Nail-biting End to Glo Battle of theYear
On Saturday, April 30, a mammoth crowd convened at the Eko Convention Centre for the grand finale of the Glo Battle of the Year dance competition.
The energy in the packed hall was so palpable and electrifying given the screams and shouts that rented the air. Anywhere you turned, people were either sitting or standing with varied facial expressions. Sometimes it was a whoop of joy when the favourite contestant wins, other times it’s a mixture of apprehension and disappointment when the outcome is not the desired one. For instance, when the Outsiders were disqualified from the competition, the crowd did not hide their dismay in their chants.
The tension in the hall as the dancers, in groups and singles, stormed the stage to clinch the ultimate prize was unmistakably high.
The evening started with a pre-taped session where the finalists for the grand finale emerged.
For the breakdance crews, it was a battle between 619 and Delta All Stars; and Eleven All Stars and Space Unlimited for a spot in the final.
The final battle eventually was between 619 and Eleven All Stars in which the former was crowned the eventual winner. The dance crew was rewarded with a N9 million and a Toyota Hiace bus.
In the singles competition, 25-year-old Lil Dan beat 29-yearold Nwafor Joseph to win N1.5m and was crowned the BBoy champion while in the BGirl competition, Cruxxy from Lagos defeated Vicky from Abuja to clinch the title.
The night was also illuminated with performances from Simi and Teni, who opened the show with a joint performance while Davido drew the curtains with a powerful set. Comedy from Ugandan Salvador and Nigeria’s Basketmouth and Gordons left the crowd in stitches.
Glo Battle of the Year is the first time the renowned world dance competition will be sponsored in Nigeria. It is an empowerment programme for the telecommunications giant to recognise how dance is becoming more than a pastime for the teeming Nigerian youths.
“In line with our commitment to promoting the Nigerian entertainment industry and youth talent development across the country, we are excited to unleash the unlimited potential of Nigerian dancers and provide the platform for them to showcase their abilities on the world stage”, said Globacom’s Communications Director, Andre Beyers.
The dance competition was officially launched on October 13, 2021, with auditions held in six venues across seven dance categories which included breakdance, afro dance, popping, locking and krump. 1,542 entries were received and were judged by seasoned professionals like Menno from the Netherlands, BGirl Manuela from Germany, BBoy Poxxy from Cameroon, Locking Si’on and Izzy Odigie from Nigeria/USA.
For a seamless production, over 200 men and women were employed and about N84 million was given out in cash prizes.
The 13-episode TV show started airing in February and instantly became a favourite pastime for many households. The winner will now represent Nigeria in the world competition in Japan.