So you think you can dance? The contestants of Dance Your Style might persuade you to take a few lessons.
The competition — heading to Story Nightclub in South Beach July 27 courtesy of Red Bull — pits 16 impressive hip-hop dancers against one another. Each must show off their skills on the floor, and one will be crowned the regional champion.
The twist? They can move however they like.
"Red Bull Dance Your Style is all about giving freedom to dancers," Red Bull's announcement explains. "There’s no planned choreography, no prechosen music, or one dedicated style of dance. It’s all about embracing the moment and moving to the beat."
So from locking to popping to waacking and beyond, there'll be something for every street-dance aficionado to appreciate on this stage. A series of head-to-head face-offs will be judged by audience members, determining which of the 16 performers can continue to compete and ultimately win the regional title.
Celebrated Miami writer, dancer, teacher, and actor Rudi Goblen will host the event, and dancers will perform to the sounds of Miami's own DJ Zea. Here's hoping those familiar faces will give the 305 contestants a hometown advantage over competition from Tampa, Orlando, and even as far as Washington, D.C.
Miami is one of six metro areas to host Red Bull's regional qualifying rounds, joining Honolulu, D.C., Boston, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. Winners of each round will move on to a final U.S. competition in Las Vegas in September — and that event's winner will advance to a worldwide finals in Paris in October.
At the first qualifier in Honolulu last month, dancers from San Francisco and Vegas traveled to Hawaii to take on hometown talents such as Jack "Hijack" Rabanal, who emerged the victor. The next qualifier is set to happen in D.C. July 20 before the series travels to Miami.
Red Bull Dance Your Style. 6 p.m. Saturday, July 27, at Story, 136 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; storynightclub.com. Tickets cost $10 via tixr.com.