Today, prestigious one-on-one breaking competition, Red Bull BC One, reveals the U.S. lineup for its highly-anticipated regional qualifiers and the return of the Red Bull BC One All Star Tour. Regional qualifiers, or cyphers, will take place across the country, summoning the best b-boys and b-girls for battles, community building and mentorship.
The competition kicks off on July 23 in Philadelphia followed by regional cyphers in Austin, Orlando, Boston, and Seattle. Regional cyphers bring together 16 of the region’s top b-boys and b-girls to battle 1v1 in a knockout bracket format. A panel of respected breakers from each region determines which competitors will advance to the Red Bull BC One National Final in Los Angeles.
The 2022 season saw an expansion of the program with the inception of open pre-qualifying city cyphers, which took place throughout the country this spring and ensured breakers of all levels had an opportunity to secure a spot in the elite competition. Regional qualifiers include invitees chosen for their elite breaking ability as well as champions and runners up from the open city cyphers.
Emerging b-girl Jeyna Ponce took the win at the Las Vegas city cypher before deciding to also participate in San Diego where she claimed runner up. “As a breaker with a year-and-a-half of experience, it was surreal to win a Red Bull cypher and it allowed me to recognize my potential and skills. Both events introduced me to a supportive community that has helped me grow my knowledge and expertise. I look forward to showcasing my love for this dance while representing my crew Battle Born, my city Las Vegas, and the females of breaking.”
Born and raised in Las Vegas, 21-year-old Ponce grew up surrounded by family and peers in prominent dance crews such as Super Cr3w, Jabbawockeez and Full Force. With a decade of training in everything from ballet to choreography, Ponce found her way to break while studying at Alchemy Breaking Academy in summer 2020, and never looked back. Ponce is set to compete at the regional qualifier in Austin, TX.
Coinciding with the cyphers, the Red Bull BC One All Star Tour returns in 2022 with multi-city stops featuring the world-class Red Bull BC One All Stars, an elite breaking crew, including Logistx (USA), Lilou (France), Ronnie (USA), RoxRite (USA), Phil Wizard (Canada), Lil Zoo (Austria), Victor (USA) and Neguin (USA/Brazil). Commencing August 4, the Red Bull BC One All Star tour will stop in Austin, New York City, Philadelphia, Orlando, Boston, Chicago, and Seattle. Cultivating a platform for mentorship, while ushering in the next generation of breakers, each stop on the tour will host workshops, community jams, panels and exhibition battles led by Red Bull BC One All Stars.
“I’m excited to get back on the road and reconnect with the b-boys and b-girls bringing break to new heights,” says Red Bull BC One All Star Ronnie. “With breaking making its way to the 2024 Paris Games, mentorship takes on an important role. As the community expands and competition levels rise, this is the moment to inspire the next generation while ensuring the strong foundation of heritage.”
The 2022 Red Bull BC One cypher season celebrates the art and athleticism of breaking, those who have pioneered the sport, and the communities who shape what it looks like today. With the Red Bull BC One World Final returning to New York, the birthplace of break, for the first time in 13 years, the competition aims to pay tribute to the sport’s heritage and invites the international community to celebrate breaking’s roots while looking to its future.
RED BULL BC ONE U.S. CYPHER SCHEDULE
- East Cypher [Philadelphia, PA]: Saturday, July 23, Cherry Street Pier
- South Cypher [Austin, TX]: Saturday, August 6, ACL Live
- Southeast Cypher [Orlando, FL]: Saturday, August 13, Celine Orlando
- Northeast Cypher [Boston, MA]: Saturday, August 20, The Sinclair
- Northwest Cypher [Seattle, WA]: Friday, August 26, Showbox SODO
- National Final [Los Angeles, CA]: Saturday, September 17, Eden Hollywood
- Camp [New York, NY]: Thursday, November 10 – Saturday, November 12, Capitale
- World Final [New York, NY] November 12, Hammerstein Ballroom
RED BULL BC ONE ALL STAR TOUR SCHEDULE
- Austin, TX: August 6 – 7
- New York City: August 10 – 11
- Philadelphia, PA August 12 – 13
- Orlando, FL: August 12 – 13
- Northeast/Collegiate All Star Tour Stops: August 18 – 20
- Chicago, IL: August 23
- Seattle, WA: August 25 -26
For more information about individual cyphers, exhibitions, workshops and tickets, check out the Red Bull BC One website, and be sure to follow @RedBullBCOne on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.