RYUGI INTERVIEWS EPISODE 10
BBOY BOB CC
Q. Please introduce yourself
I was born and raised in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, on April 13, 1992. This year marks my 16th year of dancing. I currently work in a warehouse. When I was in Japan, I worked as a plumber at a U.S. military base.
Q. What was the reason you started dancing?
I started dancing in 2008. When I was practicing a dance routine for my school's cheerleading squad, which involved dancing to otaku-style anime music, a friend said, "Instead of doing such a lame dance, let's do breakdancing together." He then showed me a six-step and a chair freeze. I was completely blown away by these moves. From that day on, I practiced every day whenever I had free time. I turned down all invitations to hang out with friends, and even when I had a girlfriend, I prioritized breaking over going on dates.
*Who did you get inspired when you started?
The people who influenced me the most are:
First of all, the Soul Style Family, who were active in my hometown of Sagamihara. It was the first time I saw the existence of a Crew. At midnight at the station, we would show each other our moves in cyphers, teach each other techniques, create routines, and I got to know the coolness of a Crew. The seniors’ fashion sense, humor, and the coolness of the adult b-boys made them a Crew I admired a lot.
As for individual b-boys:
• Atsuki-san (Waseda Breakers)
• Assassin-san (Body Carnival)
• Kazuki Roc-san (Body Carnival)
• Wing Zero-san (Found Nation)
• Lil Ossa-san (Shangri-La)
These people influenced me a lot. Every time a new video came out, I would immediately download it to my iPod, watch the videos whenever I had free time, go to practice, and work a lot of part-time jobs. It was always surprising and fun to watch what they did.
* How did you create your style?
From the beginning of my breaking journey, I was more attracted to creating interesting moves than focusing on power or footwork. Honestly, I haven't made any significant style changes, and I think the core of my approach has remained the same. However, after meeting Atsuki-san and Assassin-san, my perspective and approach to creating moves began to evolve.
Anyway, these two were really strict, especially Assassin-san, haha. No matter what move I showed, he would always say it was boring or that it was a "Bite". Even when we met at practice, he would greet me by saying, "Chan-chin, that move you did is a bite," haha. At the time, it was frustrating, but I think that strictness is what has shaped my current style.
I also kept participating in battles relentlessly. Back in Japan, I would usually enter battles 2-3 times a month. I had the chance to face off against many of Japan's top b-boys and b-girls.
Interacting with various people made me realize the importance of battle presence, top rock, footwork, and power moves. I came to understand that having a strong foundation makes the moves stand out, and doing interesting things makes the foundation shine. I want to continue exploring and developing my breaking.
Station vs Station
Q. What do you focus on when practicing?
I spend a lot of time thinking about creating moves. I focus on how to move my body, the flow, and the entertainment value. I spend more time thinking than just moving. I place great importance on visualization. If there is even a slight difference between the image in my head and the actual movement, I will never use it in a battle. I want to perfect it until I am satisfied. I think about new ideas a lot, even outside of practice. Recently, there is a kid b-boy named Leon. He comes to practice earlier than anyone else, practices more than anyone else, and executes each move with 200% effort. Watching him is very inspiring. It reminds me of when I started breaking. Recently, I have come to realize the importance of continuing to move with full effort.
Q. What do you keep in mind when participating in battles?
Keeping my mental state in check is crucial for me. I'm the type who gets very nervous and worries unnecessarily about what to do if I fail. To get used to the atmosphere of the battle venue, I chat with friends and join cyphers. I also have a ritual of doing one full-power jump before every battle. I started doing it as a joke, but it gradually became a routine. It doesn’t have any special meaning, but it helps me calm down, haha. Being too nervous to move is bad, and being too relaxed is also bad. I prioritize maintaining a moderate level of tension. After that, it's just a matter of executing what I practiced in the battle.
Q. What differences do you feel exist between the b-boy scenes in Australia and Japan?
When talking about the scene, it’s quite challenging, but what struck me when I came here is that the battle venues in Australia are very large, and the number of entries is surprisingly low! I suppose it's due to the population and the size of the country. In Japan, there are often battles with over 100 teams, and the venues are cramped, haha. Because of this, I've developed an attitude towards preliminaries and the ability to dance in tight spaces.
From my perspective, Australian b-boys and b-girls seem to dance freely in both practice and battles. Even those who are just starting already have their own style, dancing freely and participating in cyphers without hesitation. I also get the impression that everyone here has a lot of passion. People dance while singing and have a strong battle attitude, which reflects the national character of Australia and makes it fun to watch.
In Japan, I think the common pattern is to practice the foundation thoroughly first and then develop a style later. My close friends tend to practice with clear goals rather than dancing freely. They focus on details like the angle of their hands and the position of their feet, aiming for perfection. Especially among Japanese kids, there are many who have similar styles, but they are all-rounders who can do top rock, footwork, and power moves. As these kids grow older, they tend to establish their own style and start to stand out.
Q. What do you think is necessary for the Australian dance scene to grow further?
I feel a bit unworthy to speak about the Australian scene, but I'd like to share my thoughts based on what I experienced in the Japanese scene. The most important thing is producing big stars and connecting with the younger generation. In fact, two stars, J-attack and Ray Gun, have been spreading breaking across Australia. I hope that those who see these two will become interested in breaking. I also hope that these new enthusiasts will meet good mentors and engage with many b-boys and b-girls.
If each team focuses on nurturing the younger generation, I think it could bring about positive changes. Of course, crews that focus on battles are also necessary. Having various teams helps everyone to elevate each other, fostering a spirit of never wanting to lose, which creates a great cycle of improvement. If I had to say one thing, it would be that I wish there were more crews. Maybe people aren't interested in crews? I've never delved deeply into this, so I'm curious about the reasons.
I think the scene in Queensland is particularly impressive. There is a lot of enthusiasm, like inviting top players such as Amir to boost the Australian scene. Everywhere I go, I feel that people love breaking. While I haven't looked deeply into it, I think Team Cream looks great as a crew. There's the older generation that nurtured J-attack and BenMX, the middle generation traveling the world and leading the younger generation, and the younger members who aspire to be like their teammates. A crew like this influences not only its members but also those around them. I'd love to join one of their team practices someday!
Another point is that Australia is a place where b-boys and b-girls from various countries come together, allowing the sharing of breaking scenes from all over the world. This is a unique privilege of this country. I want to share my experiences with everyone, and I also want to learn from others. I believe that by mutually enhancing each other, we can make the scene even better.
Q. Tell us about your crew. What is the history of the crew, how did you join, and what are your future goals as a crew?
Waseda Breakers was formed in 1988 as a club activity within Waseda University. I've heard it originally started as a street performance circle. Since breakdancing landed in Japan in the 1980s, I believe they've been consistently at the forefront of Japan's breaking scene. The founder of Waseda Breakers is Prince, who I believe is now in his late 50s. I have great respect for him still doing breaking.
As for the generations of Waseda Breakers:
-
First generation: Prince and others
-
Second generation (BOTY 2000 members): Jack, Yajiro, Chao, Lunch
-
Third generation: Kousuke and others
-
Fourth generation: Abere and others
-
Fifth generation: Atsuki, Assassin
-
Sixth generation: Hideki, Bobcc, Matt, Action, Azuma
-
Seventh generation: Haru, Takateru
I joined Waseda Breakers in 2014 during Old School Night, which was my debut at Waseda. It all started when I challenged Abere to a battle. I'd like to practice with him sometime soon. This led to me practicing and interacting with people from Waseda. When I asked Abere why he wanted to include me, he said he liked my mental strength to do weird things seriously during battles, haha. But honestly, at that time, I didn't know much about Waseda at all; I was interested because Atsuki and Assassin were there, haha. After joining Waseda, I realized how great it is, haha. People have told me countless times, both domestically and internationally, that they watched the BOTY 2000 final to death. I'm really happy that everyone knows about Waseda, but the reality is that many don't know about the current Waseda, haha. I hope to showcase the current Waseda internationally in the future.
Since coming here, I've had many happy moments. Kidtek always mentions Waseda's name whenever I watch Japanese battles. I was also delighted when Patty P (Juse Crew) said they are carrying on Waseda's style.
When I joined Waseda Breakers
Waseda Breakers at Freestyle Session in LA
Q. Which of your battles have left the strongest impression on you so far, and why?
In 2022, I was the runner-up in the BOTY World Final 2on2. That year, the World Final was held in Okinawa, Japan, which is an event that anyone involved in breaking knows about! I thought it was a chance to make a name for myself if I could win on this stage, so I participated. However, after the TOP 4, my partner Azuma hurt his back, and I had to dance 4 rounds by myself in the finals.
Many people, including Katsu One, told me it was a chance to become a hero, but at that time, I didn’t have the mental capacity to think about that. I was just desperately trying to figure out how to handle the 4 rounds in front of me. Moreover, our opponents in the finals were the world-famous b-boys from France, Khalil and Marlone. We lost badly in the end, but more than anything, I was happy to be able to express my style on that big stage and to show my signature move in the last round. It was a moment that made me feel like I could aim even higher.
Previously, I had no interest in overseas events at all, but this battle made me want to challenge more international battles.
BATTLE OF THE YEAR WORLD FINAL
Q. What are your personal goals as a b-boy? (Both short-term and long-term)
Short-term:
I want to participate in battles in Asia, Europe, and America. I’m not particularly thinking about being invited (although I’d be happy if I were invited, of course). Right now, I believe it’s important to go on my own strength. Also, I’d like to hear various stories about the roots of Waseda from our brother Crews Havikoro and Bag of Trix (the crew that Chao-san belongs to). I also want to practice and hang out with the people from Rock Force Crew (Matt Action’s crew).
Long-term:
I want to continue my b-boy journey for a long time. I want people to say, “How long is he going to keep competing in battles?” To achieve this, I’ve recently been paying more attention to taking care of my body and studying about nutrition. I want to keep being part of the Waseda Breakers. Honestly, I’m not interested in getting married or landing a good job. I want to keep breakdancing and become a b-boy who can influence even just one person. I want to work hard to make my team one that others look up to.
*Could you give a message to young b-boys and b-girls in Australia?
I hope you dive deeply into breaking. Even after 16 years, I still want to practice every day and get better. I don’t think there’s any other culture as interesting as this one. If you want to win battles, it’s important to prioritize dance to the point where you’re willing to make sacrifices. Also, I hope you participate in a lot of battles. Just by watching skilled dancers and battling, there are definitely things you can absorb.
WASEDA BREAKERS 30TH ANNIVERSARY