Two of Baltimore's best, on the dance floor, will get a chance to compete in the national spotlight at the Red Bull Dance Your Style Competition.
Dancers from all over the country will test their skills against each other in a battle where the crowd chooses the winner. Only two could advance after the regional was hosted at Ram's Head Live in Baltimore and the people chose Monae "Queen Stylzz" Maiden and Brandon Dawson a.k.a "McLovin."
"Baltimore's coming," Dawson said. "That's all I can say. Baltimore's coming. Let's make history."
What both dancers believe is even bigger than this opportunity for themselves, is the opportunity to shine more light on Baltimore's vibrant dance culture. "My whole thing is showcase, showcase, showcase," Maiden said. "Get in there, showcase Baltimore help [and] them realize that we got talent here."
Kenneth "TSU Flash" Worsley of the TSU Dance Crew was a part of the competition and even though he didn't make it to the final round, he was proud that two of his friends and fellow Baltimore natives made it to the next stage.
He talked about how he's seen a recent resurgence in the dance scene is making a positive impact in their communities.
"We really got an opportunity to bring something positive that can change the narrative in the city," Worsley said. "Any of us winning, is a win for Baltimore so we’re certainly not dancing for ourselves."
It's similar to the feeling Maiden had when she was named the regional final winner.
"In that moment of me winning, I’m thinking about how this win is not just for me," she said. "This one is for the city."
"Only God could let something like that play out in our lives the way it did," Dawson said.
Both competitors have been known on the dance scene for their unique styles. Maiden has a background in hip-hop, modern club, and ballet, while Dawson has been known for his unorthodox combination of Baltimore Club Dance and break dancing.
Maiden and Dawson also happen to be childhood friends, which they each say makes this opportunity mean even more. When the two faced off in the regional, Maiden came out on top. Even though Dawson wanted to win, he couldn't help but be happy for his friend.
"To do what she did on that stage I would not have wanted, if I was going to lose in the finals, to lose to anybody else and to lose fair and square to my best friend who beat me flat out," he said. "It was very gratifying."
Meanwhile, Maiden left the stage feeling the love from friends, her dance community and some of the future dancers she hopes to inspire.
"They’re not just saying good job, they're saying ‘you made my day," she said. "Seeing you do this, it put something in me that made me want to go harder in life. It's not just about dancing. It’s about what dancing does to make you happy. What it does to change your life.”
As champions of the Baltimore Dance culture, they all hope to carry the torch to the next generation, continue to give their city a positive platform, and each time they grace a stage, let people know who they are and where they're from.
When the music starts playing in Chicago, they plan to make a statement.
"I know one thing about history this time, Baltimore’s going to be a part of it no matter what," Dawson said.
While Dawson plans to see how far his dance career will take him, Maiden plans to use her success to open up a dance studio where kids in Baltimore can have a creative outlet.
The Red Bull Dance Your Style Nationals is happening Saturday, May 20th. Whoever advances from this round competes in the World Final in Germany in the fall of 2023.
To follow these dancers on Instagram:
@mclovin2smooth
@iam_queenstylzz
Take a look at how Randall Newsome first introduced us to Baltimore's dance scene.