Killa Kolya: the past, present and future of breakdancing

On November 9, India hosted some of the best breakers from around the world as they battled it out for the world title at Red Bull BC One. This is one of the most atmospheric and prestigious competitions in the world of breaking, which has been held every year for 16 years.

Nikolai Chernikov, better known in the dance community as Killa Kolya, this season became a participant of the bright final for the third time. Nicholas, unlike other invited dancers, had to pass the selection at the battle Last Chance Cypher, which took place two days before the world championship. We managed to meet with Killa Kolya right in the epicenter of India – the city of Mumbai – and talk about female and male breakdancing, the attitude to the style in different countries and the development of the direction.

World-class breakdancing: on the difference of styles

– Kolya, tell us why you chose Last Chance to make it to the finals? Have you participated in any selections before?

– This was not my first selection. Let’s start with the fact that I have already represented Kazakhstan in the world finals in 2015 in Italy. To get there again, I had to go through the selection process again. At first, I didn’t succeed in any way. I was in Amsterdam, the next year in Zurich. And this year, it turns out, Mumbai. This is my third Last Chance: I managed to pass it well enough to get to the main battle again.

– Was it scary to travel so far? It’s one thing to go to Zurich and another to fly to Mumbai.

– I love India very much and it is not the first time I have flown here. The third chance is the third time in India. So many signs (laughs). You know, it just happens to be my kind of place.

– Getting away from your personal story a little bit, I’d like to ask why so many Japanese have shot so well in recent years? If you look at the last five finals, there are a lot more of these guys, especially in women’s breakdancing.

– First of all, I think it depends on their mentality. The Japanese are very hardworking and take breakdancing seriously. They treat training as a job, for them it’s a big responsibility. It is we can sometimes think “Ai, I want – do not want. But they go and work hard in the gym. That’s what makes them break through.

– In your opinion, how much different Slavic (CIS countries), European and Asian styles of breaking?

– Our CIS-style is more about originality. We have a lot of unconventional and interesting characters. And other guys, you can see, much more work than ours. If our break is always a little bit on freestyle, in the party, the Europeans and Asians clearly have a different approach. As Robin said about Koreans – “Korean special forces”: everything is scheduled and planned by the minute. For us, and maybe even for Europeans, break is about style, punk and soul. But for the Japanese and Koreans – it is a serious meticulous training.

Male and female: about aggression and emotions

– Don’t you notice that there is a lot of aggression from Asian participants? For example, on the same Last Chance, especially in the battles of girls, it was very noticeable.

– I saw only one female battle, and, in fact, did not notice the aggression. Here in b-boys – it is a matter of course, so even more interesting, because the emotions make the show. If the aggression is mutual, it turns out to be an energetic battle. The main thing that after it remained the understanding that it was just a moment. Both participants exchanged energy and should remain in each other’s esteem.

How you feel – so you will present yourself in the dance. Character is expressed through the body.

– But if in a b-boy battle it looks normal, then the girls look on the verge …

– We have a street style, and aggression must be present. Perhaps, sometimes the girls are overdone, they need in a different form to present it. If you, for example, show a gesture, it should come from a girl, not from a guy. The difference should be visible. But it all depends on the dancer. If you are experienced enough and know a competent approach, you will be able to present any information well – it will not be perceived too roughly.

– Is there such a tendency that women’s break differs in style from men’s? And in general, should women’s break separate or is it better for girls to compete with guys?

– I think everyone chooses their own way. Girls are also different, as well as boys. There are guys feminine, and dance in a feminine style. And there are girls with a boyish attitude. Everyone finds themselves in something and expresses themselves.

Of course, the guys are more rugged. And girls, it seems to me, in the break should show some femininity. There must be some distinctive features that will give beauty, graceful dance. So do many b-girl, but there are those who come out and chopped as men. Also much depends on the character, inner state, well-being. As you feel – so you will serve yourself in the dance. Character is expressed through the body.

– Share your experience: how not to over-psychologize before going out on the platform? It happens when you are soft at heart, but because of the heat you come out with a different message.

– Personally, I try to always keep myself in control. Sometimes emotions start to overflow and thoughts start to make you think too much. In this case, you need to stop yourself in time, so that it did not affect the outcome of the battle. If the heat happens right on the court, it may not take out your opponent, but he can take you out. And if he did it, then you have already lost: immediately begin to distract and banal to be not here.

Individuality in dance: about subjective judging

– Breaking itself is very subjective. Yet are there certain criteria that are important to judges in dance?

– Usually the judges have a purely personal opinion, because each of them has a certain style and criteria that he prefers. Also when two dancers perform, the judges look and judge different styles too. I think this is where it all comes down to the situation. Sometimes judges make unexpected decisions after which you start thinking and digging why he did that. At any moment you can ask the jury’s opinion: a decent judge will always explain his decision.

– Do you think that judging from five judges, as in the current final, is more objective?

– Of course! The more experienced people there are, the more objective the decision. When it’s just one person, of course, it’s purely his opinion. You can’t rate him, even if you win.

– How do you feel about the appearance of breaking in the Olympic Games program?

– I think it is deserved, because breaking is developing with great force and speed and becomes even more interesting than other sports. Although fully to sports it can not be attributed to it, because it is creativity. It can not be driven into the framework, like any other discipline. But reaching the Olympic level is great, it gives us good prospects and opportunities.

Many dancers say that the Olympics now has not the most positive reputation, and not only in our country. There are enough questions about the objectivity of judging, doping samples, political games.

– Aren’t you worried that if breaking is involved in all this, it will stop being so soulful?

– I don’t think it will. Breaking is underground. As long as there are people who understand its essence, they will promote it and develop the right perception. There will remain the parties that have always been there. And breakdancing as a sport – this is already, as far as I am concerned, a separate direction.

At any time you can ask the opinion of the jury: a worthy judge will always explain his decision.

– Do you have any idea what will be the criteria for evaluating breakdancing at the Olympics? After all, at competitions of this scale there are clear points and rules.

– I think that the Olympics will come up with a single, the most adequate evaluation system. But it will not be a full-fledged system like in our circles. Many people draw a parallel with snowboarding, which is quite organically integrated into the Olympic Games program. Snowboarding has been around as a discipline for years, although it’s essentially a mental hangout. But there you evaluate the specific number of tricks performed, the technique.

Breaking is very individual, it is more difficult to judge than any other street style or sport. Because each person reveals its capabilities and develops independently, starting only from himself. If you have found yourself, you can be very different from others. You can be flexible, strong, technical or fast. Everyone has different movements and energy. But not everyone is able to express themselves fully.

– When you judge battles, what do you pay attention to? Can you name the top 5 personal criteria?

– I think that the main criteria are musicality, originality, dynamics, energy output. It is also important how you lead the battle, the game, dialog with the opponent. Now pay attention not to who cooler made, and who made the least mistakes. Breaking has changed: all dance cool and clean. So sometimes you are, indeed, forced to look for flaws.

Hype or author’s style: about the new generation of dancers

– You’ve already mentioned that it’s not your first time in India. Have you already felt how exactly here develops breaking culture?

– Here everything is just beginning. They have, you can say, there is only one b-boy, who managed to get on the big stage. And, I think, there is still a huge number of worthy people. It takes time for guys to train, travel, gain experience and be able to come to the right understanding. Because in places where breaking is just beginning, dancers watch and just repeat after others. So there is no individuality. Take China. They also break recently began to develop, you can see the inexperience. The mass of dancers, but all look like one. They dance according to fashion and can not distinguish themselves from others.

Naturally, the matter is also in the mentality: here it is far from hip-hop. It’s not easy to decide and go to breakdancing. It is already worthy that someone saw himself in it and will develop in this direction. Especially for guys from India it is a chance to get out of the slums, to travel, to see the world and the opportunity to achieve some heights.

– Do you think the problem that people in “beginner” countries dance as one is due to the fact that now a huge amount of information can be freely found on the Internet? For example, when guys started dancing in the noughties, there wasn’t much information. There were records that were passed on cassettes, master classes. And you nurtured your style, more even listening to music than looking at something.

– Of course, these days there is an overabundance of information, so a lot of b-boys just repeat what is fashionable. The hype is in vogue right now: something happened and everyone wants to do the same thing. And you have to be different! Those who merge in the general mass, then so and remain there. You should strive not to fall under the influence of the masses and see the zest, as it was in our time. Back then there was an understanding that you had to be interesting, to stand out. It’s elementary: if you want to be noticed, you have to be different, something different. And most young people don’t really understand this. They just make fashionable moves.

– What influenced you in your personal formation in breaking and the desire to come to this culture?

– In general, I have been dancing since I was a kid. Since I was seven years old I listened to Michael Jackson, I was fond of his style, dancing. At first I liked the music, then I saw how he moved and just got sick of it. I listened to the songs, learned his moves, danced day and night. And then, at a young age, my brother went to the break and called me with him. But I refused, because I have Michael Jackson, I’m already dancing!

It’s elementary: if you want to be noticed, you have to be different, something different.

My brother would come home after practice, repeat the moves, tumbling. And I became interested in it. I started to follow him, then I went to the break too. I saw that with it you can realize yourself, see the world, show yourself to others. It opens up huge opportunities. And breaking itself is an interesting branch of creativity or sport, I don’t know (laughs). But I’m more in favor of creativity, through which you can express yourself and do absolutely everything.

The beginning of your career: about your parents’ support

– Was your parents’ support important for you?

– Of course. My mom was always in favor of any of my endeavors. Whatever I did, she would say: “Well done, son!”. But my father was skeptical about breaking. He was not against it, but he was not in favor of it. He said that “now you’ll dance, and then you’ll go to work anyway.” He didn’t believe it. For old-school people, dancing is when they went to discos (laughs). They have no understanding of the level of such creativity now. But I showed my parents that I live it and that I’m doing well. Now they perceive my hobby and are proud of my achievements.

– Can you think of any point when your dad’s skepticism started to subside? It could have been a major accomplishment or a competition after which they became a little more relaxed.

– My dad, I think, realized it when I graduated. I immediately went to another city to develop, earn and live from dancing. He realized that I was unlikely to work in my profession as a metallurgist. Now here I am teaching, performing, traveling to championships, giving master classes, judging.

My father was skeptical about breaking. He was not against it, but he was not in favor of it either. He said that “now you’ll dance, and then you’ll go to work anyway.” He didn’t believe it.

– What would you like to see your further development in? Would you like to compete at the Olympic Games?

– Of course, I would like to win more championships and make my career in the future. And I would like to take part in the Olympics. I already participated at ROXY last year and took the third place. Then at the Asian Championships – I got silver. Now I just need to win gold (laughs). I think I will shoot again.

The help of the federation: on the development of breaking in Kazakhstan

– How in general in Kazakhstan develops breaking in the official status?

– We have everything very conditionally. Since this is just the beginning, no one can figure out how to deal with it. But slowly breaking in our country is moving in the right direction. There are processions, trial battles, our guys are sent to the championships. For example, Kazakhstan will represent at competitions in the United States. I am glad that there is at least such a development. It takes time for the movement officially strengthened and it was clear what to do and where to move.

– Does the Federation helps to close the financial issue of travel to competitions, when a person goes to represent Kazakhstan? After all, not every b-boy can afford a trip to the United States, for example.

– Yes, they provide such an opportunity. Of course, not everything is organized as it should be, but for some guys and this is enough. I am not a member of our federation, I have my own reasons. And the young guys take the chance. Many of them have been to Europe for the first time. We were making our own way and did everything with our own money. And now young people have this great opportunity. They spent hours in the gym and now they can go for free.