Ronnie and Neguin pose for a portrait for Breaking Beyond in Las Vegas, NV, USA on November 16, 2021.
– ‘Breaking Beyond’ explores the clash of cultures where Red Bull BC One breakers such as Junior, Neguin and Shigekix are pushed out of their comfort zones with each episode set in a unique location where we see them discover untold stories of the cities’ hip hop and breaking scene.
– In episode one, B-Boy Junior introduces Shigekix to his birth city Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where they undertake a special journey of local traditions, markets and culture.
– Goma has been heavily affected by war and widespread poverty but is also vibrant and colourful. Junior left as a young child when he contracted Polio and moved to France for treatment. Shigekix reflects on the difference between the Japanese and the Goma breaking scenes, “In my country, more people are breaking to have fun, but here it means more to survive.”
– Episode two sees B-Boy Neguin showing B-Girl Kastet the city of São Paulo and the spicy mix that makes up the distinctive Brazilian flavour of breaking including Capoeira, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Passinho. In São Paulo, breaking plays an important role in giving the youth an alternative to street life and a reliable avenue to express themselves.
– Neguin takes Kastet to meet local pioneers B-Boy Helio and Nelson Triunfo, an activist since the early 1970s who worked to fight for space to dance in the city. Helio declares, “Because of Nelson Triunfo, people were able to find a safe place to be.”
– In episode three, B-Boy Ronnie welcomes Neguin to Las Vegas and breaking crew Full Force Crew while Neguin also puts on the iconic Jabbawockeez mask and visits an underground breaking battle.
– Ronnie admits, “In 2005, I never thought that I’d have a breaking career, it was just something I was doing for fun. There are so many opportunities for people to pursue what they want as an artist.”
Breaking Beyond episode 5 with B-boy Junior from France and B-boy Menno from the Netherlands in Rotterdam, The Netherlands in May 2021
– Episode four sees B-Boy Shigekix takes Ronnie to his Tokyo home where they go on a mind-blowing cultural and culinary journey of Japan’s capital city that has evolved over thousands of years.
– Shigekix introduces Ronnie to ‘Shokunin spirit’, the Japanese way of honing one’s craft and perfecting every aspect of what you do. Shigekix reveals, “When you dance, it’s not just about dancing, it’s more about always thinking about how to master something.”
– In episode five, Junior discovers Rotterdam with B-Boy Menno where the Dutch breaking culture started and they explore the Dutch breaking and hip-hop scene, meeting local legends and crews.
– They meet B-Boy Redo, also born with a disability, who was inspired by Junior when he searched online in 2014 and Junior’s video came up. Redo enthuses, “Discovering breaking was for me a way to, instead of maybe stay in the shadows or corners, be comfortable enough to step on the stage and be in front of people. It made me see what people saw as a weakness, actually was a strength.”
– Finally episode six sees Ronnie, Junior, Neguin, Shigekix and Lee join hip-hop pioneers Grandmaster Caz and Alien Ness to discover the beginnings of hip-hop culture in the Bronx against the backdrop of the Red Bull BC One 2022 World Final in New York City where B-Girl India from the Netherlands took the women’s belt as the youngest Red Bull BC One Champion and American B-Boy Victor claimed his second men’s title.
– Grandmaster Caz, 62, says, “It feeds a basic need in all of us, a need for expression and culture. Hip-hop embodies the four foundational elements of culture; dance, spoken word, art and music.”
Watch ‘Breaking Beyond’ on Red Bull TV HERE and Insight TV’schannels, INFAST in North America, and INULTRA worldwide.
