Zack The Great wins Red Bull Dance Your Style Kenya 2026 title

The competition brought together 16 street dancers from across Kenya in a series of head-to-head freestyle battles for the national title. Zack The Great secured victory after defeating King of Smiles in the final round.

The win earns Zack The Great a place at the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Finals, scheduled to take place in Zurich, Switzerland, on 24 October. Kenya will be among 51 countries represented at the international event.

“Being crowned the Red Bull Dance Your Style 2026 champion is something truly special,” Zack The Great said. “I am grateful for the support, the love from the community and the opportunity to represent something bigger than myself.

“Kenya is full of energy, culture and incredibly talented dancers, so being recognised among such amazing talent means a lot to me. Sharing the stage with so many gifted dancers was already an honour on its own. It honestly feels like an answered prayer and a huge blessing.”

Speaking about the upcoming world finals, Zack The Great said adapting to an international competition environment would be among the challenges he expects to face.

“I think the biggest challenge will be adapting to a completely new environment and atmosphere. It will be my first time competing on such a major international stage, and the energy will definitely be different from what I’m used to,” he said.

“Since I’ve never been to Zurich before, understanding the crowd, the vibe, and the overall experience will take some adjustment. But I also see that challenge as an opportunity to grow, evolve and push myself even further as a dancer.”

According to information provided by organisers, Zack The Great began dancing more than a decade ago and moved into professional dance around four years ago. His style combines elements of street dance, hip hop and popping, influenced by dance ciphers and community-based learning.

The national finals also featured appearances by international dancers, including the 2024 Red Bull Dance Your Style world champion MT Pop, 2024 world finals finalist Luwam, 2025 Netherlands champion Luciano and South African dancer Verb, a two-time national champion and world finalist. The dancers also participated in workshops with members of Nairobi’s dance community during their visit.

The 2026 competition marked the sixth Kenyan edition of the global event. Qualifying rounds were held earlier this year in Nairobi and Mombasa before culminating in the national final.

Red Bull Dance Your Style differs from traditional dance competitions in that winners are determined by audience votes rather than a judging panel. Spectators use coloured LED wristbands to select the winner after each freestyle battle.

The competition is open to multiple urban dance styles, although breakdancing is excluded. Participants are expected to improvise and perform to music selected by the event DJ.