K-Pop champions emerge in Abuja

It was a fierce competition in both the adult and secondary school categories (which featured students from several FCT secondary schools) with bragging rights, Cash and Samsung products to be carted away, as well as a place in this year’s K-Pop dance festival in Korea at stake. The secondary school students came with hordes of […]

It was a fierce competition in both the adult and secondary school categories (which featured students from several FCT secondary schools) with bragging rights, Cash and Samsung products to be carted away, as well as a place in this year’s K-Pop dance festival in Korea at stake.

The secondary school students came with hordes of supporters from their schools to cheer them to victory and with red clappers slapping together, the vibrant music and the euphoric cheers, the atmosphere inside the hall was electric.

After several rounds of competitions, with the secondary school and adult teams taking turns on the stage and replicating as much as possible the dance steps made popular by Korean entertainers.

Before the third and final round, one of the judges Mr. Eze Ezekwesili said they were judging the contest based on certain criteria including, energy, originality, stamina, coordination, use of space and costumes and commended the participants for putting on a fierce competition.

After the final round of the competition, three winners emerged in both categories with Nanny Gracious clinching the gold prize in the secondary school category, beating off challenges from Dark Gravity and Glisten International Academy, who won silver and bronze respectively.

In the adult category, the favourites, The Elevators clinched the gold prize, beating of challengers Magic Steppers and GSS Gauraka to silver and bronze.

Having presented the winners with their cash prizes and Samsung mobile phones and DVD players, the Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Choi Jung-Hyun commended the spirit of the competitors and expressed delight that K-Pop, an export of the Republic of Korea, is finding a footing in Nigeria.

Speaking earlier, the minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Edem Duke who was represented by his Director of Culture Mr. George Ufot, commended the organisers of the competition, the Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria, for taking serious interest in cultural diplomacy, adding that he had been thoroughly entertained by the performances he had witnessed.

In his speech while opening the competition, Director of the KCCN, Mr. Suh, Jeong-sun, who also served as one of the judges, commended the enthusiasm of the participants and said his centre’s mission in promoting the dance culture is “to make every African join the rythm and tempo of the Korean wave.”

The winners, The Elevators, will now represent Nigeria at the 2012 K-Pop dance festival coming up in the Republic of Korea later in the year.