Dance Your Style Showcases Cebuano Talent in Provincial Qualifiers

CEBU, Philippines — The city of Cebu came alive with rhythm and energy for the Red Bull Dance Your Style Qualifiers last July 13 at APEX Super Club. Cebu’s finest dancers brought out their impressive skills and extraordinary talents, and went head to head to earn a spot in the upcoming National Finals.

A global 1-on-1 street dance competition, the tilt encourages dancers’ individuality and creativity, and celebrates diverse dance styles from all over the world. Dancers are pushed to show off their insane improvisational skills and freestyle dance moves while dancing to unpredictable songs.

The global competition stands out for its unique battle format, with the crowd deciding who moves on to the next stage of the competition.  It was fierce with 16 dancers showcasing a stunning array of dance styles.

Finalists at the Cebu qualifier did not disappoint, delivering jaw-dropping performances that left the audience in awe. JPY (Jeffrey Casas Toledo), Nemesis (Sam Rivera), Khlai (Khlai Vargaso Batula), and Baby Titan (Shihan Maui Ricablanca) made it to the Top 4. After a series of intense battle rounds, Nemesis was crowned as the winner. Her flawless performances throughout the competition earned her the top spot and a ticket to the National Finals.

“(It) feels great,” remarked Nemesis, who also participated in last year’s Cebu qualifier. “Last year, I only won second place so this serves as my redemption.”

Nemesis shared that what she found to be one of the highlights for this year’s competition was getting to compete with fellow members of her dance crew, “Underground.” She said, “This year, there are a lot of dancers from outside Cebu; some are my friends and some I just met during the competition. I think one of the highlights for this year is meeting new friends and competitors.”

Asked how she plans to prepare for the National Finals, she said, “Since the competition for the National Finals is already filtered from Baguio, Davao, and Manila, I need to level up my training.”

First runner up Khlai, who also secured her spot in the National Finals, expressed joy for placing in the competition. “It feels so surreal, I don’t even know where to begin,” she said.

Khlai shared that her motivation to join the competition, despite her long-term knee injury, was her late grandfather. “Today is the birthday of my grandfather who passed away. The performance that I did was dedicated to my grandfather and grandparents.”

In preparation for the National Finals, Khlai said she wanted to work on her stamina, stating, “I don’t really prepare that long or have a specific training, but I’ll try to do cardio for my stamina so that I can keep up with the dancers.”

Philippine All-Stars legends and dance consultants Lema Diaz and Vince Mendoza were seen at the event. “All I can say is that (the competition) was full of inspiration and new faces,” said Vince Mendoza. “Compared to last year, we multiplied by a lot. A lot of dancers supported Red Bull Dance Your Style and the skills really leveled up from last year.”

“Nemesis had really unpredictable moves and undeniable skills,” said Mendoza.

He expressed his excitement for the next round of qualifiers, saying, “It’s going to be more crazy. We’re excited for the Manila qualifiers. There’s a lot of dancers and new faces. I’m excited that I can witness that moment.”

Asked for advice he wanted to give dancers competing in the National Finals, Mendoza said, “We always tell them to always have fun no matter what. Win or lose, it’s all about the transformation. If you win, there’s transformation. If you lose, there’s transformation. It’s all about giving love to the community, to the next generation, to the OGs, to our past, present, and future.”

With the conclusion of the Cebu qualifiers, all eyes are now on the thrilling next round of the competition. The Red Bull journey continues with the Manila qualifiers set for July 27, at Octopus Makati. More hopeful dancers across the country will compete for their chance to shine at the World Finals.

The World Finals is happening in India on November 9, while the National Finals is on September.