When the curtain rings up at the World Hip Hop Dance Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on August 7, 2016, history will be made as The Clique and The Future crews mount the stage to represent Nigeria. Since 2002 when the week-long ‘World Dance Olympics’ has been held, this will be the first time that Nigeria will be represented by two teams.
The World Hip Hop Dance Championship is produced by Los Angeles based Hip Hop International (HHI). HHI is also the producer of the popular MTV’s Randy Jackson presents America’s Best Dance Crew, the World Battles and Urban Moves Dance Workshops. Hip Hop International is represented by official licensees in 50 countries who conduct their events and competitions under the auspices of Hip Hop International and also qualify street dancers and dance crews to represent their country at the World Hip Hop Dance Championship and World Battles (Bboy, Popping, Locking and All Styles). Hip Hop International Nigeria (HHIN), the producers of the Nigerian Hip Hop Dance Championship is the official licensee of Hip Hop International in Nigeria.
Team Nigeria made up of dancers from The Craft, FFD Reloaded and Bold5ive, winners, first and second runner ups respectively at the 2016 Nigerian Hip Hop Dance Championship held in Lagos in April. The group which will be led by the Technical Director of Hip Hop International Nigeria, Mr. Mike Oseghale will depart Lagos for Las Vegas on Friday, August 5, 2016.
According to the Country Director for Hip Hop International Nigeria, Engr. Ademola Andrew Owolabi this will be the third time that his organization will be sponsoring dancers from Nigeria to the championship. He also disclosed that the dancers have been rehearsing since May and they are well prepared to make the nation proud.
He lamented that despite HHIN’s efforts to provide a platform for Nigerian youths to channel their energy and talent to something positive and create an avenue where Nigerians can showcase their skills to the world, efforts to get corporate and government’s support for the team has failed. He stressed the need for government and corporate organizations to look beyond music and movies and leverage the huge potentials of dance as a tool for youth empowerment and productivity.
HHIN is responsible for hosting of the qualifiers, team’s visa, airfare, feeding and accommodation in the United States. Unlike previous editions, this year, cash prizes of N400,000, N300,000 and N200,000 where given out to the winners, the first and second runner ups of the crew category. In addition, each of the three Battle winners in Popping, Locking and Breaking went home with N100,000.
Team Nigeria will be battling alongside 3500 dancers from 50 countries including South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe for the bragging rights to be the world’s number one hip hop dance crew. The team will also have the opportunity to attend the Urban Moves Dance Workshops led by dance icons like Brian Puspos, Tight Eyez, Matt Steffanina and Parris Goebel. Plans are underway to broadcast the sojourn of Team Nigeria on AMusic Channel TV on StarTimes and on the AIT Network.
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