I almost didn’t go to this event. Probably a week out, I was sure I wasn’t going. But My homie Sockie asked direct messaged me and told me that the battle was gonna start later and I should go with him. I agreed mostly because it was later and it’s another chance to hang out with one of my best friends. Driving to jams alone can be relaxing, but it’s always better with a friend. We get there after 5 hours of driving, we probably had about 30 minutes to settle in and stretch and warm up.
Here is a video of some of my rounds thanks you Alex Gaines Thanks again for the footage! You did an amazing job!
I know not all the clips of all my rounds are in there. This was just to give you a vibe of the event. So I made it all the way to the finals. That in itself is a huge win for me. As a dancer from Indiana with almost no resources for popping around me, going to another city in another scene and making it to the finals is huge! I’ve always been resourceful so I never made a lack of resources as my excuse to not get better. But this win proves that my path in my dance journey is working for me. I get advice from so many people from all around the world all the time. It’s really hard to go through all that knowledge and parse each thing that makes sense for me. So here is my play by play for each round.
Prelims
For my prelim, I was up against Tyrell Black right off the bat. Then, another dancer was added, turning it into a three-way battle. I was nervous—Tyrell Black was one of my teachers during the pandemic, and I’ve been inspired by him for years. I tried to hide my nerves and not let anyone see how intimidated I was. Hahaha!
Both Tyrell and the other dancer brought some Electric Boogaloo-style movements, so I decided to showcase my animation while also proving I could hold my own with EB-style moves. I wanted to keep it fun, even though I wasn’t a fan of the beat. But hey, that’s no excuse—I had to make it past prelims! I’m proud of how I started and ended the round, and overall, it was a great experience.
King Koi Roi Vs Madds Top 16
This top 16 battle was really cool because I got to respond to her tuts with my own, and people seemed to really enjoy it. I’m proud of how I played with my hat and used the space—it felt dynamic and engaging. The ending was strong, and it even got a few laughs, which was a nice bonus. Hahaha!
Thank you for your rounds, Madds—I hope I got your name right!
King Koi Roi Vs Prototype Top 8
This was my favorite battle of the night. Prototype and I have known each other for years—we were even on the same crew at one point. I remember him sharing his vision for creating the Shadow Puppetz crew before it even came to life. Seeing how far he’s come with his dance and his crew makes me so proud.
The love and respect we have for each other really showed in this battle. It was so close that we went three rounds, and even the judges had a hard time deciding who won. In the third round, I decided to step it up and brought out some puppet-style moves. Looking back, it’s kind of funny—I used puppet style against someone whose crew is literally called The Shadow Puppetz. I think that’s what sealed the win for me.
The back-and-forth conversation during the battle was so much fun. Thank you for your rounds, Prototype—it was an honor to share the floor with you.
King Koi Roi vs Eboogie Top 4
Eboogie and I have a bit of history. During the pandemic, I really dove deep into waving, and he played a huge role in my growth. He hosted a bunch of waving battles and even gave out awards—I was actually named New Gen Waver of the Year for 2022. This battle was the first time we met in person, and I was so excited we got to face off.
I’ll admit, I was really nervous going into this one. Eboogie can pop! He completely took over the floor, blending popping and groove in a way that was mesmerizing. It was one of those moments where you just have to give it your all, no matter who’s on the other side. I’m incredibly grateful I was able to make it to the next round, but more than that, I’m thankful for the experience and the energy Eboogie brought to his rounds. Thank you, Eboogie!
King Koi Roi vs Tyrell Black Finals
The big boss of the night—Tyrell Black! Right before the prelims started, I had this thought: Man, wouldn’t it be crazy if Tyrell and I made it to the finals together? And here he was, standing across from me. Tyrell is one of my popping teachers, someone I’ve looked up to for years. I first met him at a battle in Detroit, and back then, I never imagined I’d be sharing the finals stage with him. We’ve always had a great connection, and he’s been incredibly generous with his knowledge, always offering me useful advice. Just being there with him in that moment, I already felt like I’d won.
My focus wasn’t on winning the battle—it was on saying something to him through my dancing. The battle went three rounds. In the first round, I wanted to show him that I’ve been using what he taught me: taking up space, hitting clean isolated pops, and commanding the floor. I went first, and it felt good. The second round was where I really switched it up—what you’re seeing above is from that round. It was probably my best performance of the night. By the third round, I wanted to dive deeper into animation, but I gassed out. It happens. Now I know what I need to work on: my stamina.
Tyrell, on the other hand, absolutely killed it. After my second round, he won over the crowd, and that was it—game over. At first, it was intimidating being up there with him, but once I got into the thick of it, the fear melted away and turned into pure fun. And that’s what this was all about: having fun.
Reflection
I’ve come to realize that, whether it’s a competition or not, people come together because we all share a love for this dance. That’s what makes it fun—it’s the very reason we started dancing in the first place. A dance competition isn’t just about winning. Sure, winning feels great, but what truly matters is your intention. What do you want to achieve? What message do you want to share with everyone?
For me, winning wasn’t about trophies or titles. Winning was the car ride and the time spent with one of my best friends, Sockie. Winning was the Soul Train line we all did together afterward. Winning, for me, is about the connections you make while having fun. It’s about the moments that go beyond the competition itself.
So the next time you step into a battle, ask yourself: What’s your intention? What do you want to say?
Lastly, I want to thank Sammy Mac and 10k Movement for putting together this amazing event.