HappeningPH Dance! A Showdown to Remember: Red Bull Dance Your Style Spotlights Top Filipino Dance Talents, Names Klockwise as National Champion

Christopher Sy / Red Bull Content Pool

Manila, Philippines — The energy was electric as the nation’s top dancers gathered to compete in the highly anticipated Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines National Finals. This year’s competition, which took place at the Kilometer Zero – Rizal Park in Luneta last September 28, was a thrilling spectacle of talent, skill, and passion that left the crowd at the edge of their seats.

Red Bull Dance Your Style is a renowned global 1-on-1 street dance competition where dancers show off their freestyle and improvisation skills. Unlike typical dance competitions where a panel of judges is present, with Red Bull Dance Your Style, the audience wields the power to decide the winner. This makes for a more intense dance battle, where dancers unleash their prowess to captivate the audience.

Following a successful series of regional qualifiers, the Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines National Finals brought together 16 crème de la crème of dance talents from all over the country. The competition was fierce, with each dancer pushing the boundaries of talent and creativity.

After several rounds of intense battles, it was down to the top 4 finalists: Klockwise, MSTR PIECE, JXYB, and Nemesis to compete for the top spot. In the end, it was locking master Klockwise (Kenneth Martinez), who emerged victorious. He danced his way to the top, captivating the audience throughout the competition. He masterfully injected theatricality with his “campbellock” or “locking” freestyle performances, showcasing a masterclass in style and skill, earning him the well-deserved trophy and a ticket to the World Finals as the exclusive representative of the Philippines.

“I’m so happy,” said the elated National Champion of his win. “I’ve gone through a lot from the Manila qualifiers, to the finals. I’m so grateful that I got to experience this. Thank you, Red Bull. Thank you to the whole dance community.”

Hailing from Valenzuela, Klockwise has continuously honed his craft with unlimited determination through countless rehearsals and competitions, always pushing to grow his talent and learn new skills.

Christopher Sy / Red Bull Content Pool

Klockwise disclosed that his personal competition highlight was his battle round with Ponla during the Top 8 battle round. He said, “That time, I felt lighter and my nerves were calmer because it was already the middle of the competition.”

He added, “I was getting fired up. I could hear the music so clearly, and I really just wanted to dance.”

On his upcoming journey to the World Finals, Klockwise shared, “I can’t think about it just yet. It might take some time (for it to sink in). But the opportunity is mine, so I will fully grab it. I will happily represent the dance community, and the entire Philippines in the World Finals.”

This year’s National Finals was powered by Xiaomi, 7-Eleven, and New Era as the official event partners. The crowd was treated to a car showcase by Stance Philippines and a truly pinoy-themed performance by Team Tera PH. Morobeats also performed a set, bringing the sounds of Manila’s streets to the stage. Homegrown dance icons, A-TEAM, and the legendary Philippine Allstars also fired up the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Finals stage, making the night even more unforgettable.

Michael Perfecto / Red Bull Content Poo

With the Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines officially wrapped up, all eyes now turn to the upcoming Red Bull Dance Your Style World Finals in India where the best of the best dancers from around the world will face off in what promises to be an epic showdown. Klockwise is bound for Mumbai, India as the Philippines’ sole representative to go up against the best dancers from 50 other countries.

The energy, the excitement, and the stakes will be even higher as fans await to see who will come out on top.

Ready for the ultimate street dance showdown? Keep an eye out on Red Bull Philippines’ social media for more updates. Support Klockwise and follow his journey as he makes his way to the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Finals, happening on November 9 at Dome, NSCI, in Mumbai, India.

For more information and updates regarding this year’s season of Red Bull Dance Your Style, visit the official Red Bull website and the following social media pages (Facebook | Instagram | Tiktok )