Nearly two decades after the best world breakers gathered at Orlando Power Station in Soweto for a major global final, four renowned figures of the scene are returning to South Africa.
French B-boy Lilou, Colombian Alvin, Dutch breaker Lee, and Belgian B-boy Djibril will arrive in the country on August 29th. They will join three-time national champion Courtnaé Paul to participate in a series of masterclasses, community events, and the national final in Cape Town.
This visit has a special connection to the history of breaking in South Africa. In 2007, Soweto hosted the Red Bull BC One World Final—the first and, to date, only time this championship was held on African soil. Lilou was one of the participants in that event and won the world champion title in 2005 and again in 2009.
This time, the international breakers are not coming for competition but to spend time with the South African breaking community, sharing their experience with aspiring B-boys and B-girls through masterclasses and jams.
Who is coming?
Lilou from France is one of the four B-boys who twice won the BC One World Final. He first received the title in 2005 and returned to win it again in 2009. He also participated in the final in Soweto in 2007, linking his return to South Africa with the past and present of the country's breaking scene.
Colombian B-boy Alvin is known for his powerful moves and musicality. He has performed twice as an invited participant at the global final and is part of the broader South American breaking community that has nurtured some of the strongest dancers in this discipline.
Lee from the Netherlands is part of the Dutch team The Ruggeds and was the silver medalist at the 2022 World Championship. He also represented breaking at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where the discipline debuted at the Games.
Belgian breaker Djibril is famous for his recognizable freezes, including the signature 'diamond wrist'. His first participation in the world final as an invited participant was in 2025.
Throughout the tour, they will be accompanied by Cape Town breaker, DJ, and choreographer Courtnaé Paul, who has won the South African national title three times. Paul represented the country at World Finals in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo and will defend her B-girl title in Cape Town.
Where to see them
The 'All Star Tour' includes four stops across South Africa, featuring masterclasses in Johannesburg, East London, and Cape Town, followed by the national final.
In East London, the event is scheduled for September 2nd from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Hemingway’s Rooftop Venue. In Cape Town, a general event and exchange will take place on September 3rd, bringing together international and local breakers.
The masterclass in Cape Town is set for September 5th from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Watershed.
This tour is particularly important for local breakers as the international dancers will be teaching and exchanging experiences with South African dancers, rather than just performing as entertainers. This gives aspiring breakers the opportunity to train with dancers whose careers span the biggest stages in this discipline.
National Final
The tour will conclude on September 5th with the South African national final at Thibault Square in Cape Town. From 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the top 20 breakers in the country—four B-girls and 16 B-boys—will compete for national titles.
The B-girls include current champion Courtnaé Paul, as well as B-girls Baylie, Keisha Keesh, and Jordin. Among the B-boy finalists are Bashi, Swae V, Nanky, Killy, Ranks, Boeraks, Rhythm, Shady, Chillo, Vector, Seeflehx, Jayden, Tankee, Warren, Labster, and Toufeeq.
Entry to the national final is free; no pre-registration or ticket purchase is required. The winners will represent South Africa at the 2026 World Championship in Toronto on November 29th. This will be the first time a global final is held in Canada.
For the South African breaking community, this time is significant. Nineteen years after Soweto became an unexpected center of world breaking, some dancers who helped shape that history are returning, and now they are doing so in the presence of a new generation of South African breakers who watch, learn, and compete alongside them.