The Red Bull Dance Your Style National Finals in Chicago encouraged everyone to unleash their inner dancer. On May 20, 2023, qualifiers from Tennessee, California, Florida, Maryland and North Carolina came together for a night of battles, performances and celebration.
With no panel of judges, no planned choreography, and no pre-selected music, dancers are put to the test of freestyle and musicality skills, with the crowd deciding who rules the dance floor. The intense battle consisted of back-to-back rounds showcasing 16 dancers from all over the USA. Dance styles included bone-breaking, crimping, juking, tutting and more.
“I’m just really excited to inspire Black youth to just keep going with what they believe in,” contestant Imani Blake told GU.
The lineup included celebrated fan favorites Katana Pop, Superstar, and iLLmani amongst additional talent. Hosts for the evening were Chicago Dancer Bravemonk and Celtics Host Melisa Valdez, accompanied by Chicago’s own NerotheProfessor as DJ of the evening.
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iLLmani competes at Red Bull Dance Your Style National Finals in Chicago, USA on May 20, 2023
Not only does this serve as the time to showcase your skills but also a time to reflect on the importance of the next generation leading the creative movement. Throughout the night we saw the grit and hard work that many of the dancers put into their craft. The competition finale had fans on the edge of their seats as we watched the final battle between Daisy VMZ and Sean Lew light up the dance floor.
The two battled it out with “Break Ya Neck” by Busta Rhymes, Crystal Waters’ “Gypsy Woman,” and “Family Ties” by Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar. After the intense battle fans had the opportunity to cast their vote showcasing the final decision crowning Sean Lew as the winner.
Lew will travel to Frankfurt, Germany this November to represent the United States in the highly anticipated Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final.
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Sean Lew wins the competition at Red Bull Dance Your Style National Finals in Chicago, IL, USA on May 20, 2023 // Chris Hershman
“I am flooded with the amount of inspiration from my competitors tonight,” Lew said. “Being the champion is the best feeling in the world because I get to honor my family and my friends who have sacrificed a lot for me. I get to make my family, my friends proud, and that means the world to me.“
The evening honored the determination of the Midwest dance scene, featuring performances by Detroit group Jit Happens, footwork crews Creation Global and Goon Squad, REVEAL Chicago accompanied by the exceptional talent of Monyett Crump, and viral dance collective Syncopated Ladies.
The third edition of the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final will take place on November 4th in Frankfurt, Germany.
About Kenyatta: Clark Atlanta University and Medill School alumna Kenyatta Victoria is the Girls United writer covering everything from news, pop culture, lifestyle, and investigative stories. When not reporting, she’s diving deep into her curated playlists or binging her favorite comfort shows.