Over the years, I have attended many dance events, both as a parent and through my work with young people and communities. I came to Beatdown expecting Krump’s raw storytelling, emotional, honesty and energy. I expected exceptional battles and the intensity of watching some of Aotearoa’s best dancers communicate through an artform I have come to love.

I was less prepared for how deeply the evening would move me. I felt like I watched a culture carried forward in real time.

Beatdown shifted my understanding of dance in Aotearoa. Its impact lay not only in the extraordinary performances, but in the way artistry, culture, tikanga, identity, relationships and responsibility existed together. The dancing could not be separated from the people, nor the people from the history and values of Krump.

I was struck by the meeting of generations. Those who had helped shape Krump nationally and internationally stood alongside young dancers discovering their own place and voice. People my daughter called “really famous” were there, yet status did not create distance. Their influence carried a responsibility to remain accessible, share knowledge and ensure others felt they belonged.

Alien, credited as an OG or first gen in the Krump movement in Aotearoa, moved quietly through the room, embracing and encouraging people. He did not need to announce his influence. It was evident in the respect that met him and the care with which he met others. It reminded me that leadership is not always performed from the front. Sometimes it lies in noticing people and ensuring the next generation knows there is space for them too.

The presence of Solow and BEAST from LA-rooted Rice Track was equally significant. Although they came as judges and teachers, they offered much more. For our young dancers, sharing space with Krump legends provided something no screen could reproduce: the chance to observe not only how respected practitioners dance, but how they conduct themselves and share their gift.

One of the evening’s most moving moments was the acknowledgement of Solow by the dance community. A haka was performed for him, and he was presented with a hand-carved Niuean vaka and taonga. It expressed gratitude for his contribution to Krump communities across Aotearoa and the South Pacific with Solow replying and giving respect and acknowledgement back to the community for carrying their krump history and weight. As a Pacific Mother, I found the moment deeply moving. Knowledge, encouragement and energy had been given for a number of years by Solow, and the community honoured that gift in a way that could only be experienced on our shores. It reflected a familiar understanding: generosity should be received and returned with equal care.

That same ethic was present throughout Beatdown. Values familiar from my upbringing, including whakapapa, whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, ako, tuakana-teina, kotahitanga, vā, alofa and tautua, were practised as people made room for one another, offered energy during battles and supported young dancers to take risks.

The exchange between Kidd XIII and PRINCE LIGHT$A’BER captured this sentiment vividly. It was intense, fearless and unforgettable. Both dancers committed fully, took risks and pushed each other towards a level neither could have reached alone. The crowd recognised not only their skill, but the courage, imagination and trust the moment required.

Young people were also absorbing the deeper tikanga of Krump: how to acknowledge those who came before them, when to give way to experienced Krumpers and how to carry themselves within the community. They were learning reciprocity. If you want people to stand behind you, you must stand loudly behind others. To be held by a community is also to accept responsibility for holding others. These lessons were not delivered through speeches. They were modelled.

I also want to acknowledge Ennaolla Paea-Vaega aka WATCH:MIN, Ken Vaega aka LIGHT$A'BER and LH Combine. Ennaolla and Ken are mentors to my daughters, so I have seen what their guidance makes possible. Their leadership is transformational, yet carried with remarkable humility. Through encouragement, honest challenge, patience and trust, they create the conditions in which young people can recognise their own strength and identity. As a parent, you hope your child will encounter people who see something in them before they can fully see it themselves. This is what Ennaolla and Ken have offered my daughters and many others over several years. The confidence they nurture reaches beyond dance. It becomes part of how a young person learns to stand on a battle floor and in the world.

The dancing was exceptional and the battles will be remembered. What remains with me most is the community surrounding Krump in Aotearoa: its history, tikanga and values, and the way young people can find themselves within it.

Alofa atu,

Girl Phirus’s (Mercy’s) Mum

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Event: Beatdown Krump Championships

Date: 28th - 30th August 2026

Event Organisers: LH Combine

MC: Ken 'LIGHT$A'BER' Vaega

Judges: Solow, Beast, Alien

Format: Showcase Prelims, Knock-Out Tournament

Categories: New Wave & Heavy Hitterz

Winner: New Wave - JR Watch:Min, Heavey Hitter - A$AP

Photo cred: Drops Archive