What organizers are billing as the “largest and most acclaimed breaking competition in the world” returns Saturday for its fifth Minnesota dance event.

“These are not choreographed routines,” event host and House of Dance studio owner Jake Riley said. “These guys and girls are going to be going off. If people are into extreme sports and if they’re into seeing really cool things live, this is going to be the place to be this upcoming Saturday.”

Red Bull’s first ever BC One World Final event took place in 2004 in Biel Switzerland and since then the company has sponsored over 60 qualifying events, known as cyphers or camps, and 20 world finals.

Saturday’s cypher, which starts at 6 p.m. and is located at Royalston Square in Minneapolis, will showcase 16 B-boys and eight B-girls who will compete against one another in men’s and women’s brackets for the opportunity to compete at the May National Final in Colorado and November World Final in Japan.

“The event is important because it’s like the Super Bowl of breaking,” Riley said. “Red Bull BC One is the most prestigious one-on-one breaking competition in the world and it has been now for well over 20 years.”

Breaking background

Breaking came out of New York City’s Black and Latin communities in the 70s, or the “James Brown funk era,” as Riley said.

“It’s music, movement, soul and athleticism, all tied into one,” Riley said. “It’s also art. Breaking celebrates individuality and creativity, so the vocabulary of breaking isn’t done yet.”

The dance style is often incorrectly referred to as “break dancing,” according to Red Bull. “Breaking,” its original name, was inspired by how “young people would go off on the dance floor, moving with more sporadic and dynamic energy during the break of a music track.” During the first international hip-hop tour, “New York City Rap tour,” the manager of Rock Steady Crew, Cool Lady Blue, called the style “breakdancing,” which caught on in popular media, according to Red Bull.

Riley, a dancer himself of over 20 years, said that in his biased opinion, breaking is one of the hardest dance forms in the world. He said something that makes it so dynamic is that dancers have to showcase their personality and individuality, which allows them to get creative. Still, the art is very community oriented, he said.

“You can create your own move and five, ten, 20, 30 years from now, kids can be doing your move that you created and coined,” Riley said.

What to expect

When doors open at 6 p.m., Riley said the warehouse will become an immersive space with dancing and social activities taking place in different pockets. The real show will begin at 7 p.m., when battles will take place in a “pit style seating area on the Red Bull BC One dance floor in the middle of the space,” he said. All ages can enjoy the family-friendly and highly energetic show.

“People are in for a treat,” Riley said.

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Riley, who grew up in Brooklyn Park and started dancing in middle school, said that as a breaker who’s competed in past competitions, including Red Bull BC One, he is excited to be an MC who’ll hype up and support the competitors as they battle to encourage a vibrant environment.

“The crowd can expect flying, high energy and incredible movement which is super entertaining, but also organically intense competition of both the women and men who are climbing the ladder,” Riley said.

Riley said someone he looks forward to seeing at the cypher is two-time Red Bull BC One World Champion and 2024 Olympic Bronze Medalist Victor, who will be one of the be judges.

“I admire his path, his work ethic and his success,” Riley said. “I’m really excited to see him in town.”

Minnesota’s first breaking studio

House of Dance owner Jake Riley, who will host the Red Bull BC One breaking cypher Saturday in Minneapolis, says “I’ve been breaking for over 20 years, born and raised here in the Twin Cities scene. I’ve watched breaking go through its ebbs and flows and now I’m considered one of the veterans,” Riley said. (Courtesy of ALL WAYS Films & Photography)

In 2014, Riley and his wife Bao Lee opened House of Dance in Minneapolis, the first breaking and hip-hop dance studio in Minnesota, he said. In his 10 years of running the studio, Riley said his team has impacted thousands of people through hip-hop and breaking.

“We’ve grown it in a tremendous way and I’m proud of that as well,” Riley said.

As one of the first breaking studios in the state, Riley said Red Bull reached out to him early on about collaboration, which has now grown into a full partnership. Riley said Red Bull has always had a strong relationship with the breaking community in uplifting the new Olympic sport.

“I’m excited to see the next generation of competitors,” Riley said. “Every generation seems to get better faster.”

‘Stay for the community’

A diverse, welcoming community of hardworking people who promote healthy lifestyles and value movement and art is how Riley describes breakers and he’s excited for others to share in the experience at the upcoming event, he said.

“I encourage people to come to the event to be entertained, but stay for the community,” Riley said.

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Red Bull BC One Minneapolis

What: Breaking (aka break dancing) competition to qualify for Nationals in Colorado

When: 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 29

Where: Royalston Square, 501 Royalston Ave., Minneapolis

Tickets: General admission, $10

Information: redbull.com/bcone