00:00Welcome in France in Paris Essence for the Red Bull Dancer style
00:05It's gonna be crazy crazy crazy crazy like my head
00:30Representing the United States of America right here right now, please welcome A-Till
00:45I grew up in a really rough neighborhood, there was drugs, but there was always love
00:52Because there was a lot of things in life that hurt, when I would do dance for sure like it would be the only thing that I would run back to
00:58I would pretend that I was another person, I know it sounds crazy, but it was like the only way I was able to cope with things
01:05Like the pressure from life just forcing me to create different characters
01:18So I was with Alvin Ailey and I actually trained with Alvin Ailey in Kansas City
01:21I was in a camp of selected youth, then I moved to New York to continue the internship and the training
01:27But then I decided like, okay, I don't want to do Alvin Ailey anymore
01:31I kind of just wanted to be raw, but I just really felt like my soul was like, okay, are we finished pretending now?
01:37I'm tired of putting my hair in a bun when I have afro hair and it don't fit in a bun no more
01:42I'm just gonna be myself, that's all I know how to be
01:45So I was just like, okay, I'm gonna go to these auditions
01:48Even when they're telling people to wear heels and wear bathing suits
01:52I'm gonna go to the audition and I'm gonna go fully clothed and I'm just gonna dance
01:56And then I would get the jobs and now I'm here
01:59But I did the Red Bull Dancer Style in Vegas last year
02:03And I was one of the finalists
02:05And I think that that's why they like chose me to be in the competition this year
02:09But throughout the year and the past
02:12I've been just traveling from different competitions all over the world and winning
02:15So they were like, okay, we should probably bring her here for this competition
02:28Three, two, one
02:33Good!
02:34Ed Sheeran!
02:35Two, three!
02:36Three, three!
02:37Two, three!
02:38Two, three!
02:39Three, three!
02:40Three, four!
02:41Three, two, three!
02:42Three, four!
02:43Three, five, four!
02:44Three, four!
02:45Three, four, five!
02:46Two!
02:47Three, four!
02:48Four, five, six!
02:49Three, four, five!
02:50So, Mavinga, it's my nickname and it's Min the wise one
02:54I'm a very shy woman and I don't talk a lot, but when I dance I'm a
03:01another person. The first style of music that makes me feel good, it was old school.
03:19I was born in Belgium. I never go to Africa or Congo, but my parents talk a lot in Lingala.
03:25So I learned Lingala like this and for me it's important to be proud about your origin and never hesitate to have trust about you instead.
03:43When you dance good, you can be happy because you can have a frustration if you think I want to win, I want to win.
03:51I want to just dance and exchange with people and to have a lot of energy.
03:56Let's go in three, two, one.
04:09Ladies and gentlemen, if you don't see her style and her grace, you don't see anything.
04:14Give it up for my big man from Belgium!
04:19Shake that.
04:26What it means to be black and the importance of being black in these competitions.
04:31It means a lot because backstage I was talking to a little girl who is black and mom told me that she doesn't feel she's beautiful because she lives in a country where it's European, mostly European.
04:44So it just gives me more drive and more encouragement to do it.
04:49It just feels good to be able to be in a place to change the narrative.
04:53Rawr!
04:54Rawr!
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04:56Rawr!
04:57Sinson is in there!
04:59Rawr!
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05:46Rawr!
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