Scenes from Saturday’s ‘Freestyle is the Key Style’ dance competition in Dumbo

David JRX went home with top honors and $2K for his moves, but everyone who got to watch the free event was a winner

A couple hundred people crammed into the event space at 26 Bridge in Dumbo on Saturday night for dance competition billed as “Freestyle is the Key Style,” featuring 16 contestants busting a whole host of moves for top honors. In addition to dancers from Brooklyn, the Bronx, East Harlem, New Jersey, Minnesota, and Kansas City, at least two came to compete all the way from France.

As a dancer named Angyil told Brooklyn Magazine, “there’s a battle going on and I’m here to get crazy.” Deney Terrio was not available for comment.

The crowd was loud, though (Scott Lynch)

The five judges of the contest were New York freestyle legends Samo, Strings, Lord Busout, Javier Ninja, and Kim Holmes, all of whom were tasked with deciding which dancer won each of the one-on-one battles, whittling down 16 entrants to one winner. In the first few rounds, contestants were given just one minute each to show their stuff — and show up their opponent. In the final money rounds, each dancer had to fire off three minute-long salvos.

David JRX from Minnesota took home the top prize of $2,000. Second place, a still-pretty nice $1,000, was won by Noah Lot from East Harlem. The $500 third place prize went to Willis from Paris.

Grand prize winner David JRX (Scott Lynch)

Stakes aside, the scene was supportive, with all the dancers enjoying the whoops and cheers of the highly participatory crowd. The event was free, with the retail and streetwear outfit Snipes footing the bill for everything.

Second place winner Noah Lot (Scott Lynch)

Bergen County kid Kink Kai, who got knocked out in the second round by eventual fourth-place finisher Sage, told us “I feel like I did pretty well but honestly? Sometimes you just lose. It’s all good though, I had a lot of fun. I dance for the Brooklyn Nets, which is actually less challenging than these freestyle dance battles.”

Here are a few more gravity-defying scenes from the dance feverish night.