The Bay Area has always been a heartbeat for freestyle and street dance — and on August 23, that pulse reached a fever pitch. Red Bull Dance Your Style wrapped its 2025 U.S. season in San Francisco with the National Final, bringing together sixteen of the country’s fiercest movers in a format unlike any other. No judges, no panels, no choreography — just unpredictable tracks, a roaring crowd, and the purest test of freestyle mastery.
The stage at SVN West transformed into a battleground where community history and future talent collided. With Bay Area legend Sway Calloway hosting alongside choreographer Charm La’Donna, and a special performance by hip-hop icon Too $hort, the event honored the city’s roots while amplifying its next generation. The night wasn’t just about crowning a champion — it was about celebrating dance as storytelling, resilience, and connection.
Each battle throughout the night showcased a kaleidoscope of styles. In early rounds, CapJay electrified the crowd with finger-snap precision to a booming hip-hop track, while Kid Nimbus reminded fans why he’s considered a Red Bull Dance Your Style staple. Known for his fluid, freestyle-heavy approach, Nimbus has competed four times and still found new ways to surprise himself and the audience. “Every time I step onto this stage, I learn a little more about myself,” he told Celeb Secrets. “Everybody will forget what you did, but nobody’s gonna forget how you made them feel.”
When reggaeton dropped for Noahlot vs. Lily, the room erupted as both dancers synced into improvised choreography that had fans on their feet. Later, Bay Area’s own Daisy VMZ brought her signature poly swag to the floor — a fusion of Polynesian dance, voguing, and fierce feminine energy. Representing Latinas and women in a male-dominated scene, Daisy told us, “There’s not a lot of girls that look like me doing this. I just want to show that it’s possible — and that anybody can get it.”
These rounds weren’t just technical showcases; they were conversations between dancers, DJ, and crowd. As veteran turf dancer Ice Cold reminded Red Bull, “It’s one of those moments where everybody knows life is about to change for them in some kind of way.”
By the time the last two dancers stepped forward, anticipation was at its peak. SonLam, defending champion and Saigon, Vietnam native/current Los Angeles resident, faced Sean Lew, the multi-talented LA native known for his versatility and storytelling.
The three-round final was as much mental as it was physical. SonLam described it as “the battle of stamina.” He explained to us backstage, “I wanted to make sure my last round, I still had gas in the tank. Sean is strong — he’s still full tank. I respect that. I just had to play a little smart, focus on what I can do, and make sure I left it all on the floor.”
Sean, meanwhile, leaned into his artistry. Fusing his studio background in contemporary and jazz with street-inspired improvisation, he told us his approach was simple: “My mindset going into tonight was to pour my heart out there… If I can inspire even one person with what I do, then I’ve already won.”
The crowd roared through every beat drop, each dancer pushing past exhaustion to deliver one last authentic exchange of movement. By the end, the voice of the audience was clear: SonLam had done it again.
For SonLam, the victory wasn’t about proving dominance, but about gratitude. “To be in the room with people I admire is out of this world,” he said. “As someone who migrated here eight years ago, to now represent the country — it’s something I don’t take lightly.”
His calmness under pressure came from a mindset shaped by mentors, family, and years of battle experience. “Right now is the best time of my life,” he shared. “I don’t know if I have tomorrow, so I just have fun. My wife and mentor always tell me, ‘Do things that feel good.’ So that’s all I focus on.”
But make no mistake — SonLam is already thinking ahead. “It’s a stamina game now,” he said of preparing for October’s World Final. “When I have stamina, my mind is clear, my feeling is more sensitive to music. I want to level up my creativity, my technique. I’m obsessed with this craft.”
Before anything else, though, he had one call to make. “Of course, my mom,” he smiled. “She’s my hero. She’s almost 70 and still strong. Her son is a U.S. champ twice in a row — I can’t wait to tell her.”
For fans who caught our Boston regional qualifier coverage earlier this summer, the energy in San Francisco felt like the next chapter of a nationwide movement — one where dancers from across the country prove that styles born on corners and in studios can command the world’s stage.
That stage is coming fast: the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final lands at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on October 11, 2025, marking the first time the global event will be held in the U.S. SonLam will step onto the floor as America’s representative, facing champions from over 30 countries in what promises to be the freestyle showdown of the year.
Until then, the echoes of San Francisco remain — the cheers, the beats, the unforgettable rounds. For SonLam, for Sean Lew, for Daisy VMZ and Kid Nimbus, and for every dancer who took that floor, the National Final wasn’t just about a trophy. It was proof that dance is bigger than competition. It’s culture. It’s community. And it’s a story still unfolding.
You can watch our full interview with SonLam below — and don’t forget to let us know if you’re excited to see him compete in the World Final this October by leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets.
