Timeline of Main Events
1970s:
- Mid to Late 1970s: B-boy Spy, from the Crazy Commandos Crew, dominates breaking. He is recognised for creating foundational breaking moves like the Six-Step Footwork, CC Rock, Swipes, Baby Freeze, and his Latino flavour of top rocking.
- 1970s: Hip-hop culture begins in New York City with DJs like Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash playing two copies of the same record, mixing between the breaks.
- Late 1970s/Early 1980s: Party dancers and influencers of early breaking begin developing what becomes Hip-Hop Freestyle.
1979:
- 1979: Rap music gains international recognition with the release of The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight."
1980s:
- Early 1980s: Hip-hop music is "discovered" by the music, print, fashion, and film industries, transforming into a multi-billion dollar industry.
1990s:
- 1999-2000: Jay Kapene (B-boy Flex) is introduced to breaking in Levin, New Zealand, after seeing Time Bandits perform. He witnesses a dancer named Tyrone performing 10 air flares, a rare move at the time.
2000s:
- 2000s: Krump originates in Los Angeles.
- Post-2000 (Exact Date Unknown): Jay Kapene, initially known as B-boy Flex, commits to joining Edu's crew, Crucial Movement, despite their focus on choreography rather than breaking. This commitment leads him to gain recognition and props in competitions.
2008:
- Circa 2008: New Zealand krump events, such as "Redemption," take place.
2009-2010:
- 2009 or 2010: XIII (Byrin Mita), also known as Kidd Konkrete, is introduced to New Zealand krumping by his best friend, Grayson (13x now), who shows him videos of his older brother, Mutiny.
- 2009-2010 (following exposure to krump): XIII starts observing Mutiny, Thomas, and Rawdy (J Badrilla) labbing at the "green wall" behind their college, but remains a bystander due to nervousness.
Early 2010s:
- Date Unknown (Early Days of Dance Scene): Shelly switches a popping track to a krump track at an event, causing City to express disapproval, highlighting early tensions between dance styles.
2015-2016:
- 2015 or 2016: Seidah Tuaoi performs a new move in a battle, a pop with her back bent backward, leading to the name "Demon Pops" sticking with her.
2018:
- 2018 (or late 2018/early 2019): Daniel Jang begins to develop a specific knee spin move.
- 2018: John Vaifale (Happy Feet) competes at the "Battlegrounds" event in Australia, enjoying the feeling of being an "unknown" dancer internationally.
- 2018: Ken Vaega's crew achieves international recognition, becoming the best company in the world (though the specific competition is not named). This event challenges the perception that New Zealand dancers cannot achieve global recognition.
2019:
- 2019: Seidah Tuaoi has a significant highlight in her year when Jaja Vankova invites her to join RUR Alliance as a student and mentor, a moment she considers a major blessing.
Current (Year unspecified, but references recent events and ongoing activities):
- Ongoing: Byrin Mita, known as XIII and Kidd Konkrete, is a prominent figure in the New Zealand krump scene. He has cultivated his "concreteness" by studying the demeanor and mannerisms of his "big homie," Concrete. He is a member of the Concrete family, a prestigious krump "fam," and has been recognized for his dedication to joining the group, even applying multiple times over a year.
- Ongoing: John Vaifale, also known as Happy Feet, is a hip-hop dancer part of the Projekt Team and teaches at House of Bounce. He is known for his animated style, which is a mixture of b-boying and popping, inspired by various international dancers. He co-founded the "Loose Change" hip-hop event with Josh.
- Ongoing: Daniel Jang (Simba) is a b-boy who started breaking nine years ago (from the podcast recording) at church to impress a girl. He values community and collaboration in dance, believing that pushing others helps the entire scene improve. He teaches breaking at En Beat Dance Academy and Kinetic Dance Studio.
- Ongoing: John Bernardo (JB), representing Example Fams, 603 Boogie Squad, and NZ Lockers, is a respected figure in the New Zealand dance community, particularly known for locking. He teaches locking at En Beat Dance Academy and Kinetic Dance Studio. He believes in contributing to the community and views b-boying as one of the hardest dance styles.
- Ongoing: Celina Torres is involved in hip-hop crews, starting with IQ Adults and then Stereo Hype, both under Neverland. She later joined ID, where she learned a combination of styles including popping and isolation, expanding her movement vocabulary.
- Ongoing: Ken Vaega (Lightsaber, Junior Street Beast) is a krump dancer associated with Lighthouse Fams and Baby Tight Eye's guidance. He previously trained in the US (Urban Dance Camp, Q&A Madrid) and later joined Prestige, a significant crew in South Auckland's street dance scene. He uses different dance personas for battles.
- Ongoing: Shelton Rua (Sheldon from X-Factor) is a house dancer associated with Faleheddz House Movement and Projekt Team. He teaches house dance at En Beat Dance Academy.
- Ongoing: Seidah Tuaoi (Heavenly Pops) is a dancer who has changed her name from "Demon Pops." She is known for her creative approach and is being mentored by Yaya within the IUR team. She emphasizes continuous learning.
- Ongoing: Manila Okan is a dance producer and electronic music producer, working on music for fellow locals and a fashion show in Portugal. He is known for his long limbs and unique directional changes and level switches in his dancing.
- Ongoing: Andy Choi is a b-boy and a key figure in the Auckland Breaking Community, where he teaches free classes/jams. He is also the host of "What's The Dillies?" podcast.
- Ongoing: The New Zealand street dance scene emphasizes learning foundations, history, and cultural roots from local OGs, international pioneers, and authentic sources. It promotes humility, learning, and respect, and encourages participation in local battles, jams, and workshops to foster growth.
- Ongoing: Street dance styles like hip hop, krump, waacking, breaking, popping, locking, house, and vogue originated in communities as forms of self-expression to resist oppression. They are living cultures passed down and adapted through generations.
May 2025:
- May 17, 2025: Victor Montalvo, the first US b-boy to win an Olympic medal, is featured in an article about "Breaking the Loop" in Valencia, Spain.
Individuals:
- 12AF (Badass Street Beast): A krump dancer associated with Universe 12.
- Avenue: A dancer who was with Daniel Jang, Mikey, and Stephen outside during a battle before Daniel was called back in for top 12/top 8.
- Baby Tight Eyez: A prominent figure in krump whose guidance Ken Vaega (Junior Street Beast) carries.
- Bou Bou: A hip-hop freestyle dancer from the Asia side, watched by John Vaifale.
- Buddha: A breaker whom Daniel Jang looked up to and who later moved to Wellington.
- Byrin Mita (XIII/Kidd Konkrete): A krump dancer and member of the Koncrete family, deeply influenced by his "big homie" Koncrete. He was introduced to krump in college around 2009-2010.
- Chanel August: A hip-hop teacher at Neverland who started Celina Torres's hip-hop journey with crews.
- Chevy: A popping teacher who taught Celina Torres.
- CT: A dancer who was involved in an early incident where Shelly changed a popping track to a krump track.
- Daniel Jang (Simba/NJ): A b-boy who started dancing around nine years ago to impress a girl at church. He teaches breaking at En Beat Dance Academy and Kinetic Dance Studio and emphasizes community support in dance.
- Diana Who: One of John Vaifale's popping teachers from the Auckland Popping Community (APC).
- Ducky: A famous b-boy from Korea who created Drifter's Crew and now lives in New Zealand. He performs a similar heel pivot move to Daniel Jang.
- Edu: A b-boy and brother of Chevy, who invited Jay Kapene to join his crew, Crucial Movement.
- Emma: A dancer who helped train crews alongside Celina Torres and Indie.
- Gabriel Nito: Teaches hip-hop and breaking at HIT Dance Studio and is associated with Flow Motion.
- Grace: Teaches hip-hop at Movementum Dance Studio.
- Grandmaster Flash: A DJ who, in the 1970s, helped originate hip-hop culture in New York City by playing two copies of the same record.
- Grayson (13x): XIII's best friend who introduced him to krump. He and Thomas argued with XIII and Mutiny about a song lyric.
- Grub D: A b-boy from Christchurch who performs a similar heel pivot move to Daniel Jang.
- Haha Lee: Teaches waacking at HIT Dance Studio.
- Hanhee Kim: Teaches hip-hop at Kinetic Dance Studio.
- Happy Feet: See John Vaifale.
- Hayley Walters-Tekahika: Teaches waacking at Prowl Productions.
- Indie (Indigo): A dancer who trained crews and is known for her "girly" and "gangster" dancehall style, and her mad groove. She called Celina Torres to join ID.
- J-Fresh: See Jay Kapene.
- J Badrilla (Rawdy): A New Zealand krumper and friend of XIII, who changed his AKA multiple times.
- Jay Kapene (B-boy Flex/J-Fresh): A b-boy from Levin, New Zealand, who started skating before discovering breaking in 1999-2000. He initially had the name "B-boy Flex" due to a fall, but later changed it to "J-Fresh" to signify his aspiration for clean technique.
- John Bernardo (JB): A dancer representing Example Fams, 603 Boogie Squad, and NZ Lockers. He teaches locking at En Beat Dance Academy and Kinetic Dance Studio.
- John Vaifale (Happy Feet): A hip-hop dancer, co-founder of the "Loose Change" event, and member of Projekt Team. He previously gained fame from New Zealand's Got Talent.
- Jordan: A dancer and teacher who taught Celina Torres's crew (Stereo Hype) for a year or two and took Chaos to Worlds.
- Josh (Kokonut): A dancer, friend of John Vaifale, and co-founder of "Loose Change." He is also mentioned for his b-boy ego and for teaching isolation.
- Junior: A b-boy who battled Tight Eyez.
- Kami: A member of the New Zealand IUR group alongside Kat and Seidah Tuaoi.
- Kat Walker: A member of the New Zealand RUR group alongside Kami and Seidah Tuaoi.
- Ken: A dancer who broke the mentality for Daniel Jang that New Zealanders couldn't achieve international success in dance. He is mentioned as being a "killer" in battle and music. Also refers to Ken Vaega.
- Ken Vaega (Lightsaber/Junior Street Beast): A krump dancer from South Auckland, part of Lighthouse Fams and under the guidance of Baby Tight Eyez. He uses different characters (Lightsaber as a defender, Junior Street Beast as disrespectful) when he battles. He trained in the US and joined the crew Prestige.
- Keith: One of the first two people John Vaifale told about his idea to start a hip-hop event ("Loose Change").
- Kool Herc: A DJ who, in the 1970s, helped originate hip-hop culture in New York City by playing two copies of the same record.
- Konkrete (Kevin): A living legend in the krump community, considered by XIII to be arguably the best or top three krumpers. He is the founder of the Koncrete family, and his style and demeanor are widely studied by his "fam" members, including XIII.
- Lee Rock: A b-boy mentioned by Jay Kapene as one of the few who could do air flares like Tyrone.
- Mano Yu: A dancer who made it to top 12/top 8 in a battle Daniel Jang was in.
- Manfred Okan (Manny): A music producer and dancer who has worked on music for locals and a fashion show in Portugal. He's also a member of ID.
- Mason: A clothing designer and friend of Myke Davis Hoeft, who inspires Myke's "Jiggy" character.
- Mele Taeiloa: A dancer and friend of John Vaifale. She is mentioned as covering the cost for "Loose Change."
- Mikey (Myke): A dancer and friend of Daniel Jang and John Vaifale, who competes in hip-hop freestyle.
- Montel: A dancer from Ken Vaega's school, known for his ability to do splits and his consistent support for friends.
- Mutiny: XIII's first "big homie" in krump, Grayson's older brother. He introduced XIII to battling.
- NayNay: A dancer battled by Jay Kapene, who is now like a sister to him.
- Nolz: Ken Vaega's first hip-hop trainer, who introduced him to locking, breaking, and the New Zealand hip-hop scene.
- Peggy Yao: Teaches Vogue at En Beat Dance Academy and Kinetic Dance Studio, associated with Candee Collective.
- Popping ten: One of John Vaifale's popping teachers from the Auckland Popping Community (APC).
- Rina Chae: Teaches waacking at En Beat Dance Academy, associated with IHOW NZ and Candee Collective.
- Seidah Tuaoi (Demon Pops/Heavenly Pops): A creative dancer known for her "Heavenly Pops" move, and currently a student and mentee of Yaya in IUR.
- Sejoo Han (FL09): Teaches popping at Auckland Popping Club and is part of the Projekt Team.
- Shelly: A dancer known for switching music tracks in battles, sometimes controversially.
- Sheldon Rua: See Shelton Rua.
- Spy (Crazy Commandos): A legendary b-boy from the mid to late 1970s, considered "The Man With A Thousand Moves" and a "master illusionist" due to his foundational contributions and unique style in breaking. He influenced many b-boys like Crazy Legs.
- Stephen: A dancer who was with Daniel Jang, Mikey, and Avenue outside during a battle.
- The Little Twins: Hip-hop dancers admired by John Vaifale.
- Thomas: A friend of XIII and a New Zealand krumper under "Breakthrough." He was part of the lyric argument.
- Tight Eyez: A notable figure in krump, known for his battle against Junior. XIII knew of him through "Rise."
- Taupz: A dancer who provided a lot of knowledge and tips to John Vaifale during his breaking journey.
- Trac 2 (Star Child La Rock): A personal friend and peer of Spy, who described Spy as a "master illusionist."
- Trent: A krumper battled by Jay Kapene.
- Tyrone: A dancer from Jay Kapene's school (circa 1999-2000) who could do 10 air flares, a highly advanced move at the time.
- Victor Montalvo: The first US b-boy to win an Olympic medal.
- Whitey: A hip-hop freestyle dancer watched by John Vaifale.
- Zed: Teaches hip-hop, breaking, popping, and house at En Beat Dance Academy, associated with 603 Boogie Squad.
Crews/Fams/Groups/Organisations:
- 603 Boogie Squad: A dance crew associated with John Bernardo (JB) and Zed, who teach locking, hip-hop, breaking, and house.
- Auckland Breaking Community: Teaches free breaking classes/jams, with Andy Choi and other members.
- Auckland Popping Community (APC): Where John Vaifale learned popping from teachers like Diana Hu and Popping ten.
- Candee Collective: Associated with Rina Chae (waacking) and Peggy Yao (vogue), who teach at En Beat Dance Academy and Kinetic Dance Studio.
- Chaos: A crew that Jordan took to Worlds.
- Konkrete Family: A krump "fam" (crew) that XIII is a part of, founded by Konkrete.
- Crazy Commandos Crew: B-boy Spy's crew in the 1970s.
- Crucial Movement: Edu's choreography-focused crew that Jay Kapene joined.
- Drifter's Crew: A crew created by Ducky from Korea.
- En Beat Dance Academy: A dance studio where Zed (603 Boogie Squad), NJ (Simba), JB (John Bernardo), Rina Chae, and Peggy Yao teach various street dance styles.
- Example Fam: A krump fam John Bernardo represents.
- Faleheddz House Movement: A house dance group associated with Sheldon Rua, offering free classes/jams.
- Flow Motion: A group associated with Gabriel Nito, who teaches hip-hop and breaking at HIT Dance Studio.
- House of Bounce: A place where Happy Feet/John Vaifale (Projekt Team) teaches hip-hop classes.
- IHOW NZ: Associated with Rina Chae, who teaches waacking.
- RUR: A dance group or program that Seidah Tuaoi joined as a student under Jaja's mentorship, with Kat and Kimi also as part of the New Zealand team.
- Kinetic Dance Studio: A dance studio where Hanhee Kim, Simba (Daniel Jang), JB (John Bernardo), and Peggy Yao teach various street dance styles.
- Lighthouse Fams: A krump crew that Ken Vaega (Lightsaber) is co-leader of with his wife Nolz.
- Loose Change: A hip-hop freestyle event co-founded by John Vaifale and Josh, known for its focus on hip-hop music and freestyle battles.
- Movementum Dance Studio: Where Grace teaches hip-hop.
- Neverland: A dance studio where Celina Torres started her hip-hop journey with crews like IQ Adults and Stereo Hype.
- New Zealand Lockers (NZ Lockers): A group John Bernardo represents.
- Prestige: A large and influential dance crew, particularly in South Auckland, that Ken Vaega joined.
- Projekt Team (Projekt): A group John Vaifale (Happy Feet) is part of, also associated with Sejoo Han and Shelton Rua. They emphasize bringing people together and mutual support.
- Prowl Productions: Where Hayley Walters-Tekahika teaches waacking.
- Red Bull Dance: Global events that showcase street dance.
- Star Child La Rock: A crew that Trac 2 is from.
- Stereo Hype: Celina Torres's second hip-hop crew at Neverland.
- The Sugarhill Gang: Released "Rapper's Delight" in 1979, marking rap's international recognition.
- Time Bandits: One of the best b-boy/b-girl crews in New Zealand, whose performance in 1999-2000 inspired Jay Kapene.
- Universe 12: A krump community associated with 12AF.
- XIII WRLD: A krump community/organization associated with XIII (Byrin Mita).