Pinoy teams sweep int’l hip-hop dance tilt in Sydney

Boyz Unlimited, a team from the Philippines, emerged the Grand Slam Champion of the World Supremacy Battlegrounds (WSB 2012), a competition among international hip-hop dance groups held in Australia’s Sydney Olympic Park over the weekend.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, four other Philippine groups won major awards in the same competition, besting rivals from Australia, the Bahamas, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, and the United States.

The winning teams in the International Open Division included:

• Boyz Unlimited: Gold
• FlipendemicKru: Silver
• Pinoy Hip Hop: Bronze
• Rockstars: Fourth Place

Unschooled and ADDLIB, also from the Philippines, placed seventh and tenth, respectively, in the same category.

Another Pinoy group, the A Team, clinched a silver in the WSB 2012’s Varsity Division.

Two-year winning streak

This is the second year in a row that Boyz Unlimited, a group of seven dancers from Mangaldan, Pangasinan, has won the World Supremacy Battlegrounds.

Formed in 2004 and choreographed by Marion Evangelista, Boyz Unlimited has won in numerous local competitions, including:

• Hundred Islands Dance Showdown in Alaminos, Pangasinan in 2011 (Champion),
• Groove 2010, North Luzon elimination in 2010 (Champion),
• Amplified Hip-hop Dance Competition in Baguio City in 2009 (Champion), and
• Smart’s Best Dance Crew in Dagupan City in 2010 (Champion).

In its Facebook page, the group said its members were brought together in the objective of dancing “for the glory of God.”

The group believes that “as long as we continue to learn . . . we will achieve our dream—to be the best dance crew not only in our country but in the whole world.”

After winning the championship at the WSB 2012, the group expressed its gratitude in a Facebook post:

“Hindi naming alam kung pano naming sisimulan ang sobrang pasasalamat naming sa inyo at sa lahat ng tumulong sumuporta, naniwala, at higit sa lahat nagdasal po para sa amin at sa lahat ng Team Pilipinas,” the page’s administrator said.

Dedicating its award to its Filipino supporters, the group added, “Sobrang maraming salamat po! Iba talaga ang pusong Pinoy!”

Fil-Australian businessman and WSB founder Marco Selorio said the Philippine teams consistently impressed international judges and competitors.

(Story courtesy of Karla Maquiling, VVP, GMA News)