New Red Bull Dance Your Style champion crowned

Jamaica’s dance culture took centre stage last Saturday as Red Bull Dance Your Style returned for its fifth staging. Sixteen of the island’s top dancers battled on the lawns of Devon House and, at the end of an exciting night, 33-year-old Tevin ‘Killer Bean’ Shaw, of the Sopreme Blazzaz dance group, was crowned the champion.

The competition made its debut in Jamaica in 2018 and, since then, has seen four champions, namely, Pancho Cautiion (2019), Flexx Cautiion (2021), Joel Immortal (2022), and Skitta Star (2023). This year, 16 talents selected by renowned dancer and choreographer Latonya Style went toe-to-toe in one-on-one battles, showcasing their ability to freestyle under pressure to genres spanning dancehall, reggae, pop and classic old-school anthems.

With no formal judging panel, competitors earned the crowd’s vote to advance to the next round. Each dancer was challenged to adapt on the spot and create a routine to not only capture the hearts of the crowd, but showcase their own individual style of dance. Dancers freestyled to an unpredictable mix of reggae, dancehall, hip hop, pop and timeless anthems. Every competitor brought their own style and energy, but the final round came down to Killer Bean and Trisann Dough, known as Sylva DubaiBaby, with the champion securing the win in a thrilling showdown.

Reflecting on the victory, Shaw shared, “This win means a lot to me because I’m not doing it for me, I’m doing it for my son. I started dancing at eight [years old] as a way to provide, and I kept pushing because I knew one day I would experience something great – and this win is that for me.”

He continued, “The Red Bull Dance Your Style Competition gives us as dancers the opportunity to grow and spread our wings - it’s a true experience. I was a bit nervous at first but I overcame that feeling with the help of fellow dancers around me, and then came the confidence I needed to push forward and win.”

Host Latonya Style, praised the performances, noting how the competition continues to shine a light on Jamaican dance on the international stage.

“Jamaica has a massive influence on dance globally, shaping global pop culture across multiple genres. Our iconic moves, style, energy and even fashion are embraced worldwide, impacting music videos, choreography, mainstream social media trends and dance challenges, keeping Jamaican culture at the heart of global dance.”

Styles had words of encouragement for Shaw, stating, “Prepare yourself as best as you can - watch videos, rehearse and understand different genres. No matter what happens, you are our winner and that makes you a big deal.”

With the win, Shaw will represent Jamaica at the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final in Los Angeles on October 11, competing against dancers from over 30 countries.

“The dancers on the international scene are out of this world – they hold great talent. My plan is to go out there and show them what Jamaica can do,” Shaw said, as he vowed to bring fun, charisma and excitement to the world stage.