The final installment of the annual Red Bull Beat Battle recently took place over the weekend and as always Walter Sisulu Square, in Kliptown, held it down as the venue for the prominent dance spectacle. In what was an intense competition saw eight crews battle it out for first place and ultimately it was the leaders of the new school Sbhujwa, Soweto’s Soulistic Fusion Trio, who claimed victory over the Ninja Turtles in an intense final round of the dance showdown.
It was a solid win for Soulistic Fusion Trio, battling seven of SA’s top dance crews for that number one spot, not forgetting being the only crew in the semi-finals to not have won the title before . “There are no words to describe how we feel right now” Blessing Dlhamini, founder & crew member.
The night was overwhelmed by an electrifying atmosphere and hyped-up performances from the likes of Kat la Kat, Kid X, DJ Speedsta, Sibot, DJ Switch and more, as well as surprise appearances from ‘Salutas’ hit-maker Youngsta and young hip hop prodigy Nasty C.
Hosted by Scoop, the Red Bull Beat Battle undoubtedly represented SA’s music & dance culture to the fullest. The panel of judges consisted of Somizi Mhlongo, Lorna Maseko, Gerald Witbooi aka Vouks Nojokes and acclaimed dancer Lorcia Cooper who acted as an addition to an already prominent group of experts, which of course puts emphasis on the amount of skill and talented that had to be displayed on the night.
Variation and style were the most evident factors each crew had to bring unto the stage, as dance styles from B-Boying to Pantsula were represented, however it took more than dance moves to take this years battle crown, as each crew had to fully embody a complete package of what they stood for, 
basically it took more than breaking it down to stand out. What a celebration! Believe Da HYPE.
Images courtesy of: Tyrone Bradley & Wayne Reiche / Red Bull Content Pool