I am Ali Ramdani, aka Lilou, Hip-hop dancer from Lyon, France, and french-algerian. We are in Lagos, Nigeria. I came here to judge, and to give workshops to the local dancers.
And everything that goes with it: photoshoots, practices, battles… Chilling with the local B-Boys, discover each others lifestyles… I really enjoyed my time here, and as well how the hip-hop culture stands. It feels alive here. What I love about this dance, it's a dance without borders!
You may be jew, christian or muslim… You may speak french, wolof or korean… What matter is what you do on the dancefloor! And this is what is going to get the crowd going, or not! No matter your social level, your religion, or sexual orientation… Everything dissapear on the dancefloor: you are only a dancer.
I got to meet dancers who where poor. And this is a very small word. But I also met B-Boys who were son of embassador!
A dancer is a dancer. Anything else doesn't matter! I grew up in Vault-en-Velin, France.
Real concrete jungle. I started kung-fu from an early age. I took my first lesson at the age of 10, and at the age of 16, I got my black belt!
I have been several time France champion. I practiced for 12 years in a row. But then, breaking took over.
All the dancers from the Lyon area, coming from all the surrounding suburbs, we were gathering in the city center! Precisely, at the Opera plaza. Because we found there a great marble floor!
My parents didn't like it so much at first. They weren't understanding what I was doing. I would tell them : "I'm only dancing!
" . . .
Not quite an acceptable argument for my algerian parents! I'm the youngest of a 7 brothers and sisters family. They really pushed me to finish my studies and get my bachelor degree.
When I got it, I gave it to my mother and told her : "your son got his diploma. " "Now I want to focus on breaking for a little while. " And a few months later, I went to the world championship… And me, the little frenchy from Lyon, I smoked everybody and took the belt!
I didn't quite realized what I just did that night. And the memorable moment was when I got back home, when my father saw the huge belt. He told me: "Ok, now I understand why you gave up school.
" This was magic for me. This belt has a big story! It was created in 2005, and was supposed to pass on to every winner, year after year.
In 2006, I was supposed to give it back. Organisers didn't stop calling me… I told them that the belt was somewhere in Algeria, at my grand-mother's house in the mountains and there were no address, so it couldn't be picked up. For me, it was important to keep this trophee.
I practiced all these years to win the title of world champion… And eventually they changed the rule: nowadays, there is a belt for every winner! There is no stricts rules in breaking. It's not like ballet dance for example, in which there is very codified moves.
In breaking, the only limitations are your body abilities. My style is a little bit like that. I do what I feel doing.
And it's not only about the moves, it's also about what radiate from you. It requires a certain form of charisma and presence, which to me are harder that the breaking moves. Mine was forged during my childhood.
I was always the smallest kid in the classroom. I had glasses. So, when you grow up in a rough neighbourhood, you better learn how to swell out your chest, despite your small size!
When I became world champion for the second time, I decided to come on stage with a t-shirt printed "I'm muslim don't panic". It's a slogan which makes us smile and reflect. In addition, I was representing Algeria at the competition.
I'm french-algerian. I have the two passports. There is no federations in breaking.
I am as much as proud of being french as being algerian. Another highlight of my career was when I performed at the Super Bowl. Starting to dance in the street, and then finding yourself in a crowded-out stadium, watched by millions of people, for the Super Bowl.
Quite something! It was live-streamed, so we couldn't afford any mistakes. We had choregraphies with "porté", carrying Madonna… For my part, doing the MDNA tour has been one of my greatest experience ever.
I have also learned that it is not necessarily something for me: To perform behind another artist, and to do the same show every night… For a crowd which is not yours, and not necessarily enjoying breaking. I have been dancing since 20 years now. I won most of the big battles.
I danced for theater shows, I danced for great artists, I played in feature films, I was featured in a video game: this is something to play with his own character! I did many things. And now what I'm enjoying the most, is to share my knowledge, train the new generation.
I founded an association named "Street Off". I keep on traveling the world. Even thought I'm now a father.
I get more work overseas. If I don't work, we don't eat! I traveled to more than 84 countries.
Travelling around the world, I now have a different look on France. We are living well in France. Let's face it.
But now, there is good sides and bad sides. When I travel to other european countries, I see veiled women able to work at the police or at the customs. When I return to France, I cross the border with my cap, my beard… I wanna tell the custom officer: "There is 50 people getting off this plane.
Why am I always controlled ? ! " We can not really get away from this, facial discrimination, etc.
Whatever. As I often says: dance has allowed me to travel around the world, and I will keep on going away, with my cap and my flip-flops! And staying myself.
What I am selling is not drugs, it's only my dances moves.
