UAE dance crew ‘Over Boys’ reign supreme at the Braun battle of the year Middle East championships

The United Arab Emirates crew ‘Over Boys’ wins Braun Battle of the Year Middle East Championships in Dubai on October 1, 2011.

Nothing fits better to fashion stores, gold souks and a multicultural audience than b-boying. In the Emirate of Dubai, Middle East’s melting pot, 11 dance crews from as far as Jordan, Oman and Kuwait battled for the only group ticket available to represent the region at the grand final of the Braun Battle of the Year 2011 in Montpellier, France on November 19, 2011. The world’s seventh biggest shopping mall – the Dubai Mall – provided the perfect backdrop for today’s regional championships. All three levels of the ‘Star Atrium’ were crowded with people enthusiastically cheering the collectives on stage. The Over Boys from the UAE break danced to victory and now get their chance at the world championship. 

Aladdin was on the stage, just as the Kings of Teheran and the Middle Beasts, but no one could beat the dynamic Over Boys. In a tight battle against the Breakestra crew from Bahrain, earned the highest score from the three-strong judges panel. “I want to thank all the boys for fighting so hard and investing so much of their time in the past months and weeks. Thanks to the judges for making us so happy and thanks to all the people who came here today”, said the team’s head b-boy, overwhelmed in the minutes after the official decision. 

The prize for the best show went to the Middle Beast collective. They came all the way from Jordan and understood best how to entertain a jury of experts and at the same time a big crowd of spectators who left their shopping spree aside to support the boy crews. 

The winner of the MTV Show “America’s Best Dance Crew”, world-respected b-boy Ronnie Abaldonado, not only attended Friday’s special workshops to pass on his techniques and tricks, but was also part of the jury during the main event. Besides him, Swift Rock (GER) and Neekoe (UAE) critiqued the break-dancers’ synchronicity, stage presence, choreography as well as b-boying moves during their six-minute crew performances and the following head to head battles of the best four crews. 

The Middle East Championships was the last of five main Braun Battle Of The Year Championships (including the USA, Germany, Italy and BeNeLux) taking place this summer. Crews from official qualifiers in Japan, Singapore, India, Brazil and South Africa among many others will also compete with each other for respect and bragging rights – and the honour of competing for the biggest prize in b-boying on November 19 at the Park & Suites Arena in Montpellier for the Braun BOTY finals. As well as the battles, there will be a series of gigs, workshops, 1vs1 performances, We B*Girlz Battles, talks, parties and much more.