Top dancer claims Vietnamese hiphop quality declining

Pham Khanh Linh, 23, one of Vietnam's most talented hip-hop dancers, said the industry in the country has been saturated with non-skilled dancers.

Linh 3T is one of Vietnam's most talented hip-hop dancers

Linh, also known as Linh 3T, was ranked among the top four Asian dancers at the the large event, Redbull BC One 2011, told DTiNews that he pinned hope on a community of professional hip-hop dancers emerging after the recent competition Moscow in November.

Many people say that hip-hop dance has gone down hill since it was first introduced to Vietnam. What do you think about this?

I agree that the quality of hip-hop in Vietnam is declining. The industry has been saturated because of a lack of proper attention to professionalism. I highly appreciate the professionalism of competitions like the “Hanoi Jam All Style Battle”, where dancers have a real chance to compare their skills, which are judged other competent dancers. That’s the reason why I accepted to act as a member of the competition’s jury.

I was on the judge panel for the programme before I attended the Redbull BC One in Russia. The work of a judge is quite difficult. You have to, not only decide the winner, but provide some guidance for the younger dancers to develop their talents.

How has your life changed since you returned to Vietnam from the Redbull BC One 2011?

Since I came back to Vietnam from Russia, I've kept my initial goals. But I do have more friends than after the competition.

Many people think that you are the number one b-boy in the Vietnamese hip-hop scene after you were rated among top 16 b-boys in the world. Is that the reason why you left the Bigtoe crew to set up your own crew?

I do not think that I deserve to be ranked at number one. I’d like to send my gratitude to the audience who supported me. I and 20 other friends had plans to set up a new group before attending the competition in Russia. I didn't leave Bigtoe because I'm "full of myself".

I decided to set up the S.I.N.E or "Saying Is Not Enough" with the aim of devoting all my effort and ambition to dance and validating it as a form of art. When I'm done dancing myself, I plan to begin training the next generation.

What are your expectations for the Vietnamese hip-hop?

I think that any expectation for the whole community should be based individuals. For myself, I will try to become a role model for young dancers. I hope that this will, at least in part, help contribute to the development of a professional hip-hop community in Vietnam.

Linh joined the hip-hop community in 2004 and has won several international prizes, including the first prize at South East Asia’s Freestyle Session in 2011, the second prize at Who is Who, 2011, held in Paris, the second prize at the Hip-hop Session Jam in Berlin and the third prize at the R16 B-boy World Championship 2010 in Seoul.

dtinews.vn