Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Hip-hop dancers face off in Orlando competition
Rey De Leon had on his dancing shoes. The toned, tattooed former soldier would need his tightly laced sneakers for the moves he wasabouttoshowoff, which was no dance for chumps.
When De Leon hits the floor atmany points, it’s with his head. In one move he spins on his back and uses his head to flip his body in different directions. At times his shoes hardly touch the floor. Most of his moves are unplanned. The impromptu kicks, fancy footwork and strange contortions are key to keeping his show dynamic.
“The word I use is ‘raw,’ ” said the 25-year-old professional dancer from Kissimmee. “You can tell it’s a dance— in the moment.”
De Leon, who goes by the stage name Rey Mosu, was one of16 performers to compete at the Red Bull BC One on Saturday, a regional faceoff of top hip-hop break dancers from the Southern United States. Halfway into the event, more than 500 spectators and amateur performers poured intoFull Sail Live, a studio on the Full Sail campus. The top performer would advance to national finals in LasVegas.
Thedance, a staple of hiphop arts culture, has its roots in New York City, where dancers took to performing during the breaks or musical interludes of DJs. The performers — who prefer the term “b-boys” or “b-girls” instead of break dancers — are mostly self-taught and have made the dance a lifestyle, organizers said. Most learn from Hollywood music videos, YouTube or friends.
“It’s kind of like a virus. Youpick itup,” saidRayGazzelli, an Orlando native who also competed. “You see it the first time, and you want to learn.”
De Leon began breaking as a teenager with friends to impress girls. These days it’s less about girls and more about moves. Closer to competitions, he performs at least two hours a day and works out another two hours. Last year, he did not make it past the first round of the Central Florida competition, but this year hewas hopeful for more.
“I’m not expecting to win or anything,” he said. “It would be cool if I got farther than I thought I could.”