A Kuils River dancer is jetting off to Mumbai for an international breakdancing competition.
Alfred Benjamin Burgess, aka B-boy Benny, will be competing for the global crown in India on 9 November, representing SA at the Red Bull BC One World Finals, after winning the local edition of the competition.
The 32-year-old beat 15 other B-boys from East London, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.
The dad of two, who started dancing when he was 14 years old, tells the Daily Voice that he isn’t nervous for the finale at all, because he’s actually taken part in the competition a few times before.
“I competed in this same competition in 2007 where I ended up in the quarterfinals, so this is nothing new to me. I’m amped to be going back for another turn,” he says.
Benny says he has travelled the world, dancing in various cities: “I spent a lot of time in Europe with my dancing and other places, including Australia, Germany, France, the USA, Egypt and Algeria.”
BREAK A LEG: Alfred Benjamin Burgess, aka Kuils River dancer is jetting off to Mumbai for an international breakdancing competition., will compete in world event in Mumbai
He is part of a dance group called New Crew, and says the SA finals of Red Bull BC was highly competitive but he managed to make all the right moves.
“I prevailed at the South African finals, even though the stakes were very high considering the fact that I had taken a break,” he says.
“It was an honour to return to the competition and land with a win which meant so much to me.”
HIT: B-Boy Benny will rep Mzansi. Picture: Supplied
“It was an honour to return to the competition and land with a win which meant so much to me.”
Benny advises dancers wanting to master of the art of breakdancing to train “relentlessly”.
In addition, just like with all physical disciplines, breakdancing has a handful of basic elements that beginners should get down pat as soon as they can, as these moves would from the basis of their skills in a battle on the dance floor.