TOGO: Dancers battle for first place at breakdance competition

Record ID: 788530

  • Title: TOGO: Dancers battle for first place at breakdance competition
  • Date: 19th July 2010
  • Summary: LOME, TOGO (JULY 18, 2010) (REUTERS) KOUDJO AFLAGA, LEADER OF BREAKDANCE GROUP "NO LIMIT" WALKING PAST CAMERA ENTRANCE OF TRAINING STUDIO KOUDJO AFLAGA ENTERING STUDIO AFLAGA GREETING OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP
  • Embargoed: 3rd August 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Togo
  • Country: Togo
  • Reuters ID: LVA23QQRPP664873G86ECZW4NW8J
  • Story Text: Togo's breakdance groups competed in the nation's first breakdance competition in the capital Lome, on Sunday (July 18).
    Breakdancing, the athletic high-energy street dance that began in the U.S. decades ago, has spread around the world in more recent years. In Togo, the dance has become particularly popular as it offers youths an opportunity to express themselves artistically.
    "No Limit" is a one of the most famous breakdancing group Togo. It was formed by group leader Koudjo Aflaga with four other boys in 2008.
    "You just need to go in every street corner and you see all the little children trying to dance and at every competition the audience goes in a frenzy. I would say that the Togolese people have really taken to this dance," Aflaga said as he trained for the competition with his troupe.
    Although breakdancing is often performed with Hip Hop music competition organisers hoped to include traditional Togolese music, too.
    "We decided that for the choreography part of the dance to introduce a new moves that allow these groups to mix traditional dance and breakdancing moves - meaning that the groups can either dance to Togolese traditional music or music mixed with traditional breakdance and it's up to the groups to come up with different moves," said organiser Akim Toutou Tamadja.
    Although the genre has grown in popularity in Togo, a lack of infrastructure still prevents many from being able to compete. This year's competition attracted many participants but the groups danced on rough terrain instead of smooth cement floors, which are more ideal.
    "Many young people have taken to this movement of breakdancing, even through they lack the means for which they can practice the dance with. For example, if you see where this final is taking place, you can see that the infrastructure is not good. They need the means to develop the breakdancing genre," said music journalist Celestin Akpahlin.
    More than 30 groups participated in the competition.
    But for members of "No Limit", it was all about showing the competition who was best.
    "We try to juggle the two (break dance and traditional dance) and we try to do something great," said member Boris Kounakel.
    "We said no matter where we are dancing, we are going to dance. It will be an out of this world performance and it was," said another member of "No Limit", Kossimawuko Elom Abotchi.
    The troupe won the trophy for best dance group in Togo's first breakdance competition.
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