GALLERY: Artistic Intelligence to take over the Red Bull Beat Battles for the last time
BRYANSTON – Dance crew Artistic Intelligence (A I) get ready to take home the title again.
Dance crew Artistic Intelligence (AI) based at the Danceweb Studios in Bryanston will compete in Red Bull Beat Battles on 21 November.
The Red Bull Beat Battles dance competition is hosting their fifth and final dance competition. Eight of the best crews from previous instalments of the competition return to dance for the title. Four of these crews are previous winners from the past four years along with four of the newest dance crews.
The competing teams will be Artistic Intelligence, who won the first Red Bull Beat Battles dance competition in 2011, The Reptilez, Vintage Cru, The Prophelaz, Soulistic Fusion Trio, Via Volcano, Ninja Turtles and 2014 winners, Freeze Frame. These crews will be fighting for the title at Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown Soweto.
AI consists of five members – Paul Nqambule and Darim da Paixo, who both founded the crew in 2006 and are both World Championship dance coaches; Quaid ‘Flip’ Jones who has been dancing for eight years and specialises in break-dancing; Bashi Masetloa who has been dancing for 10 years and specialises in break-dancing, and Alex ‘Mr Smith’ Smith who has also been dancing for eight years and specialises in break-dancing. The crew specialises in hip-hop, funk styles, house, popping, locking and break dancing.
It will be the first time Mesetloa and Smith will be competing in the Beat Battles and they are both nervous but also very excited and determined to do their best and win the battles with their crew.
“There is definitely pressure since we are the first team to win beat battles,” said Nqambulea. He added that AI has been practising seven days a week.
Da Paixo and Nqambule both agree that they would like to build the AI brand and make it bigger. They would like to carry on teaching dancing and educating people about the hip-hop culture. AI has travelled to Italy, Poland, Austria and Germany for dance coaching and performances.
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