It’s only 3 p.m., but there’s already loud music spilling out of the auditorium at the Goethe Institut. The 35 dancers inside can’t help but twitch their toes as DJ Phani Kumar, organiser of the Indian Hip Hop fest, sets the stage for the dance battle finals.
First, Zombie from Bangalore goes up against Ashy from Kerala in a freestyle battle. Jaws drop just as often as Ashy drops to the floor. He bends, jerks, stands on his toes and makes movements that are too quick for a layperson to even keep up with – he’s that good. And what’s more, he’s only the runner up, because the other guy is even better.
The three-day festival allows hip hop artists from different cities to come together and jam. Constant music plays in the background and the artists, who spend most of the fest with their legs in the air, or with their torsos grazing the floor, simply refuse to be still.
Of course, all this comes at a cost, “I’ve had a bunch of injuries including ligament tears in both my knees and dislocated toes,” says 24-year-old Naser Alazzeh who has been b-boying for six years. “The whole aim is to go on for as long as possible,” he says.
B-boying, also known as break dancing, is a style of hip hop. In the b-boy battle for the kids, b-boy Jumbo goes up against Funny Foot. Phani explains that a dancer’s stage name is usually given to him by someone based on his style. “Have you seen Zombie,” he asks, “His stage name has a lot to do with how he dances.”
Zombie, a 22-year-old Bangalore-based freestyle dancer, goes by the name Kevin Joseph. Watching Zombie dance is riveting as he moves with the reassurance of someone who knows that he is capable of fantastic movements that many can only fantasise about.
“Hip hop is not something you can learn in a studio,” insists organiser Phani Kumar. Jams, organised around the country, are platforms to get artists together and promote dancing. “In 2009, there were only 10 dancers but today, there are over 50,” says Sachin S.J. referring to the growing hip-hop culture in the city.
“The scene in Chennai is going to become much bigger than Bangalore,” says Naser, who is a full-time dancer. The b-boys from Chennai, however, are still juggling their careers and hip-hop. “Career till 6 p.m., passion after,” says b-boy Thango, a software professional by day.
With people’s reservations about taking up dancing full time and the lack of sponsorship to put together such events, there’s a long road ahead before the hip-hop scene explodes in Chennai. That, however, doesn’t stop the hip-hoppers in the city from breaking, popping, krumping and going crazy on the dance floor.
