B-Boys Toasting

While the b-boys and b-girls were still testing the floor and other conditions at the fabulous Culttz venue, the leadership of the Japan DanceSport Federation invited the officials to a welcome reception at the Nikko Hotel. Speeches were held by nearly everybody - most notably the breaking legend B-Boy Katsu, JDSF President Toshitsugu as well as the President of the World DanceSport Federation, Lukas Hinder.

Here is what Hinder had to say:

I consider it a privilege to be the President of the World DanceSport Federation who gets to address you on the eve of the first World Youth Breaking here in Kawasaki. The Championship is the long awaited premiere for two important concepts: it is the very first breaking competition, which is run under our direct auspices, and it is the final qualifying event for the 24 dancers who will represent their countries in official competition at the Youth Olympic Games.

Getting to Kawasaki has been a long and eventful journey for all of us assembled here.

For some it required vision and perseverance to get DanceSport positioned properly for acceptance by the Olympic stakeholders.

For others it called upon initiative, resourcefulness and a pioneering spirit to prepare for an event that will go down in the history of DanceSport.

For those who will go to battle over the few places that we are allocated for Buenos Aires 2018, it was imagination, ambition and sacrifice that brought them here from all corners of the world.

To the first – quite a few of whom are with us today – I say: “Well done!” and, more importantly, “Keep at it!” – in order that nobody can divert our sport from the course it has chosen with overwhelming majorities over the last three decades.

To our hosts and organisers I say “Domo arigato!” for jumping in and making this World Championship happen in a big way. You are the true pioneers not only in organising an important sports event, but also in building bridges between the different communities in dance. Only in unity will our sport develop its full diversity.

To the athletes I can only express my utmost admiration for who they are and what they do. I wish all of them good luck and good dancing tomorrow.

May all our dreams come true!

Published on 20 May 2018