Red Bull has crowned dancer Zack The Great as the 2026 Red Bull Dance Your Style Kenya national champion after the competition’s national finals held on May 24, 2026 at the Tsavo Ballroom, Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, the company said in a press release dated May 25.
According to the statement, the national finals brought together 16 Kenyan street dancers in head-to-head battles, with Zack The Great winning the title after a final against first runner-up King of Smiles. The winner will represent Kenya at the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Finals in Zurich, Switzerland on October 24, 2026, where Kenya will be among 51 participating countries, Red Bull said.
The event adds to Nairobi’s growing pipeline of large-format youth and creative economy events hosted at major venues such as KICC, as brands continue to invest in live experiences tied to music, sport and cultural participation. For Kenya’s creative industry—spanning dancers, choreographers, event production crews and content creators—such competitions can create income opportunities through performances, workshops, sponsorships and digital distribution.
Zack The Great, quoted in the press release, said the title carried personal and community significance. “Being crowned the Red Bull Dance Your Style 2026 champion is something truly special. I am grateful for the support, the love from the community and the opportunity to represent something bigger than myself,” he said. He added: “Kenya is full of energy, culture and incredibly talented dancers, so being recognized among such amazing talent means a lot to me.”
He also pointed to the challenge of competing abroad. “I think the biggest challenge will be adapting to a completely new environment and atmosphere. It will be my first time competing on such a major international stage,” Zack said, adding that adjusting to the crowd and overall experience in Zurich would take time.
Red Bull said the Kenyan champion will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Switzerland (value not disclosed). The company did not provide cost details or local economic impact estimates for the Nairobi event.
In addition to the competition battles, Red Bull said the Nairobi finals featured appearances by international dancers, including MT Pop (named as the 2024 Red Bull Dance Your Style World Champion), Luwam (identified as a finalist at the 2024 world finals), Luciano (identified as the 2025 Netherlands champion and global finalist), and Verb (identified as a two-time South Africa champion in 2022 and 2023, and a 2023 global finalist). The press release added that the visiting dancers conducted workshops for members of Kenya’s dance community while in Nairobi.
The 2026 edition was the sixth Kenyan edition of the global competition and launched in March, with qualifying rounds held in Mombasa and Nairobi before the KICC finale, according to Red Bull. The format is audience-judged: spectators vote for winners after each battle using red and blue LED wristbands, the company said. Red Bull also said all urban dance styles are accepted except break dancing, which is not included in the competition’s rules.
Looking ahead, attention will shift to preparations for the Zurich world finals in October, where Zack The Great will compete against national champions from other markets. Red Bull has not announced any further Kenya dates beyond the completed 2026 season, but the company’s statement positions the event as an ongoing annual platform within its local calendar.