This year Tramlines Festival 2017 brought about Sheffield’s number one breakdance 1v1 competition once again – Dope & Mean. I’ve photographed this event 4 years running. Honestly, it is one of the most exhilarating and uplifting events I’ve had the pleasure of working at. Every single person involved brings something to the day, which ends up creating an immensely exciting and warm atmosphere. A little backstory; 9 years ago Nathan Gordon had a desire to compete in local breakdance competitions, but noticed that Sheffield seemed to be lacking in that area. So he thought he’d just start one himself! 2017 was the ninth successful consecutive year in a row for Dope & Mean, with Nathan hosting the event in his usual humorous way.
This breakdance event welcomes and caters to anyone, with entrees to the competition including renowned dancers, newcomers to the scene, mothers, fathers, pre-schoolers, experts, beginners and many more walks of life. The dance community in and around Sheffield is very welcoming and Dope & Mean showcases this well, inviting anyone and everyone to enter the competition and spectate. It gives dance groups in the area a platform to perform on stage and has the ability to inspire younger generations.
Here are just a handful of photos from this year’s event…
