People enjoy a breakdancing competition on Nodeul Island in Seoul. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
An international street dance festival, showcasing a variety of street dance genres including breaking, which has been newly selected for the 2024 Paris Olympics, will take place at Nodeul Island in Seoul from Friday to Saturday.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture (SFAC), the two-day festival named B.Dance Seoul will be held this week, offering a range of competitions, performances and events.
The main poster for B.Dance Seoul festival / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
Since 2022, the city has hosted the street dance festival as a one-day event focusing on a single genre each year. This year, the city government and SFAC have expanded the event into a two-day festival, encompassing a wider array of street dance genres including rocking, waacking, hip-hop and choreography.
In addition to dance competitions, the festival will feature hip-hop music performances and street culture experience programs, offering various cultural experiences.
The festival will run from 1 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the main stage at the lawn of Nodeul Island and throughout Nodeul Square. Under the slogan “Beat and Bounce That Will Make You Dance,” the event will feature a variety of dance competitions and performances.
Notably, the festival offers a chance to enjoy an international breaking competition ahead of its debut at the Paris Olympics in late July.
A total of eight teams, comprised of top domestic and international competitors, will challenge each other and determine the winner of the International Breaking Crew Battle on Friday. Renowned European teams, the Ruggeds from the Netherlands and Legiteam Obsession from France, will join in a quarterfinal tournament with six domestic teams that advance from the preliminary rounds.
In addition to the main competition, the festival will host the Judge Show, where both domestic and international judges, including renowned b-boys Lil G from Venezuela and Ayu from Japan, will showcase their skills.
On Saturday, the festival will feature an expanded lineup of street dance competitions, enhancing its appeal.
During the day, dancers will compete in an open-style three-on-three battle, showcasing freestyle moves to a DJ’s music.
In the evening, the festival will showcase an open-style performance contest, a format which is often seen on TV shows, for the first time. The final winner will be determined by combining the jury’s scores with on-site votes from 100 citizen evaluators, who were publicly recruited in advance.
People enjoy a DJ experience program during a b-boy festival held on Nodeul Island. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
This year’s festival will also highlight a broader range of hip-hop music performances compared to previous years.
Rapper Wonstein will perform on Friday, followed by BewhY on Saturday. Additionally, the live band Breaking Symphonic will deliver the opening performance on Friday, while national beatboxer Steady will captivate the audience with an exciting performance on Saturday.
Furthermore, participatory programs will allow visitors to immerse themselves in street culture across Nodeul Island from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. These include programs where people can experience graffiti, street fashion, tattoos and screen printing as well as breakdancing.
People can also have a chance to showcase their talents in the K-pop random play dance program on Saturday.
Admission to the festival is free, and further details are available on the official website of Nodeul Island or the festival’s official Instagram.
“Every summer, we hold a street cultural festival where all citizens visiting Nodeul Island, including the younger generation, can experience their unique freedom and dynamism,” said Lee Chang-ki, head of the Seoul Cultural Foundation.
“We hope that this festival will reinvigorate daily life and create fun memories alongside the B.Dance Seoul festival.”
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