Battle of the year facts for kids

Battle of the Year (often called BOTY) is a huge worldwide breakdancing competition. It happens every year!

It all started in 1990. A person named Thomas Hergenröther created BOTY in Hannover, Germany. Back then, it was quite small. Only 9 dance groups, called "crews," and about 400 people came to watch.

As breakdancing became super popular, BOTY grew much bigger. It even moved to a new, larger place in Braunschweig, Germany.

What is Battle of the Year?

Battle of the Year is one of the most important events in the breakdancing world. It brings together the best breakdance crews from different countries. They all compete to see who will be crowned the champion crew of the year. It's a big deal for dancers everywhere!

How Does the Competition Work?

Before the big international event, there are smaller "Regional BOTY" competitions. For example, there's BOTY France, BOTY Korea, and many others. These regional contests pick one winning crew from each country. That crew then gets to represent their nation at the main Battle of the Year international event.

The Showcase Round

When the crews arrive at the international competition, they first perform in a "showcase." Each crew gets about six minutes to show off their best choreographed dance routine. This means they plan out their moves and dance together perfectly. The judges watch these showcases very carefully.

The Battle Rounds

After the showcase, the crews are ranked from first to last. The top four crews then move on to the "semi-finals."

• The 1st place crew from the showcase battles against the 4th place crew.
• The 2nd place crew battles against the 3rd place crew.

The winners of these two semi-final battles then face off in the "final battle." This is where the champion crew of the year is decided! It's an exciting head-to-head dance-off.

How Are Dancers Judged?

Judges look for different things during the competition. They want to see amazing skill, creativity, and teamwork.

Judging the Showcase

When judging the showcase performances, the judges look at:

• Synchronicity: How well the dancers move together at the same time.
• Stage-presence: How much energy and excitement the crew brings to the stage.
• Theme & music: How well their dance fits the music and any story they are trying to tell.
• Choreography: How creative and well-planned their dance routine is.

Judging Individual B-Boys

During the battles, judges also look at the skills of individual dancers, often called "B-Boys" or "B-Girls." They check for:

• Top rock: The upright dancing moves done before going to the floor.
• Footwork: Fast and tricky moves done on the floor using their feet.
• Freeze: Holding a difficult pose perfectly still.
• Power move: Athletic and acrobatic moves like spins, flips, and headspins.

Judging the Battles

In the actual dance battles, judges focus on how crews perform against each other. They look for:

• Response: How well a crew reacts to the moves of their opponents.
• Routines: How well they perform their planned dance sequences.
• Strategy: How smart they are about choosing their moves and dancers.
• Attitude: Their confidence, energy, and spirit during the battle.