Interview Bgirl Kanami and myw aka “the airflare girls”

Editor-Vera Cheng & Atsushi Takahashi | photo credit-Nika Kramer | original for Red Bull Taiwan

Attentions Bboys!There’s more and more Bgirls in our young generation who have amazing flexibility and instant power, also would like to go further. This phenomenon is specially obvious in Japan. Look back the Asian society, there’s always a barrier and limit for women, people locate women in weak, sexy and soft character. It’s the same when we talk about dance. But nowadays, women power is being mentioned as usual as men right used to be. Girls decide their future at incredible young age. In dance circle, those girl’s ambition and self-demanding is both higher than one can imagine.

So I say it’s time to do some exclusive Bgirl interview.We are so lucky to have Kanami and Myw as our guest who just turn to sixteen in this year.They win the BOTY 2on2 Bgirl battle in 2013,well known as their flawless power move in East area of Japan.Step into dance circle when they were just kids,from the conversation with them,you can instantly know the passion and patient they have through dance.

From life background to the thoughts of group,we discuss how they keep winning in battles, step on the stage of world, and most importantly keep the non stop eager of growing.

Simply tell us about how do you start dancing at the first place and for how long.

Kanami:At first simply because my older sister was learning dance and seem like fun to me.So I start to dance just like her.This year is my tenth years.

Myw:I begin to dance since 3 years old and do it for 12 years in this year.I don’t remember when I start to dance because I was too young. It was an opportunity that my mother put me into the dance school and its where everything began.I met Kanami at a show of lockin’ class. I did genres such as jazz, ballet, hip-hop, lockin’ at first, and begun break dance after.

 

 

What’s your most famous move and what inspire you?

Kanami:My most well known move is Air flare. I was really inspired by Bgirl AT when I went to Germany for Battle of The Year 2013. I have watch many videos of AT before meeting her, because I like her style. She is so dope,literally.

Myw:The movement im proud with is acrobatics, air flare.The most inspiring memory in my mind is when I watch bgirl AT of Flow mo in BOTY Germany.She completely caught a sound and attract the audience of the circumference.when AT disappeared from the cypher, there was no cypher. I felt her frightful coolness.

Bgirl AT from Finland completely caught a sound and attract the audience of the circumference.when AT disappeared from the cypher, there was no cypher.

Being a Bgirl in Japan,what’s the most difficult thing you ever face when you enter competitions?

Kanami:I think it’s difficult to set the movement for battles, and show it. Because there are similar material in my movement. In competition, I feel difficulty to choose the best one every time.

Myw:I have experiences broken bones at least eight or nine times. It’s so hard thing for me keeping breakdance practicing during injury.But practicing for BOTY Germany is my hardest time that I ever experienced.

Japan continues winning consecutively in the bgirl battle of BOTY and they all said that we will stop the straight victory. There are pressures from the circumference everyday. Expectation,too.It made me afraid whenever there was someone don’t show up in practice. It was serious mostly difficult time because I think we should have fun dancing but I can’t.

It’s so hard for me to keep routine practicing with broken bones.But the daily practice for BOTY Germany made me experience the hardest time.

What’s the strength and weakness of being a girl in breaking dance circle which mainly men stand by?

Kanami:Strength for Bgirls is we have more flexibility than men do. So we can do many styles that man can’t.But sometimes looks like heavy, I think it’s our weakness. So I try hard to practice the movement many times. Just like training.

Myw:At first that is flexiblity that only a girl can do. We can use flexibility to top rock. It’s the strength of Bgirl.By contrast, the part of weakness for doing Bgirl is less muscular strength than a man.That’s the thing which the powerful vibe lacks.But I always feel pleasure about cyphers and do not feel the superiority and inferiority.

Bgirls have more flexibility of body compared to Bboys. So we can do many styles that man can’t physically.

At first,how the group’s strength help you with your personal career?

Kanami:We advise each other and point out a place which is not be noticed by oneself. In battle, we can fill up the thing which it is not possible for the battle. I feel powerful when we get together.

Myw:I can participate in the competition such as contest, show and 2on2 battles. It is not being able to perform alone, Only by team. Also we support each other on various occasions and can challenge many things with supports. It fills up my mental weakness. So we got the support of Casio. Team’s strength help us with challenging something new.

Now I feel fresh for activity in solo,because It’s my first experience to perform as solo dancer.I uesd to not active in solo and always acted as Kanamyw.

 

We advise each other and point out some details and short comings which not to be noticed by oneself.

How do you define the word “original”?

Kanami:When I get original, there is a hint from the thing except the dance, and only oneself hits on. I think it may be able to said that there’s original flavor when one’s character and personality appear. It means to show out oneself.

Myw:My life is different from other even compared to my partner. So I think it means to express “an original” which I tasted in my own city, life and experience for these 15 years that I walked by.

 

What’s the presepective you have toward yourself and your group in the next coming five years?

Kanami:After all,becoming a bgirl which is said that you are cool.

Myw:We only overcame BOTY as a result but if we do next again, may not beat it.So we want to be stronger in this culture and pass it in this wild world. We will approach the world scene more.