CHIMPU, 24 May: The regional hip-hop and street dance scene reached a boiling point at the highly anticipated ‘Best of the Best Battle Edition’, held on 23 May at the Artisan-cum-Handicraft Exhibition Centre here.
Spearheaded by famed local dancer and event organiser Nangbia Chanda, the high-octane competitive jam transformed the arena into a battlefield of raw rhythms and elite movements. Chanda, who gained national recognition after becoming a finalist in ‘India’s Got Talent’ in 2015 and later appeared as a guest performer on ‘Dance Plus Season 2’, brought his extensive television and professional experience to the forefront to orchestrate this landmark community event.
The championship drew massive national attention, pulling a contingent of competitive dancers from across the country alongside local dancers representing Arunachal Pradesh, all locking horns to assert their dominance on the cipher floor.
The structural backbone of the entire event was fuelled by a star-studded panel of judges who travelled directly from Delhi to deliver uncompromising, elite critiques.
Renowned specialist Poppin Ticko strictly governed the popping category, while Bedroc and Jasika double-teamed for the gruelling ‘Rep Your Style’ and ‘Hip-Hop’ divisions.
Meanwhile, the power-heavy ‘Breaking’ competition was held under the laser-focused radar of Bboy Kaamil. Orchestrating the sonic landscape from the tables was DJ Puppeteer, who kept the energy at a constant peak with lethal breaks and deep grooves, while the host, Deepak Yadav, hailing from Lucknow, commanded the microphone to keep the crowd and competitors highly charged throughout the intense competitions.
When the dust finally settled, the championship brackets yielded an elite class of victors. In the versatile Rep Your Style category, Aee Gee clinched the crown after an electrifying final showdown against runner-up Funky Villain. The Hip-Hop division saw Luis capture the championship title over a highly resilient Faith Son.
The explosive Breaking category belonged entirely to Jin Indian, who edged out Foe Toy in a gravity-defying battle of power moves and freezes.
The undisputed story of the night, however, belonged to the phenomenal double-podium run by Funky Villain. After falling just short in the Rep Your Style finals, the powerhouse dancer displayed incredible stamina to bounce back and seize the definitive championship title in the ‘Popping’ division, out-pointing a stellar performance by runner-up Sameer.
With its massive cross-state attendance and unparalleled execution at the Artisan-cum-Handicraft Exhibition Centre, Chanda’s Best of the Best Battle Edition has set a new gold standard for underground dance culture in Northeast India.
