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Boston Globe

‘Feel the sweat': Red Bull's Dance Your Style East qualifier turns Roadrunner into a battleground

Melisa Valdez, Boston Celtics' in-arena host and a movement coach, said even though she's emceed the dance competition a few years in various locations, she's always surprised by the performers, the music, and the crowd's energy. 'You just never know what to expect,' Valdez said. 'None of it is planned, which is the beauty of it. The authenticity in the moment, how the dancers are connecting, not only through their movement but to the musicality, the audience energy.' Advertisement This year, performers will be accompanied by the musical stylings of the Boston-based brothers and DJs Muyi Fre$co and Noma Nomz, known as the 'It's cool to see how people bring their different dance styles together and make it all work based on the music that they're hearing,' Muyi Fre$co said. Advertisement Together, the three will guide audiences through a night of spontaneity and a celebration of dance. Valdez likened the competition's energy to a scene in the 2004 dance film Like in the movie — which centers on the lead-up to a dance crew competition in Los Angeles — at Dance Your Style, the audience circles the competitors as they perform, Valdez explained. The freestyles aren't presented on stage; the battleground is the Roadrunner floor. They're able to feel the energy, the dancers' movements, and 'if you're right there in the first row, you might feel the sweat dripping on you.' In each round, the audience determines the winner, and Valdez emphasized the importance of dancers connecting with the crowd. 'Everything counts in that moment, in that space,' she said. Cambridge dancer Alanna Logan at the 2024 competition. Brandon Payne For Cambridge competitor Alanna Logan, also Logan, a self-proclaimed 'fully trained wiggler' who specializes in popping, said she tries to stay as present as possible while dancing. Last year, she'd been so focused, she didn't know she'd made it to the national finals in Atlanta until someone told her. Logan said she learned 'crowd control' was about teaching the audience to feel what she was feeling. 'So, if that's like over exaggerating my head when I breathe, or if that's like getting closer to the ground, whatever that is,' she said. 'It's just a matter of being like, I need to feel more so they could feel something.' Advertisement As the competition approaches, Valdez said she's seen competitors — not just the winners — go on to have fulfilling dance careers, using the attention they garnered from the competition to teach workshops, headline events, and more. 'I think that these types of events are great events to bring a spotlight to the talent here in Boston, which is not always highlighted,' Valdez said. 'So, I'm glad that we get to have something that folks can come to and look forward to as an entertainer here.' RED BULL DANCE YOUR STYLE EAST Aug. 9. Doors at 7 p.m. Roadrunner Boston, 89 Guest St., Boston. Tickets start at $15.65.