UDEF Silverback

The Urban Dance & Educational Foundation (UDEF) is a not-for-profit organisation established for charitable and educational purposes. Its volunteer board is comprised of professional breakers, event hosts and independents from the business and legal professions.

Since its launch in 2014, the Pro Breaking Tour has been the biggest initiative undertaken by UDEF, with events taking place throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. UDEF serves as the membership organisation for breakers competing on the Tour and as the sanctioning body for the Tour’s events, setting event competition standards, judging criteria, and other criteria to ensure uniform standards for all Pro Breaking Tour events.

UDEF also supports scores of charitable events and workshops at community centres, schools, colleges, and similar venues annually, with breakers from the Pro Breaking Tour performing, teaching and working with thousands of young people. Since its inception, UDEF has provided dancers, teachers and funding to support charitable events and programmes throughout the United States, as well as in Africa.

UDEF’s philanthropic mission is to advance the physical expression, intellectual understanding and educational and teaching programs of the urban arts, including breaking and other forms of street dance, through dance participation, performances, camps, seminars, work-shops, competitive events, tours and series.

The Silverback Open is the flagship event of the Pro Breaking Tour. It takes places annually – generally in early October – at the YSC Sports complex outside of Philadelphia, USA, and gathers thousands of breakers from around the world. In its 2017 edition, the Silverback Open offered a total purse of 100,000 US$.

Published on 27 November 2017 (last update on 15 March 2024)