Dutch crew The Ruggeds after winning the Battle of the Year World Final in Hwaseong, South Korea on September 21, 2025.
Facebook: Battle Of The Year
Battle of the Year, the world’s largest breaking (“breakdance”) competition, took place over the weekend of September 20 and 21 in Hwaseong, marking the 37-year old event’s first edition in South Korea. According to Korean publication The Chosun Daily, a total of 1,000 dancers from 33 countries participated across BOTY’s various events.
The Ruggeds win Battle of the Year crew event
The crew performances and battles on day two of Battle of the Year are the headliner, and 2025’s edition did not disappoint. Beating out all other crews from across the globe, the Netherland’s The Ruggeds took home the first prize, but not for the first time, as they previously won BOTY in 2022. This time, their strong bond, unique personalities, and spirit of having fun carried them to victory once again. Japan’s Found Nation crew claimed runner-up, which also isn’t their first time, as they came second in 2018.
Japan’s Body Carnival wins Best Show award
Japan didn’t go home empty-handed, though. Body Carnival, known for their creativity with the occasional dash of humor, won Best Show for their performance. Using traditional Japanese elements such as black and gold kimono-like tops for their costumes and shamisen sounds for their soundtrack, the Kyoto crew executed their show to near perfection and maintained crisp formation throughout. A standout of the performance was the gravity-defying solo from Haruto, one of Body Carnival’s younger members who has also been blazing a path in solo battles as of late.
More notable mentions
Notable mentions from the other BOTY events include solo breaking champion Phil Wizard, who was also Canada’s representative and gold medalist in Men’s Breaking at the 2024 Paris Olympics, showing remarkable consistency and his signature quirky style. In the Kids’ Battle, 12-year-old Louis Shan from China emerged victorious with technical skills that would go far even in an all-ages battle. The newest generation of breakers is already making their mark, and it won’t be long before they start seriously competing with the greats of today.
While the audience surely saw enough breaking to satisfy their needs, there were also guest performances from Korean hip hop dance teams and musical artists Yang Hong-won, Kid Milli, Dun Mills, Noh Yoon-ha, Boi B, and One Million.
Battle of the Year continues its legacy as a premier international dance event, jam packed with battles and performances, including its signature crew event as always. The competition is set to take place in Korea in 2026 and 2027 again, so spectators can mark their calendars.
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