Level 3 in Creative Media student Alex Lazenby wowed the judges at the recent UK Hip Hop International Competition – the world’s largest street dance event.
They won a gold medal in the Mega Crew category with his dance crew IMD Legion! Their win also means that they have qualified to compete at the World Hip Hop Dance Championships taking place in the USA next year. We caught up with Alex to hear more about the competition and the training that’s involved:
“I’ve been dancing for about three years - I auditioned two years ago for IMD Legion on a whim and didn’t think I would get in so was really happy when I did! My dance teacher said he wasn’t looking for the best choreography, or the best performer, but was looking for the people with the most potential, the people he could see becoming the main dancers. To know that he thought I had potential was such a motivation – he changed the way I think about myself. I was a completely different person! I had no motivation, but now thanks to him I am growing and changing every day.
We train about two to three hours per night, every night and then more hours on a Saturday. We did two weeks training to get everything in order for this competition. We have a technique to learn routines quickly - we practice dance combos and store these in our heads and then put them together for the routine.
To enter the competition, we did an online qualifier - we had to submit a video of ourselves, and we got through to the finals from there. In my main category which was “Mega Crew” there were two other entrants, and these are the best teams in the UK.
I was really excited to go this competition as it was my first one due to Covid. It was crazy and I was really hoping we would win – I was also really nervous! It was probably the best feeling to be up on that stage with my family and win! I was looking at everyone around me and thinking, I’ve finally made it! I started out as someone who used dance to cope and now I am someone who’s used dance to succeed and I think that’s the most important part of my journey so far and I’m so excited.”
As well as all the dance training and choreography, Alex keeps fit running every other night and does an excellent job of balancing this with his College studies. He feels his tutors at College are very supportive and understand that dancing and being creative is beneficial to both his mental and physical health.
Alex’s tutor Leo Caroleo commented
“Alex is a student who strives to achieve at the highest levels. I am not surprised that his crew are national champions. The work and dedication that they put in is phenomenal. Alex exhibits the same ethics in the way he takes on his College work.”
On completion of his programme, Alex would like to go to university to study editing, incorporating the skills he is learning at College into making his own dance videos and documentaries.
He told us,
“When I started College originally, I enrolled on the Public Services programme, but thanks to my dance teacher Omar, I realised that I enjoyed being creative and transferred to Creative Media. I feel like Media is where I shine and it’s definitely something I can incorporate into my dancing.”
We all wish Alex the very best of luck with his studies and of course at the World Hip Hop Championships next year!
