We’ve known about this for a little while, and we’ve been itching to announce that the UK B-Boy Championships – which sees the world’s finest b-boys and b-girls gather for battles in various individual and crew categories – will be hosted in Birmingham in 2013, at the O2 Academy on 21 and 22 September, having been held in London since its inception in 1996.
As well as relocating, this year’s Championships will also see the Great Britain National Crew Championships being held the day before the main event, which is traditionally held on a Sunday.
The move is down to a partnership between the UK B-Boy Championships and DanceXchange, and the Championships will be held in Birmingham for the next two years. DanceXchange worked with the team behind the B-Boy Championships on Breathe the Beat, a unique digital dance project featuring featuring renowned international hip hop artist Salah as part of Dancing for the Games. This is a great move for Birmingham, which will play host to the world’s leading hip-hop dancers over a weekend in the Autumn (the exact dates will be announced when tickets go on sale on Friday).
There’s more information on the B-Boy Championships website:
The UK B-Boy Championships are proud to announce today that DanceXchange is the new official partner for the 2013 World Finals and beyond. In a groundbreaking move, the 2013 World Finals, which will be hosted by Crazy Legs of the legendary Rock Steady Crew NYC, will be held at the O2 Academy Birmingham. This new partnership is part of an ongoing two-year commitment to urban dance within the West Midlands, which will include a major project for International Dance Festival Birmingham, co-produced by DanceXchange. This unique culture continues to deliver massive global appeal and a real connection with today’s youth.
David Massingham, Artistic Director of DanceXchange said: “DanceXchange is immensely proud of Birmingham’s reputation as a global centre of dance and through all of our work, including International Dance Festival Birmingham, we strive to bring the best dance from across the world to the city. As the premiere showcase of the most extraordinary talent in urban dance, The UK B-Boy Championships was a natural partner for us and we are looking forward to working with Hooch and the team to create a spectacular event at the O2 Academy in September”
DJ Hooch, Founder and Director of the UK B-Boy Championships commented: “As the World’s premier urban dance competition, the B-Boy Championships has always broken new ground. Building a strong relationship with DanceXchange will allow us to develop the Championships in fresh new ways. We are really excited about this new move and having Birmingham as the new host city of this incredible dance spectacle!”
The new partnership with DanceXchange will also facilitate a broader programme across both days, including workshops for the general public along with the addition of the National Crew Championships for Great Britain and Open International Qualifiers for the solo categories on Day 1.
We’ll be posting loads of exclusive content in the build up to, and during the event, so keep checking back for updates.
Tickets are on sale now.