEASTY’ CARR
For Beasty, he grew up around dance–his family is made of dancers, influencing him since he was a young child. Family functions and celebrations were more than a gathering of relatives. They were the start to Beasty’s battle career, where he faced off against his cousins while his uncles and aunts judged and declared the winner.
“Growing up, I was a shy kid,” he says. “But I was aware of my body, and most importantly, I was confident in my movement. I used that to get through tough times in school. I was always known as the kid to do freestyle, and I just know it made me happy to be able to do the thing I love.”
As he grew older and continued to battle, he found inspiration from not only his family, but other notable dancers in the scene including Sheo, Amari, Toyin, Rascal Randi, and so many more. He admired each of these dancers’ free spirits and how they carry their own personal style—a learning he has woven into his own dance style.
“I like to describe myself as graceful, versatile, and groovy. I love that when I am dancing, people around feel like they can dance with me.”
As Beasty heads closer to battling at the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final, he says that he is “here to have fun and enjoy [his time].”
“I am not here to compare myself to anyone,” he continues. “Everyone in the room is here for a reason including myself. Just be myself and I will see a good outcome!”
08
ANTHONY ‘DON SOUP’ CAMPBELL
Don Soup at Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final 2022 in New Orleans
© Jesus Presinal / Red Bull Content Pool
Don Soup is known for the style, vibrance, and personality he brings to battle stages–fueled by his Jamaican roots in dancehall, bruk up, and flex’n. These dance genres were created by Jamaicans and continue to influence him to this day.
As he has exploded in the dance scene, Don recalls his high school years when he crossed paths with choreographer, Josh Smith, someone who recognized Soup’s skills and talent. “Since then, he has been my mentor,” he says.
As Soup prepares for the upcoming Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final 2024 in Atlanta, he recalls that, when he competed in 2021, it was “definitely a change of pace and really gave a great idea of how dancers should be treated in general.”
The Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final and Weekender USA will take place May 16 - 19 in Atlanta, GA. The weekend is sure to be filled with jaw-dropping exhibitions, battles, and electrifying performances brought to life by sound partner, Philips.
Purchase tickets here to witness and be part of an event that will celebrate the dance styles and cultures that have influenced the dance community for years.
