What began as a local hip-hop jam titled ‘The Dopest Dance Battle of the Year’ last year returns for its second edition as a national-level event, with dancers and judges from across India. The event will be held on May 16, 5 p.m. at The Piston Wolves Goa, Calangute.
It is organised by Dance Concept India in collaboration with The Piston Wolves Goa.
Founder of Dance Concept India, Amar Ojha, says the initiative came from the lack of platforms for hip-hop dancers. “There wasn’t much happening for the hip-hop community and we felt the scene was slowly going down. We wanted to create a space for dancers to perform,” he says.
The collaboration between Dance Concept India and Piston Wolves Goa was conceptualised to bring car culture and dance culture together at a single venue, with owner Vineet Shirodkar and Ojha sharing a similar vision for the partnership. He adds, “My team including Gaurav Naik, Mazhar H., Omkar Vernekar, Swapnesh Kunkalkar, Lloyd Gomes, and myself, are working hard to bring the community together for what we hope will be an unforgettable jam.”
This year’s edition will expand beyond dance battles to include rap performances, beatboxing, car showcases, stalls and crew showcases by groups such as Gang Unity and Moment House. This line-up includes Bleed from Mumbai, an international krumper; Hitesh Patel, known for his appearance on Remo D’Souza’s reality platform; and Jatin, who has represented India in popping and street dance competitions. The judging panel includes dancers from different street styles.
The event will host 1 vs 1 and 2 vs 2 battle categories, with participation set at 40–50 dancers, up from about 30 in the previous edition.
Last year, the event drew around 100 attendees, and the team expects 200–300 this year.
