On Friday May 6, the top street dancers in the Bay Area shut down Oakland, California with extraordinary dance moves, showcasing their unique styles. From hip-hop to house, waacking, popping, krumping, and so many more, competitors battled it out on the dance floor in hopes of winning Red Bull Dance Your Style. Each performer was tasked with wowing the crowd in one-on-one battles until only one dancer was left standing. Viewers watched 16 exhilarating rounds filled with bold and electrifying performances. After the final round, vietnamese street dancer SonLam was crowned the regional champion. He'll compete at the national finals in New Orleans May 21-22. Advocate Channel chatted with dancer about his exciting win.
"To be a winner of Oakland RedBull Dance Your Style makes all the hardships of my journey moving to the US totally worth it," SonLam said. "Everything is possible if we dare to dream it, put in honest work, and sacrifice what it might take along the way."
With less than a week until the national championship, SonLam is preparing in all ways-- mind, body and soul.
"It's coming up so soon, so there's not much I can do but spend as much time as I can with my body. I train twice a day, each time two to three hours. I also meditate, drink water, and just try to protect my peace of mind."
And it looks like he's ready to show NOLA what he's got!
"Game day is still just another day of me dancing from my authentic self, so there is zero pressure," he shared. "I'm just excited and grateful to be able to share my artistry with other phenomenal dancers."
As SonLam gears up for next week's national finals, let's take a look at some of the top performances from last weekend that we're still thinking about!
