The year 2023 has been an incredible year so far for the Tech Styles team and it shows no signs of slowing down. As this is also the 50th year of Hip Hop culture, what better way to celebrate than to fly out 3 of our breakers to represent Bradford in New York! Bgirl Fox, Bgirl Labyrinth & Bboy Elijah, representing Clean North Crew, went to compete in the Pro Breaking Tour Open and to gain insight and knowledge from some of the Hip Hop legends!
The level of preparation for this trip was on a high. All 3 breakers were fully focused, wanting to showcase themselves to the highest standard. Bradford breakers visiting New York was a first for our scene, so this was an amazing opportunity to show what our city is made of.
Thank God, the whole journey from the UK went smoothly. The trip from JFK airport was unreal, as they were able to catch the sunset through New York City on the way to the hotel in Edgewater. Saturday was their first official day and the Pro Breaking Tour Open event wasn’t starting until the afternoon, so they took this opportunity to explore the area of Edgewater, New Jersey. They discovered that it was a very health conscious place in the city and this was fantastic news. Health & wellbeing is something that the Bradford breakin scene has really started to value over the last few years. We collectively, have been on a journey of discovering new ways of becoming fitter and stronger than ever before. On this trip there were many options of non processed foods and high quality organic products which was amazing. It was also really needed when you take the jetlag into consideration!
The first day could not have gone any better. Bgirl Labyrinth talks about Day 1 of the Pro Breakin Tour Open event:
‘What a day! Considering we have never been to the city of New York, it was relatively easy to get there. It was raining all day which made me think of home – in the best way. We all cyphered well and Elijah got through to the finals of the 1v1 Beginner Youth battles! The finals were happening the next day and we couldn’t wait to tell the crew. Another amazing moment for us was, we got to meet the legendary Bryant Davila from Incredible Breakers. This exchange is something that will stay with me forever. This is what it was about. I felt free and knew that no matter what, we would always have that moment.’
The trio were able to meet Bryant from the Incredible Breakers. They had only been with him for a few minutes and he said, ‘you guys want to learn some moves’, to which they all eagerly nodded. Before they knew it, they were in a private 2-hour rocking workshop. Bryant is one of the best rockers around and he is very well known for this in the breakin scene all over the world. Bboys & Bgirls from the event that walked by, could sense what was being passed down. It felt like a right of way and it was Clean North’s time to receive decades of knowledge and insight from this amazing legendary bboy. Them 2 hours will be always be remembered and cherished.
When Day 2 came around, the intensity increased. All the stories told about how American cyphers are was on full display. Thankfully the preparation prior the trip and encouraging words from Bryant, allowed Fox, Labyrinth & Elijah to represent strong throughout the day and the battles did not disappoint. The level and energy the Bboys & Bgirls brought every time they stepped onto the floor was amazing. Everyone brought it 100%! DJ SC-One & DJ Fleg did an incredible job on the decks, the music was hype across both days. The host Bgirl Trinity also brought great energy and laughter to the event by her raw but bubbly personality. Big thank you to organisers Sweet Lu, Kid Glyde and the rest of the Pro Breaking Tour team. The attention to detail around the event and the transparency, such as picking names out of a hat (a Tech Styles staple) was really appreciated. Our Bradford trio felt very welcome throughout the weekend.
It was on this day that many exchanges were made with people, including Ronnie (Red Bull BC One All Stars/Full Force), Frankie Flave (Style Elements/Killafornia), Beast Boogie (Havikoro), Street Masters, Bgirl Sunny & Masta Mace (TMB). Fox & Labyrinth were touched by the encouraging words they received from dancers at the event. It cemented their belief that they had represented in the right way and their tight bond as a crew was felt. There was no better achievement than this and they felt like they did what they came to do.
This was Elijah’s first international event and for it to be in New York was something a boy of his age would only dream of. Elijah amazed the crowds with his ‘Bradford Style’ and signature moves, showing a high ability of understanding for his age of just 5 years old. Elijah ended up winning and becoming the Pro Breaking Tour Beginner Champion. The win wasn’t just his own, but it was for his crew Clean North & also Bradford City Breakers. He brought home the win for Bradford and to win it in New York, the birthplace of Hip Hop culture was an incredible feat.
Here is what Fox, the mother of Elijah, had to say regarding Elijah’s first international win:
‘When I saw Elijah take the win at the Pro Breaking Tour Open, I felt a lot of emotion, happiness and elation. All the things we have been teaching him really came into practice and he really looked like he was enjoying the battle. It made me really excited for his future and I couldn’t have been happier with how Elijah carried himself through the whole event. We have been blessed.’
We asked 5 year old Elijah about his trip to New York and here is what he had to say:
‘I liked the lights. I liked winning. I liked going on the plane on the way to New York and going on the plane back to Bradford. I liked going to Central Park and how I found an acorn. I liked going to the yoghurt shop before the battle. I thought Bradford had less lights and New York had loads. Some of the dancers at the event were big and some were small. I liked that they did handstands.’
They definitely made some great memories on the trip and there was a tonne of laughter. It was a life changing experience, but it wasn’t in the ways that they thought it would’ve been. This is the thing about expectations. What you have planned for yourself and what God has planned for you, can be two very different things. The latter is always for the best.
‘This trip was life changing, without a doubt! I have a whole new appreciation for where I come from and the belief in what we can achieve has grown tenfold. Wherever I go, Bradford, I’ll be taking you with me. This trip was next level! Thank you to Tech Styles International for the opportunity!’
My favourite thing about New York was how everything just flowed and I could feel God was with us. It was a true blessing. It was the people that we met and just the whole experience that we got to do together, something I will never forget and an opportunity of a lifetime.
This is a trip that will go down in history for the Bradford scene. With some of the energy felt and the things seen in both New York & New Jersey, one can sense why there was such a need for Hip Hop culture to form. It is a reminder of home in so many ways. It’s a beautiful thing that has been created from hard times and this shouldn’t be forgotten. This culture didn’t come from nowhere for no reason, this is still true for today. But we believe there is something to be said about the strength in people who can be in some truly harsh situations and make something wonderful out of it. Thank God for Hip Hop!
Tech Styles International is now gearing up for its main annual event Tech Styles 8. You will also be able to hear more about their amazing time in NYC from Fox and Labyrinth as they speak about this at The Hip Hop Collective 24th Nov New York, amongst other great speakers at the event (Beat Boogie – Houston, Texas Captain Sugar Rush – Devon, UK).
