New Taipei Gathers International Street Dancers! First-Ever Overseas Preliminary Round Expands Exchange, Adds Youth-Exclusive Track

The 2026 New Taipei International Street Dance Competition concluded successfully on August 2, themed 'Dance Bold, Dance Global.' For the first time, preliminary rounds were held overseas, inviting dancers from Australia, Japan, Malaysia, and beyond to New Taipei for competition and cultural exchange. A new youth-exclusive track was introduced, and top three winners in the 'Open Style One-on-One (Unrestricted Division)' earned qualification to compete at Korea's CIDC international event, further connecting New Taipei with the global stage.

International dancers gathered in New Taipei, marking a new chapter in street dance exchange. Now in its 18th year, the competition attracted 258 domestic and international street dance talents and 62 youth choreography teams. It partnered for the first time with Malaysia’s 'YAYZ SPACE DANCE STUDIO' to host a regional overseas qualifier, inviting champion Barry Tong as a seeded competitor in the 'Open Style One-on-One (Unrestricted Division),' expanding Asian street dance collaboration.

Barry Tong from Malaysia expressed admiration for Taiwanese dancers’ passion, noting that the Malaysian qualifier was highly competitive since participants knew each other well, making real-time performance crucial. He hopes to return to Taiwan for future competitions and continue exchanging with local dancers.

Rana, winner of Korea’s 'CIDC U19 Korean Representative Selection,' participated in the 'Open Style One-on-One (Youth Division)' final. She gained significant inspiration during the competition and was deeply impressed by New Taipei’s digital scoring system—unlike Korea’s traditional paper-based or hand-raising judging methods. She looks forward to returning to Taiwan for future exchanges.

Both Korean seed dancer Locker Rana and Malaysian seed dancer Barry Tong expressed eagerness to return to Taiwan and engage with more dancers.

To cultivate emerging talent, the New Taipei Youth Bureau launched the 'Open Style One-on-One (Youth Division)' this year, offering under-18 dancers greater stage exposure. Additionally, the top three in the 'Open Style One-on-One (Unrestricted Division)' will represent Taiwan at the Cheonan International Dance Championship (CIDC) in South Korea, establishing a pathway from local development to international competition.

After two days of intense performances, winners were announced: HRC BEAST CREW won the 'Choreography Battle (Youth Division),' with sister and The Mixcin taking second and third; Legacyroc claimed victory in the 'Breakdance One-on-One (Unrestricted Division)'; Weiwei took first in the 'Open Style One-on-One (Youth Division)'; and Popping Kim, KAI, and Da Yu secured first, second, and third in the 'Open Style One-on-One (Unrestricted Division).' These three will represent Taiwan at the CIDC in October.

Popping Kim, champion of the 'Open Style One-on-One (Unrestricted Division),' noted that performance depends heavily on personal condition, requiring adaptability to different music styles—an enriching challenge. As the first back-to-back champion in the event’s history, he eagerly anticipates representing Taiwan internationally.

Legacyroc, winner of the 'Breakdance One-on-One (Unrestricted Division),' described 'Fresh' as the essence of Taiwan’s street dance culture. Having followed the event for 12–13 years, he observed a growing visibility of solo competitions alongside traditional team battles. Humble about his win, he stated dancing is simply part of his life.

The New Taipei Youth Bureau emphasized that the competition has reached its 18th edition, demonstrating strong brand appeal and drawing around 3,000 participants annually. Through overseas qualifiers, international exchange, and youth cultivation, it continues to build a key platform for Asian street dance dialogue. Going forward, it will integrate more global resources to help young talents shine on the world stage and showcase Taiwan’s street dance excellence globally.