The energy was high at SM Mall of Asia’s Music Hall where pumped-up kicks stomped to drum beats and bass at the recent Skechers Streetdance Battle’s elimination rounds.
The afternoon was all about dance, as the event kicked off with a rousing flash mob from the crowd.
Now on its ninth year, the competition is a point of pride for high school and college dance crews around the country. This year saw a record number of participants that the elimination stretched an extra day to accommodate more dance groups from different schools.
From the 39 college dance crews that joined the elimination round, 17 were chosen to compete in the final battle to be held tonight at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Finalists in the college division are the Lyceum Spartans Dance Troupe (Lyceum of the Philippines University-Laguna), OC Performing Arts (Olivarez College), TIP Aeon Crew (Technological Institute of the Philippines-Manila), FEU Diliman Crew (FEU Diliman), UE Extreme Squad (UE), Wyre Underground (UP Los Baños), Red Fox Dance Company (Earist), Groove One (PSBA), APC Dance Company (Asia Pacific College), Letran Street Dance Crew (Letran-Calamba), Diliman UP Streetdance Club (UP Diliman), Siena Dance Company (Siena College Taytay), DLSAU Dance Troupe (De La Salle Araneta), Nitrous Image Crew (Dr. Yanga’s Colleges), CADS (Ateneo de Manila University), and defending champions La Salle Dance Company-Street.
Finalists in the high school division are Hataw (Claret School QC), CSA Dance Troupe (Colegio San Agustin Makati), Danssa (School of St. Anthony), Aglaia (School of the Holy Spirit), MCHS Dance Troupe (Maria Clara High School), Dance X (Xavier School), Sayawatha Dance Troupe (Miriam College High School), Indak (Ateneo de Manila High School), Terpsichore (St. Paul College Pasig), and defending champions Airforce from La Salle Green Hills.
Expect to see swagger, stunts, awesome choreography and crazy mixes as the schools duke it out on the streetdance stage. Will LSDC-Street, fresh from participating in the World Hip Hop Dance Championship, defend their title successfully? Or will this be the year for UP Street Dance Club, who brought home the bronze from the World Hip Hop Dance Championship’s Megacrew division?
If you’re watching, make sure to visit your school dance crew’s respective Facebook pages to check if you need to wear anything special as you cheer them on to victory.
Get your tickets to the Skechers Streetdance Battle 9 at SM Ticket outlets in all SM Cinema branches nationwide. The event is on tonight (Nov. 23) at 6, at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay.