Come for the battle — stay for the vibe!
Get ready for the heat, the energy, and the creativity that only a true Up North Battle can bring. This is where the community comes together to create magic on the floor. From intense 1-on-1 battles to powerful showcases, there’s room for every style, every level, and every story.
Prepare for a weekend filled with dance, energy, and community. Come for the battle — stay for the vibe!
Up North Battle är en energifylld danshelg där community, kreativitet och hiphop står i centrum. Evenemanget bjuder på intensiva 1-mot-1-battles, Showcase Competition för grupper samt Breaking Seven to Smoke. Alla stilar och nivåer är välkomna, från nybörjare till erfarna battlare. Tävlingarna leds av MC Ingrid Mugalu och präglas av stark stämning, musik och personligt uttryck. Kom för dansen – stanna för vibben!
Battle categories
Freestyle Battle – 1 vs 1
Rookie Battle – 1 vs 1
Showcase Competition – crew
Breaking – Seven to Smoke
We are excited to welcome MC Ingrid Mugalu as host of Up North Battle!
Prizes
Winner in each category gets an Up North Battle 2026 trophy!
Cash prizes!
Freestyle Battle
1st 10 000 SEK
2nd 3000 SEK
Showcase Competition
1st prize 4000 SEK
Breaking Seven to Smoke
1st 3 500 SEK
2nd – 8th 500 SEK
What is Showcase Competition?
Showcase Competition is the perfect opportunity for you and your crew to compete with your own choreography. You choose your own moves with your own choice of music. Minimum 2 crew members, maximum 5 minute long routine. The jury will judge choreography, musicality, technique, composition and overall charisma. Let the best crew win!
Category is full when we reach 10 competing crews.
About our battles
In our Freestyle Battle all styles are welcome! You battle with your strongest style/styles but might end up facing someone with a completely different style. The DJ can either play the music that suits you or challenges you. All in all, it is a recipe for a fun and diverse battle where anything could happen! This category is intended for experienced dancers of any style who have previous battle experience.
The battle for Freestyle and Rookie will start with a battle preselection. Dancers will meet 1 vs 1 with 2 solo each, 45 seconds. The judges select the best dancers from each category to go on to the next round. The number of dancers who gets picked depends on the number of dancers competing in the preselection. The battle continues with 1 vs 1 with 2 solos each in quarter finals, semifinals and finals until we have one winner! The judges are not just looking for technical skill (though that’s important too), they want to see your passion, your creativity, and how you vibe with the music.
Rookie Battle
Calling all up-and-coming breakers! This battle is for all new to the battle scene. Take your chance to shine and bring your own flavor, your own style, and your own story to the floor. It’s not just about pulling off the most impressive power moves (although those definitely help!). The judges? They’re not just looking for technical skill (though that’s important too), they want to see your passion, your creativity, and how you vibe with the music. But here’s the thing: win or lose, this battle is about growth, about pushing yourself to new limits, and sharing the dance floor with a community of dancers who’ve got your back. Preselection will be done with battles.
Breaking Seven to Smoke
Every round is a test of creativity, technique, and endurance, with each dancer trying to outdo the other with their best moves and most explosive energy. It’s all about who can smoke the others out and be the last winner standing.
Eight breakers qualify from a cypher preselection to enter the Seven to Smoke. They line up, and the first two battle one round each. The winner earns a point and stays to face the next challenger; the loser goes to the back of the line. A breaker wins immediately by reaching seven points—either consecutively or overall. If no one reaches seven before time runs out, the breaker with the most points at the end is declared the winner.
Need a place to stay?
We offer free accommodation for competing dancers in shared rooms at Hotel 1861 in Umeå! Limited spots, first come first serve. Last date to book accommodation is 12.00 Friday 1 May. Sign up via the registration.
Want your own space? Single rooms are available for competing dancers at a special price: 150 SEK per night. You pay directly at the hotel when you check in. To book a single room, email the hotel. More info in the registration.
