Beyond the Battles: Red Bull BC One’s Influence on Breaking Culture

On March 21, 2024, a historic moment occurred in Indonesia. For the first time, Red Bull BC One made a stop in Jakarta as part of its Regional Cypher tour. Besides Indonesia, Regional Cyphers were also held in various countries in Southeast Asia such as the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand. However, what made it special was that Indonesia was the final stop and had the opportunity to host the Final Red Bull BC One Regional South East Asia.

Red Bull BC One Event Poster. Image from Instagram/@RedBullIndo

Welcomed with enthusiasm by young people from the breaker (a term for B-Boys and B-Girls). The term ‘breaker’ is more commonly used to refer to a group of B-Boys and B-Girls, while ‘breaking’ is the term used when the breakers are dancing. Breakers dance to the break of the track being played. Generally, the terms ‘breakdance’ or ‘breakdancing’ are more commonly used by the media and people outside of hip-hop and breaking, when this scene started gaining attention.

It’s no surprise that 130 participant slots opened were quickly filled within 5 minutes. To perform in the number one international-scale competition. The best one-on-one competition in the breaking scene. This competition is like the Olympic of sports and the Superbowl of breaking.

Red Bull BC One Cypher Indonesia took place over two days, starting with the preliminary stage on the first day. The following day featured the final stage of Red Bull BC One for the Southeast Asia Regional. This provided an opportunity for breakers to participate and represent Southeast Asia in the Red Bull BC One World Final 2024 in Brazil.

Some world-class athletes who served as judges at the Regional Cypher Indonesia included the living legend Lilou from France-Algeria, B-girl Aayu from Korea, and Lee from the Netherlands. They are renowned athletes in the breaker scene who have been champions in various competitions, including Red Bull BC One.

The event became captivating as it showcased breakers hailing from various regions across Indonesia. Witnessing both seasoned and emerging breakers engaging in battles added to the excitement. Notably, participants weren’t limited to Indonesia alone, as breakers from Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan also joined in. Among the renowned B-Boys and B-Girls in the scene were Duckzilla, Casavaz, Rici, DC, Jo-L, TinieRawk, LegoSam, and others.

The battle performances between B-Boys and B-Girls were incredibly intense. Despite being hindered by a dance floor that peeled off and became slippery, causing a delay in the competition, each breaker appeared to strive to showcase their maximum potential, unleashing all their moves, tricks, style, and originality during the battles.

B-Girl DC ‘Cindy’ and Novie One emerged as representatives of Indonesia in the regional final, poised to compete against six participants from other Southeast Asian countries once again.

Although in the end, B-Girl Tinie Rawk from Vietnam emerged as the winner representing the South East Asia region in the Red Bull BC One World Finals in Brazil. Meanwhile, B-Boy LegoSam from Malaysia was selected as the winner, following in the footsteps of Tinie Rawk, after overcoming various elimination stages by defeating participants from other countries.

What makes the Red Bull BC One competition attractive to breakers in Indonesia?

The breaker scene in Indonesia continues to thrive and grow with the emergence of young, up-and-coming breakers in various regions of the country. Competitions of various scales, from small community events to large-scale ones like national hip-hop festivals, are also present alongside the burgeoning breaker scene.

Red Bull BC One has prestige and reputation as one of the foremost events in the world of the breaker scene. This makes the competition highly coveted among breakers who aim to measure their skills against the best breakers in the world.

A Place to Express and Get Exposure

The Red Bull BC One provides a larger-scale space for breakers to express themselves. The breaking scene and B-Boys/B-Girls need broader exposure. It’s a crucial opportunity for B-Boys and B-Girls to showcase their breaking identity and skills to other breakers worldwide and to global athletes who serve as judges in one of the most popular breaking competitions.

“We want to show them (Red Bull Global) that our scene exists and that we have a large market here,” said Bian Kreate, collaborator of the event and advocate of the B-Boy scene in Indonesia. Red Bull BC One provides a significant platform for breakers to gain recognition and widespread exposure, both locally and internationally.

Breaking Workshop

The presence of Red Bull BC One in Indonesia doesn’t just involve hosting competitions; it also involves collaborating with local breakers (B-Boys and B-Girls) to participate in promoting the Regional Cypher Indonesia edition alongside international breakers. Indonesian breakers serve as representatives to showcase the Indonesian breaking scene to the global breaking community.

Furthermore, before the battle competition stages commence, they first hold workshops for B-Boys and B-Girls. These workshops feature global athletes who have won various world-level breaking competitions.

The Competitive Breaking Scene: One-on-One

Red Bull is renowned for facilitating extreme sports competitions on both a global and local scale, including breaking competitions, which resonate strongly with the B-Boy & B-Girl community in Indonesia. Competitive breaking is regularly organized by the B-Boy & B-Girl community, local street culture brands, hip-hop festivals, and others.

What sets the Red Bull BC One Cypher Indonesia competition apart is, among other things, the standard of global athletes brought in as judges and the opportunity for local participants to compete against others from different countries. The participants who perform are of a high standard, having achieved victory in various competitions. Each strives to improve their skills on the dance floor.

The association between the breaking scene and the Red Bull brand is strong. They influence the scene by making it more widely known beyond the breaking community, adding value, hosting competitions on a larger scale, and fostering competitiveness through various competition programs among B-Boys and B-Girls.

So, how does Red Bull become more relevant in breaking culture?

Supporting the Existence of the Breaking Scene

Red Bull BC One has consistently been present since 2004, facilitating various extreme sports activities at the local level, including the breaking scene. World-class competitions are held annually, cementing the brand’s reputation among both seasoned and new generations.

While it’s acknowledged that not all breakers rely on Red Bull before their performances, the brand has become associated with extreme sports culture. In Indonesia, community events like BBQ Jam by Urbain Clothing Brand have been supported by Red Bull Indonesia.

“With competitions like this in Indonesia, we’re thrilled to see so many talents come together, and we hope to help develop this competition here and throughout the Southeast Asian region,” said two-time Red Bull BC One All Star B-Boy World Champion, Lilou.

Media Channels as Literacy for B-Boys

Red Bull has a website and Instagram channel that provide specialized coverage fsor the breaking scene. This content includes articles, highlight videos of Red Bull competitions, breaking videos, and documentary films. It serves as a literacy platform for B-Boys and B-Girls worldwide to directly engage with breaking culture.

Through these channels, knowledge about the breaking scene grows within individuals worldwide. It also gives rise to new generations as these channels serve as a medium for learning and inspiration. There is no knowledge gap due to the completeness of information provided. The content presented is always fresh and of high-quality HD video.

As a result, B-Boys and B-Girls are not solely reliant on ‘the old documentary film’ “Planet B-Boy” released in 2007 to understand the breaking culture as a whole. Additionally, B-Boys and B-Girls can also watch other breakers from around the world who share the same passion and level of breaking standard on that platform.

The media created by Red Bull plays a crucial role in the regeneration of the breaking scene, fostering literacy to prevent knowledge gaps between the old and new generations regarding the breaking scene, and connecting and inspiring breakers with each other across various countries.

The Faces of Global Athletes and International Network

Breaker athletes from around the world who have reputations for winning Red Bull competitions and other global competitions are recruited to become Red Bull athletes. They are tasked with traveling to local breaking scenes and meeting with scene gatekeepers or local b-boy crew community and new generations of B-Boys and B-Girls. This network is built to monitor the growth of the scene and the potential of breakers, ensuring that the breaking competitions have a good skill regeneration and increasingly competitive battles.

In conclusion, in global Red Bull plays a significant role in the breaking scene by providing platforms for competitions, supporting the growth and development of breakers through workshops and media, and building a global network of athletes.

In local, Red Bull stays relevant in breaking culture by consistently supporting and promoting breaking events and initiatives, not just as a sponsor but as an active participant in shaping the scene. They collaborate with top athletes and influencers to create engaging content that resonates with breaking enthusiasts worldwide.

Additionally, they invest in the development of breaking communities by providing resources, workshops, and opportunities for aspiring breakers to hone their skills and showcase their talents on a global stage. Through these efforts, Red Bull continues to strengthen its connection to breaking culture and remains a significant player in its evolution and growth.