I found this video by accident and as of this moment, only less than a hundred people have seen it! I really think more people should watch it. Last year when the Red Bull BC One Asia Qualifier happened here Auckland, I was kicking myself for being out of the country that very same week! Why? Let me get a quote from Swerve.
“This is a highlight for the scene. We haven’t had a big B-Boy event like this in a long time. Having all the international dancers here in Auckland is a big thing. The local B-Boys look at these guys like superstars and to meet them is really great for us. Events like this need to keep happening! The B-Boy scene in New Zealand has been around since the early 80s. The scene is still small, but well-educated about B-Boying and Hip Hop culture. It’s a healthy scene, but we need events like this to keep growing.”
Yes, it’s true. We do look at them like superstars. For me to hear Roxrite was in town, I was pretty gutted. And here I thought someone had an exclusive
interview with Roxrite while he was in the country (and was feeling really jealous), but in fact, it was an interview
done in another City Dance Studio situated in California (the interior looks quite like our City Dance here in Auckland). It’s still a gem though and I'm glad I stumbled on it.
It’s a very casual and lax interview done by Step x Step. Here Roxrite is asked a few questions which I’m sure he’s answered many times before, but one that stood out for me was when he was asked which battle he enjoyed the most. What he said was very humbling.
“I’ve done so many battles that it’s hard to pinpoint a specific battle that I really enjoyed ‘cause I learned a lot from a lot of them. Even the ones that I lost – I think were more valuable than the ones I won because losing in a battle when it’s like, damn. You learn about yourself, you learn what you can get better at.”
Sometimes it’s easy to forget, especially in a dance like bboying where ego, reputation and attitude are piqued, that having humility and learning from losses and mistakes are also valuable advantages in growing as a dancer. It's always a disappointment to lose of course, and we always feel like we are not good enough – but that’s the point. We are never good enough.
If we think we're already good at what we do then that's the end of our growth - we've placed a limit to our abilities and can no longer grow further into the culture and dance. We need to understand that there will always be room for improvement and learning. Even when we come to a point where we teach others, we are still learning. Losses shouldn't be shunned but valued. It strikes you stronger, has more urgency and pushes you even harder than winning.
Value your losses and learn from them.
Peace x :)
