With the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games just around the corner, the Institut français du Cambodge (IFC) has put the spotlight on one of the brand new disciplines being showcased at this year's Games: breaking.
So it was over two evenings, Friday 31 May (pre-selection of groups) and Saturday 1 June (competition), that the B-Boys and B-Girls, all from the Kingdom, faced off in the Breaking Dance Battle in 2vs2.
A cultural season dedicated to dance
With ‘Danse comme je bouge’, the Institut français du Cambodge is celebrating this new cultural season with the art of dance in all its diversity, exploring the gamut of rhythm and style.
Between following the rules and absolute freedom of expression, where sport, dance and creation intermingle, the Breaking Dance Battle was one of the flagship events, showcasing both this art of living and the Kingdom's talents that are just waiting to be expressed.
B-Bboy Slick, of Cambodian origin, Vietnamese B-Girl Tinnie Rawk, and B-Boy Alex, of Franco-Khmer origin, and a panel of renowned international judges, watched as the competing B-Boys and B-Girls showcased their talent and personality on stage.
All this to the rhythm of the talented Vietnamese DJ, Thai Binh Dong, known as DJ Style D, and hosted by MC Dara and MC Rota: a real battle full of energy and sharing set the IFC stage alight.
Great rewards
Thanks to their partners and sponsors, IFC was able to offer some great prizes to the participants:
- First prize: 2 stays in France from 12 to 28 October 2024 with participation in the CAMPING programme at the Centre National de la Danse (CND) in Paris and the TROPHÉE MASTERS 2024, an international breaking competition in Toulouse, with 5vs5 battles for the very first time.
- Second prize: Bluetooth speaker, gourmet baskets and a $125 Décathlon gift voucher per dancer.
- Third prize: gourmet baskets and Décathlon gift certificates worth $75 per dancer.
- People's Choice Award: $50 Décathlon gift certificate per dancer.
Breaking Dance Battle winners
32-year-old B-Boy Suicide Cambodia from Tiny Toones and 24-year-old B-Boy Freez won Saturday's Breaking Dance Battle. Their victory takes them straight to the French capital in October 2024, where they will be taking part in the CAMPING programme run by the Centre National de la Danse (CND) in Paris and the TROPHÉE MASTERS 2024, an international breaking competition in Toulouse.
“We're so excited, our dream is coming true,” says Bboy Suicide Cambodia.
B-Boy Freez adds: “I can't even imagine that we've done it yet.”
Much more than a discipline, this art of creating in total freedom, which shone for two days at the IFC thanks to the talents from the Kingdom, will sublimate the walls of the French Embassy in Cambodia on 21 June, on the occasion of the Fête de la Musique, thanks to the shots taken by Studio Images.
