Meet the movers and shakers: Bengaluru dancers talk about the rise of street dancing in India

Participants at the Red Bull Dance Your Style India 2023 South Zone Final talk about the surging popularity of the dance form

It is close to 6 pm at Fandom at Gilly’s Redefined, Koramangala, Bengaluru. The atmosphere crackles with electric energy. The crowd swells, and the noise grows. Divya Easwaran, an Afro dancer from Bengaluru, faces off against Nivesh Kannan, a hip-hop dancer from Coimbatore.

And then, it happens.

The pulsating beats of Dhee and Arivu’s ‘Enjoy Enjaami’ fill the air, igniting the senses. As the lyrics go, “Thanniyil odum thavalaikki, kambali poochi thangachi” (for the frog that runs in the water, the caterpillar is sister), Divya unleashes her creativity. She springs forward with her hands mimicking a frog’s leap, her body fluid and graceful. The crowd erupts in a frenzy. She moves with the power and grace of a natural athlete, her movements fluid and effortless. She is clearly in her element, and her joy is contagious. Nivesh is no slouch either. He brings his unique style to the competition, blending hip-hop with elements of street dance. His moves are sharp and precise. The two dancers go head-to-head, trading moves and building on each other’s energy. 

Thus commences Red Bull Dance Your Style India 2023 South Zone Final.

“Four dancers from each of the four regions — North, South, East, and West — will compete in the Red Bull Dance Your Style 2023 India Finals. And the winner will represent India at the Red Bull Dance Your Style 2023 World Final in Germany later this year.

With the rise of social media and dance reality shows, street dancers in India have gained immense visibility and opportunities to showcase their talent on national and international stages. Influenced by a combination of local traditional dances, Bollywood, and international street dance styles, the Indian street dance scene has developed its own unique flavour and vibrancy. From the bustling streets of Mumbai to the cultural hubs of Delhi, Chennai, and Bengaluru, talented dancers showcase their skills, passion, and creativity in various forms, such as breaking, popping, locking, and freestyle.

ZuBoo, who runs the Ghetto Academy of Dance in Bengaluru, reflects on his journey and the evolution of street dancing in India. With a career spanning almost two decades, he has witnessed the transformation of the dance scene. “When I started in 2007, college events were a big thing. Every college had its own festival, and it became trendy to have a street dance segment, whether it was open style, hip-hop, crump, or any other style,” he says. “It kept evolving and changing over time. Bangalore was one of the first cities to introduce open-style dance battles. Eventually, this trend spread all over India.”