Kenya: Red Bull Dance Your Style announces Eldoret winner

Michael ‘Mickey’ Mwenda emerged the winner in a tightly contested battle during the competition’s first nationwide qualifier event in Eldoret at the weekend, with Elvis ‘Ecqo’ Clinton Otieno taking the first runner-up position.

The Eldoret leg brought together the western Kenyan city’s dance community for a day of high-energy entertainment, training and networking.

“I’m ecstatic to win the crowd’s votes and this victory marks a significant milestone for me,” Mwenda said. “It’s truly beyond what I could have imagined. The level of art here is astounding and it has been a thrill seeing and being part of all the action. Red Bull Dance Your Style has provided the Eldoret dance community a platform to connect and display our talents.”

The next stop for the competition is Kisumu on 27 April before making its way to other venues across the country. The top two winners from every qualifier will meet in Nairobi on 13 July at the national finals that will determine Kenya’s No 1 dancer and representative at the global showdown in Mumbai, India, on 9 November.

The competition was launched in Nairobi on 23 March by Red Bull dancer and world champion Stalamuerte from Switzerland, celebrated globally for his signature hip hop dance moves.

Red Bull Dance Your Style’s winner is selected through public voting after dancers’ creativity, freestyle and musical skills are put to the test in front of a live audience. All urban dance styles are welcome, except for breakdancing. A DJ plays unpredictable music to which the dancers must adapt, showcasing their moves and versatility in the hope of impressing the crowd. After each battle, the spectators hold up blue or red placards to choose a winner.

Red Bull Kenya is aiming to upskill local dance communities while exposing them to different levels of dance on the global stage. This year, Red Bull Dance Your Style is taking place in 51 countries.

To join the competition, sign up for your preferred qualifier here. Entrants must be 18 years or older.

Red Bull Dance Your Style Kenya edition dates

• Kisumu – 27 April
• Kenyatta University – 11 May
• Mombasa – 25 May
• United States International University Africa (Nairobi) – 15 June
• Nairobi – 29 June
• National finals (Nairobi) – 13 July