Local top SA Street-dancer

Local dancer Jed Bullock (14) of Ashton College is ranked first in South Africa in the solo, duo and crew battle categories in hiphop, popping and streetdance-battle styles and fifth in the world for the Street Dance World Championships (SDWC) in the solo and duo categories.

This talented young man is also sixth in the world in the crew battle category with his Dye-namic Crew on the International Dance Organisation’s (IDO) ratings. Over 100 dancers from 48 different countries competed in the world championships.

Street dance is an umbrella term for numerous dance styles including house, dance hall, popping and hiphop. Jed is required to know all the dance styles.

Being the son of South African dance pioneers Mandy and Craig Bullock, co-founders and owners of DanceWeb Studios in Johannesburg, dance came naturally to him.

“I was still hopping about when I was pregnant with him. He felt the rhythm from in the womb, it is in his DNA,” said Mandy.

Jed busted out his first move at the tender age of four after being inspired at a workshop by the break dancing crew Black Noise from Cape Town hosted at his parents’ studio.

He entered his first national competition at five in the non-status category and it took him four years to work his way up from novice to world trial.

The dancers have to compete in a series of nationals and accumulate points on the leader board. The top five competitors go on to represent SA at the word champs.

Jed’s first international competition was in 2010 at the age of nine where he placed seventh in the world, just missing the finals.

This September in Bochum Germany will be his fifth year representing SA at the SDWC. He will be competing in eight categories.

“When the children compete overseas they come back a different person, hungrier than before,” said Mandy.

Jed’s greatest achievement was coming second at the World Cup in Sun City in 2010.

“We never forced Jed to be a dancer, he just naturally migrated into it. He is a hard worker and he has stepped into his own. He comes alive and starts to shine when he dances. It is beautiful to see, as parents, mentors and coaches,” said Mandy.

In his spare time Jed helps his parents with community projects. He recently hosted a dance workshop with his dad in Groutville.

Jed competed in the Hiphop Dayz competition in Joburg this past weekend along with the five Sugar Dance studio’s crews and snatched up seven gold medals and one silver.

He also competed in the National Street Dance Competition held at Good Hope Centre in Cape Town in June this year where he won five gold and two silver medals in the seven events his entered.