Up-and-coming female led street dancing crews from Sydney are shining a new light on the Australian street dance scene, with the presentation of two dance works being brought from the street to the stage as part of FORM Dance Projects’ INTERSECTIONS: Street Dance X Theatre. This is a two-day street dance festival featuring a double bill of Western Sydney’s best female-led dance groups on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th November this week.
While the roots of street dancing are linked to African American communities from decades ago, it’s encouraging to see the art celebrated as a form of self-expression across the world, appreciated by various cultures who are creating their own interpretations of it.
INTERSECTIONS’ cutting-edge line-up includes Kinetic Illusions by Inner-West all female powerhouse Oh Sheila and INTERFLOW by Destructive Steps Dance Association. Inspired by their Asian heritage, the dancers experiment with the playful manipulation of history, time and space and the impact that this has on physical movement and the physical world around us.
So – what has the experience been like as a female dancer and choreographer in the street dance scene here in Australia? “Right now, I’m most active in the Hip Hop and Krump communities, and I have to say, the Hip Hop scene in Sydney is surprisingly balanced—if not actually more female-dominated,” says choreographer Tiffany Nung.
“It’s something that’s taken time to develop, but it’s thanks to trailblazing women like Alice Tauv, Jasmine Vo, and Brooke Napalan who’ve created their own spaces within the scene and made their voices heard,” Tiff tells Missing Perspectives.
“These women have been dominating competitions, organising events, and ensuring that the community remains a welcoming and safe space for women to thrive. Their leadership has inspired an entire generation of young female Hip Hop dancers, and I truly believe they are the future of Sydney Hip Hop.”
Tiff points to female role models who have helped her navigate the street dance scene. “Honestly, I’ve been very lucky to have had such powerful female role models from the very beginning of my journey in street dance. Because of them, the presence of men in the space has never intimidated me or shaken my determination,” she says.
“The confidence to express myself and the freedom to pursue excellence in this community—those were gifts granted to me by the incredible women who came before me. And it’s because of them that I can truly enjoy being a part of the street dance world.”
Similar to Tiff, Bev says that while the popping scene in Sydney has been more male-dominated over the years, female representation has gradually increased. “It’s not quite a style that many women would associate to being feminine or having the potential to be feminine (not that it doesn’t exist!). I’m glad to have friends who are driven, inclusive and constantly pushing to get better together,” she says.
“I definitely agree with what Tiff has said about the Hip Hop scene. In fact, Brooke was my first teacher when I started right before COVID hit. There are regular Ladies Hip Hop sessions and even battles that are now run by the ladies in the community. The space and spectrums of energies in the Hip Hop scene are a reflection of our leaders’ and mentors’ push to empower women.”
“And Breaking, in my opinion compared to other scenes, has the smallest female to male ratio. Physically demanding, steep learning curve and not many entry points to the style makes Breaking intimidating as hell. We don’t have any female leaders or teachers currently, but the B-Girls do sometimes share with each other when we come together occasionally,” she says.
“I do find that geographically the Breaking scene is more dispersed and it is hard to be mentored without being a part of a Breaking crew, already knowing someone or consistently taking classes. I hope that my perseverance in the style could possibly convince other women that, if I can, they can do it too, and I’ll always be open to growing with them.”
Book tickets to INTERSECTIONS here.