First organized in Switzerland in 2004, Red Bull BC One is one of the most prestigious break dancing championships in the world. The competition has been hosting champion b-boys, male break dancers, and defying gravity for the last 14 years. The event will be held March 16-17 in İzmir province this year.
Hip-hop culture rose from 1970's American back alleys and is separated into many subcultures, including break dancing, rap and graffiti. The trend later spread to Europe, quickly taking hold in West Germany where a large number of American soldiers were stationed.
Mirroring the U.S., the first groups to embrace hip-hop in Europe were streetwise minorities. Gaining ground in the '90s, hip-hop became popular through megastars like MC Hammer, Dr. Dre, Tupac and Nas.
By the beginning of the '90s, Germany frequently held break dancing tournaments, while rap in many different languages was being produced in underground music studios.
Torn between globalizing and going underground, break dancing never became as popular as rap but is still practiced by b-boys all around the world today.
The world's best dancers gather at the championship held in a different country every year. This year, Turkey's representative for the championship in Switzerland will be chosen during the Red Bull BC One Turkey Cypher. The competition will also offer workshops and DJ performances in addition to jaw-dropping break dance shows. B-boys hoping to represent Turkey in the finals can apply until March 13.
