The Badass Breakers - In conversation with B-boy Flying Machine and B-girl Glib

Red Bull Cypher India, a leading breaking championship in the country, was an event to remember this year as top 16 B-Boys and top 8 B-Girls put their best foot forward. Mumbai’s Arif Chaudhary aka B-boy Flying Machine and Simran Ranga aka B-girl Glib from Jaipur took home the coveted titles of national champions in the B-Boy and B-Girl categories, respectively. Their next stop will be the prestigious Red Bull BC One 2024 World Finals in Rio de Janeiro on December 7. Sitting down for a conversation with us, the champions share their story, their favourite battles, challenges and more!

‘Breaking gave a purpose to live’
Starting off with how they began their journey, Flying Machine shares, “I was 11 when I started breaking. I saw a video of Red Bull BC One and I was heavily influenced by video games and superheroes. And breaking was the same - people were spinning, jumping, flying, doing different moves. That attracted me towards breaking a lot. I just went for it without any purpose. However, later I realised there wasn’t anybody from India on the world stage. So I decided that if anybody would ever represent India on a global stage, it should be me. Breaking gave me a purpose to live.”

Glib adds, “I started dancing when I was in my school. I used to watch all the dance reality shows. While learning hip hop, I saw my teacher perform some breaking power moves and I immediately wanted to learn it. I was the only B girl in Rajasthan at that time so he was also interested in teaching me. Over time, I participated in some battles and got motivated to do more.”

‘Our moves are our USP’

What’s in a name, they asked. A lot, say our breakers. “I express my individuality and creativity by representing my name,” says Flying Machine, adding, “When I break, I cover a lot of surface and also at the same time I like to be really explosive and stand out. My performance should be an ultimate experience of what flying machine stands for. I don't break a lot on the ground, I jump here, I have my stands and be super dynamic. I do a lot of air moves, jumps, flips and more.

Glib adds, “Glib defines my moves - sleek and slippery. It also means a person who is talkative. I always try to smile on stage. No matter how hard the move is, you always have to show it with ease. That is my style. Also, I love adding some Indian flavour.”

‘Challenges abound but we emerge stronger’
Opening up about the challenges they’ve faced, Glib says, “After losing for 2 years in 2021 and 2022, it was frustrating for me. I won in 2023 but still couldn't make it to the world finals because my visa got cancelled at that moment. So this year is really important. I had a slip disc injury just before the competition and some moves had to be restricted. But I kept on practising and worked on my stamina and strength.”

Flying Machine notes, “I was supposed to compete in all the qualifier series but due to lack of sponsors and resources, I couldn’t. Otherwise I would’ve debuted in breaking at Olympics this year. Physically, I'm doing my best, but it's quite difficult. But I have created a global network so that when people host competitions, they call me. Like this one time in Austria where I went for a competition called Breaking Boundaries. I was competing against people from Belgium and Austria. B boy Menno was also present there, a man who I look up to. Before the semifinals, I injured my knee, but he motivated me to perform. It was great and I ended up winning that competition.”

‘Breaking is evolving, and we’re here for it’

Breaking is evolving, but there’s still much to improve, they tell us. “When I started, there were only local battles and even Red Bull BC One didn’t have a B-girl category. So I was told I had to be strong enough to compete in B-boy category. The B-girl category was introduced in 2019, which gave us a great push. The evolution has been amazing,” informs Glib.

So what is still amiss? Glib says, “Generally, the problem that we face in a battle is flooring. Organisers usually don’t bother about the kind of floor at battles. If the floor is nice, it changes everything.”

Flying Machine adds, “Breaking culture in India is evolving well. I am doing my best to create opportunities for breakers to go abroad and compete. I have my academy and we host workshops regularly. Breaking culture is the realest form of hip hop, so the more you enjoy breaking, the more things will become easier.”

‘High hopes for the world finals’
This time the approach is different, as both breakers are determined to take over the world stage. Flying Machine notes, “I’m following a specific diet and taking care of my body. Six days a week, I train for 3 hours, doing just breaking. Then three days I work out, and one day I rest it out.”

“Although this is my first time, I’d try to make it the best. I want to be the first Indian B-girl to go to the world finals,” Glib concludes.