All About B-boy Airdit

Ardit Gjikaj aka B-Boy AIRDIT from Germany will be one of the “seniors” at this year’s RED BULL BC ONE. With 28 years of age, he will be one of the older dancers in Tokyo. He has always been one of the strongest B-Boys from Germany, but only now, after concluding his education and terminating his daytime job, thus finally being able to solely focus on the dance, is he reaching his full potential and as a result has earned an invitation to the championship.

AIRDIT has mainly been known as a power mover, but lately has also acquired great dancing skills and a unique style. Ardit has a dynamic flow and enjoys experimenting and creating innovative moves that seem to be ahead of the times.

The first time AIRDIT saw breaking, was at a friend’s house in November 1999. They watched a video tape of the German crew Break Attack. Ardit was so hyper, he passed out—literally. They took him to the hospital, where he had to spend the night. But the doctors couldn’t find anything—B-Boy fever?

He started dancing with Mario that same year and they founded the TNT Crew. Mario remains Ardit’s biggest inspiration. They are still best friends. They practiced with the guys of Break Attack, Timur, Ramazan, Fatih, Ali and Cihan and AIRDIT was deeply impressed buy the abilities of the guys. “I felt like I was in an animated 3-D movie! I was blown away!”

Ardit always knew he wanted to work with his body and use his physical capability. He was a very successful kick-boxer at the time, but was confronted with the problem that there were no more challenges for him in his weight category or the one above. He needed a new outlet for his physical ambitions, his passion for acrobatics, his creativity and the love of music—so when he first saw breaking, he knew it was exactly what he was looking for.

In the beginning; it was a big adjustment for AIRDIT not to be fighting anymore—not to get physical with an opponent in a battle: Now he had to attack without touch, but he learned very fast, what he had to do to score well in battles. The atmosphere in a B-Boy battle, he says, is pretty much the same as in a kick-box fight. “It’s totally exciting because you have no idea what’s coming. You never know if the beats are going to work out for what you were thinking of presenting. You don’t know what your opponent is going to bring or how the judges are going to react to your skills. You feel an incredible energy running through your veins and in every muscle. You feel like you’re on fire! Before important battles, the adrenalin level gets so high, that I feel agravic. I’m literally weightless and feel like I’m floating.”

A while ago AIRDIT realized how important the right state of mind before a battle can be. “The calmer and more introverted I am before a battle, the better I score! The drastic alteration between being totally introverted before a battle and then explode into total extroversion during a battle enables me to find the necessary concentration and expressiveness to convince with my spirit and my skills.”

Airdit is and has been inspired by sveral friends and dancers like: LIL AMOK, LIL G, ALBI, RUBBERLEGZ, UK, SONNY TEE, STORM, PETAIR...not just about their dancestyle...more how deep they think about the things the do and their lifestyle...

AIRDIT was born in Albania and moved to Germany with his family when he was 13 years old. His parents had decided to move, so their children would receive a better education and have a chance of a better future. It was hard in the beginning to have to start over as a teenager—to learn a new language and get back to school, but he managed. Ardit’s family was not too happy when he focused more and more on the dance and gave up his profession as an office clerk. That was not the idea they had had in mind when moving to Germany. They had hoped for stability and security for their children. They had a hard time accepting his career choice, but in the end they gave in because they wanted him to be happy and they realized that behind a counter or a desk he would never flourish like he did when he was dancing.

Apart from B-Boying AIRDIT also dances house and popping. He battles, judges, gives workshops and organizes events for the scene. He also successfully pursues an acting career in the theater. He strives to open a booking agency and an academy for the performing arts and hopes to one day make enough money to buy a big house for him and his parents. Ardit states that he is interested in arts, philosophy and luxury. Asked, what luxury means for him he explains, “Luxury is when you worked hard to earn what you got and you are able to fulfill more than the basic needs. It’s how success manifests. For example, it’s luxury to be 28 years old, to be invited to the RED BULL BC ONE and to have the time to really focus on preparing for that battle, without having to worry about making money.”

AIRDIT is looking forward to going to Japan. “It’s always interesting to explore new cultures. I’m looking forward to meeting new people, hanging out in a fresh hotel with B-Boys from all over the world, checking out sights in Tokyo, practicing, and eating healthy food and lots of fruit. But mostly I am looking forward to the battle. That’s where I can express myself and show my skills and my new moves. That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing!”

All About B-boy Niek

Niek Traa aka “JUST DO IT” is one of the few B-Boys from the Netherlands who got international fame. He battled in pretty much every important event. He convinces with a whole repertoire of outstanding combinations, energetic moves and unlimited stamina. He has a distinct style and is constantly trying to create new moves or at least do old moves with a new twist.

JUST DO IT is a second time competitor at the RED BULL BC ONE. He won the European qualifier in Stuttgart, Germany, in June 2007. Unfortunately he got injured right before the RED BULL BC ONE finals in South Africa in 2007 and couldn’t compete. After recovering from his knee injury, he got a second chance and was invited to RED BULL BC ONE in France in 2008, where he lost to Cico. This year, he says, he’s more ready than ever and is going for the title. “Being one of the B-Boys in the RED BULL BC ONE made me set my goals on a completely new level. When I compare myself to other dancers, I compare myself to the top.”

Niek doesn’t remember when he saw breaking for the first time, but he remembers watching the “Power Rangers” on TV and then trying to copy a move that the Blue Power Ranger did. He later learnt that it was the helicopter.

JUST DO IT started breaking when he had just turned 14. He was taking classes with an ‘old school’ B-Boy who was teaching nothing but backspins. After a few months, Niek heard about B-Boys practicing in Eindhoven. Every Saturday, he journeyed 20 km to practice. That’s where he met most of the B-Boys he would later start his crew Rugged Solutions with. Niek admired the B-Boys on the RED BULL - Lords of the Floor videotape for their originality and diversity, especially B-Boys like Cloud and Twixx. “Whenever I feel stuck, that’s the video I turn to. My foundation is based on those B-Boys!”

When Niek started dancing, it just felt right. In Holland dancing isn’t something you grow up with. “Most people don’t get further than bouncing offbeat on a house track. So when I got into the world of dance it just sucked me in. I went from being interested to being serious to making it my profession. It feels great to wake up happy every day, doing what I love!”

Asked how he got his name, Niek explains that when he was 12 years old, he had to make up an email address in school and what he came up with was “justdoitniek” referring to the famous Nike slogan and connecting it to his name Niek, which is almost like Nike. At an event in Rotterdam where Tyrone Van Der Meer, organizer of the IBE was hosting, he shouted out that email address, “JustDoItNiek!” Niek liked the sound of it, but then decided to shorten it to “JUST DO IT” because nobody knows how to pronounce his name Niek from reading it. “I don’t know if my style adapted to my name or the other way around, but I feel it’s appropriate to the way I dance.”

Niek loves the Hip Hop culture for its diversity. ”In music and art people are appreciated for being different. That’s the golden rule in Hip Hop: stay true to what you believe in and who you are.” Niek is originally from a really small village in Holland. His background provides him with a different view and mentality. “People don’t expect me to do the things I do. It’s like a magician; you got to bring your stuff in a way that nobody sees it coming.” There is more to JUST DO IT than meets the eye!

In Niek’s opinion his country is a force to reckon with in the B-Boy scene. He thinks it’s one of the strongest upcoming scenes in the world. There are lots of great events in Holland and even though Holland is not a big country, there are many crews that are getting stronger and stronger. In the past few years, Holland proved to be one of the innovating countries in B-Boying. Niek states, “The scene in Holland starts to mature. There’s a lot of creativity and there are quite some prodigies around.”

JUST DO IT is preparing for the RED BULL BC ONE with full commitment. He will give his best and prepare for the worst. For him a good dancer is somebody who knows how to express himself. He thinks that if a B-Boy does what fits him and what he feels comfortable with, you can sense it and that makes this person stronger and a better dancer. “Don’t let anybody tell you how to dance. Ignore what other people think of you! And pass on the dance to the next generation so that it will still be here when we are gone!”

All About B-boy Morris

Morris Isby aka MORRIS was a little kid whose family put him in the center of the room at parties to dance and entertain relatives and friends. There was always music and dancing around him as a child. He danced to soulful music but when he first heard Hip Hop music at the age of 5, he was very curious to learn more about it.

It wasn’t until 1998, that MORRIS, then a teenager, would discover B-Boying. B-Boy Abe of Flexible Flav, a crew MORRIS would soon join, performed at a rally at MORRIS’s high school. MORRIS remarked that it looked easy and was invited to the crew’s practice that very night. He recalls, “It ended up being hard to do after all!” When asked, what motivated him to stay at it and practice harder, MORRIS explained, “When I danced for other dancers and people at the school they said I sucked.”

Two of MORRIS’s greatest B-Boy influences can be found within his own crew. He models his style after B-Boy Abe, but his other influence, Future, who was in the crew before him, was more advanced than MORRIS and had a very different style. MORRIS considers it a blessing to have Future as his training and sparring partner.

His battle highlights include winning Freestyle Session 11 in 2008, Evolution 1 & 2 (2004 -2005), 2008 UK B-Boy Championships crew battle with Top 9. Other career achievements for MORRIS include appearing as featured dancer in “Step Up 3” (film soon to be released) and appearing on Nickelodeon TV’s Teen Choice Awards.

Originating from a family that introduced music and dancing into MORRIS’s life, it goes without saying that his parents are very supportive of his career as a B-Boy. As a result, MORRIS states, “If not, I don’t know what I’d be doing.” What his family first saw as a hobby for him, evolved into a career in dance and for that they are proud of his achievements and success.

MORRIS works teaching dance workshops in other countries, especially in Europe. He works as a co-organizer for his crew, Flexible Flav to help stage their self-produced event: New Hope. He also helps to promote their other event: BBoy 24/7. He is honored to have appeared in many DVDs including UK B-Boy Championships 2008, Total Sessions, KB B-Boy Masters, Match One Skills and more. MORRIS also dabbles in other Hip Hop elements including graffiti and DJing.

MORRIS approaches B-Boy battles similar to the way one would compete in boxing or chess. He develops a strategy before he goes into the battlefield. He strives to be more dominant than his opponents by using character, originality and execution of steps, moves and combinations. As another tactic, he consistently presents a game face and superior position to throw off his contender’s sense of victory. MORRIS has learned to keep his warrior spirit, on the dance floor versus any physical contact with his opponent.

All About B-boy Toyz

Geoffrey Chang was born on March 12, 1988. From an early age, Geoffrey showed keen interest in dancing. He was greatly motivated and inspired by Michael Jackson and James Brown, imitating their movements and jamming to their music. He discovered b-boying in 2000 at the age of 12 and hasn’t stopped breaking since. Starting off with his older brother and his high school friends, he quickly fell in love with the dance and later joined the legendary Lionz Of Zion crew in 2002. Showing great potential, the older members of L.O.Z. trained him to develop his skills further and mold his own style. Given the nickname “Toyz aRe Us” by his friends, he kept the alias as his b-boy name. One of the most well respected international B-Boys in the U.S. scene today, Toyz aRe Us in the past 10 years has built a reputable name as an inspirational dancer of his time. He has carried over the knowledge of the old school techniques of his fellow teammates while infusing it with a new school twist. Well respected by everyone in the dancing community, Toyz’s b-boy career has taken him to Germany, France, Korea, the Philippines, Bulgaria, and more as a judge, instructor, performer and competitor. Unique by any comparison, he has set out to create an influential and innovative style that inspires other dancers to think outside of the box.
Toyz aRe Us currently teaches breaking at a DC Non-Profit known as Words, Beats & Life Inc. and also at DC Dance Collective. He is available to hire for Judging, Teaching, Workshops, Performances, Competitions, Exhibition Battles and Private Lessons.

All About B-boy Thesis

Thias Kem Lopez aka THESIS  began B-Boying 10 years ago at the young age of 7. He reflects, “Hip Hop is the first thing I can remember. Introduced at a very young age, I saw it as a break from all the bullshit in life. Even then, I saw freedom in it and I took it because it just made sense to me. It made me feel complete.”
While not every parent is encouraging when a child’s unique ambition is to become a professional B-Boy, THESIS is grateful to have major support from his mother and stepfather. He admits, “Without them I really wouldn't be where I'm at today.” When he was 9, his mother gave him the name “THESIS”. He explains, “Thesis = proving a point…Do the math!”

Thesis is of Mexican and Native American descent and feels that he is privileged this way. “The rhythm is in my blood! I can feel it!”
Since 2005, he has been taking titles everywhere from his birthplace in Phoenix, AZ to The Netherlands to his hometown of Seattle, WA. THESIS appears on battle DVDs such as B-Boy Ho-Down 2006 and IBE 2008 and he, along with his crew TheM Team, is sponsored by clothing company Mash Hall. While he works full time as a B-Boy, THESIS enjoys critical writing and is interested in learning to DJ. Very experimental with movement, he has tried Salsa, House and Modern dancing as well as Capoiera in an effort to incorporate them into his B-Boying and complete his style.
On the battlefield, THESIS is confident that if a B-Boy who is well rounded, uses this quality wisely, it would be impossible for him to lose. Maintaining his stamina and having fun when battling is essential for him. He describes his battle strategy as, “Just play your own game and win it.” He focuses on not allowing his opponents to try to defeat him psychologically.
Now he is one of the best bboys in the world.

Titles2008 Invitation
The Notorious IBE - Heerlen, Netherlands
2008 participation
Battle of the Year - Braunschweig, Germany
2008-2009 1st place
World Of Dance B-Boy Battles, USA
2009 Invitation
The Notorious IBE - Heerlen, Netherlands
2009 participation
Red Bull BC One - Manhattan, New York
2009 1st place
Seven 2 Smoke, Rocking Oetka 2, Netherlands
2009 1st place
Outbreak 5 - Orlando, Florida
2010 1st place
World B-Boy Classics - Rotterdam, Netherlands
2010 1st place
Unbreakable - Leuven, Belgium
2010 Invitation
The Notorious IBE - Heerlen, Netherlands
2010 1st place Battel of the year 1 on 1 battels – Montpellier, Frace

All About B-boy El Nino

B-Boy El Nino aka Alex “Pookie” Diaz from Boston, MA; is no stranger to B-Boying, having spent 16 years as a professional b-boy, which taught him to appreciate and love hip-hop and all it has to offer. He started break dancing at the young age of 3, watching his uncles and older family members, from which include his biggest influence, uncle, Lino “Leanski” Delgado and “B-Boy Float” just to name a few. Pulled onto the dance floor in a bag by KMel at Red Bull - Lords of the Floor 2002, it was clear the moment he exploded from the bag that he attacked consistently and aggressively, leaving a rampage of destruction, at only age 11.

El Nino became a member of “The Floor Lords” established in Boston in 1982, at the age of 6. Since the age of 6 he has been blowing people’s minds with his mesmerizing moves and head spins. He has won various international competitions, has been a part of many successful theater shows, and has made appearances in many TV shows as well as movies. All of this success has led El Nino to be recognized as Bboy of the Year in 2011 and with the 2009 Spy Award by The Rock Steady Crew at age 19. The Spy Award is given to any b-boy or b-girl, who has a complete understanding of foundation, has arsenal of moves, rocks to the beat, innovates moves, and has a dance influential style. El Nino is the youngest bboy to have ever received the award to date.

El Nino is also a group member of Flava Squad USA, Boogie Bratz, The Squadron, and Biggest & Baddest. His favorite b-boys thus far are, B-Boy Storm, B-Boy Float, The whole Incredible Breakers Crew, and First and Second generation of Floor Lords. He is known around the world as an upcoming legend to the B-Boy industry, winning and judging b-boy competitions all over the world. 

All About B-boy Crazy Legs

Crazry Legs started b-boying in 1977 when he picked up moves from his cousin and other local b-boys in the Bronx.  At the age of 12 he battled his way into the seminal New York b-boy crew the Rock Steady Crew.

Legs quickly gained notoriety as a dancer and in 1981 the Village Voice credited him with the creation of the classic b-boy move called the continuous backspin or "windmill". That same year he was also written up in National Geographic, The New York Times, and New York Daily News. By 1982, the dance took Crazy Legs and the Rock Steady Crew to Paris and London and in 1983 the crew performed for the Queen of England. Amazingly, this was just the beginning.

Crazy Legs took the dance from the floor to film, making appearances in Flashdance, Beat Street, Wild Style, Style Wars, and The Freshest Kids (which he co-produced).  He's choreographed music videos for Wyclef Jean (which was nominated for an MTV Award for Best Choreography) and multi-platinum artist Moby.  Aside from infiltrating the entertainment industry, Crazy Legs has appeared in commercials and print ads for major corporations including Coke, Sprite, Verizon Wireless, Sean Jean, Avirex, and Nike.  He even signed a deal with Fila Sportswear, making him the first b-boy to get a sneaker company to honor a group like the Rock Steady Crew with it's own sneaker.

It's far from “all business” for Legs.  Being a true hip hop pioneer, he's never forgotten where his roots are truly at. “I enjoy teaching more than anything. I enjoy working with kids and giving back to the community. So expect me to never turn my back on the hood.”    He backs this point by volunteering his time and reputable name to teaching the art of b-boying and preserving the power and integrity of the movement he helped start and keep it growing for generations to come.  His efforts have been recognized and honored, giving him an impressive resume of awards for professional and charitable work, including a place in the Hip Hop Hall of fame.  In 2003 alone, he was presented with the Source Youth Foundation Image Award, received the AARTS Award from the Bay Shore Schools Arts Education Fund, and honored as the National Godfather of the Jersey City Puerto Rican Day Parade.  Legs was still steady hitting his stride in 2004, being honored at the first Annual VH1 Hip Hip Honors and signing an endorsement deal with Red Bull Energy Drink.

From having an official “Rock Steady Crew Day” in both New York City and Las Vegas to worldwide respect and recognition, the fame hasn't gone to his head.  His focus remains on the importance of youth, community, and preservation of hip hop as a vehicle for expression and change. Why dedicate his life to a cause like hip hop?  “Love of music, reputation, and tradition. Gotta keep every aspect of hip hop that is positive alive and pass it on so that it can be used as a tool by others to advance in life and express themselves when they have no other outlet.” SOURCE REDBULLBCONE
crazylegsworkshop.com