Durham College comes out on top at Ontario dance competition

Durham College and its campus partner, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), have danced their way to victory again, literally.

On November 26, more than 1,000 people flooded the General Motors Centre in downtown Oshawa to watch the college and university host the Ontario Universities Competition for Hip Hop (OUCH) and win for the second year in a row.

“The Geek Freaks put forth an exceptional performance,” said Derek Fullerton, Campus Life co-ordinator Student Association. “They were able to recapture their magic from last year.”

The event, hosted by Much Music’s T-rexXx, featured judges Miles Faber, Toronto freestyle champion; Addy Chan, Street Dance Academy; Jade Jager Clark, Jade’s Hiphop Academy; and Lenny Len who choreographed the closing ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Peter Jackson, much music artist; Terry krNfx, Canadian beatbox champion; Bones Hill, Yak Films star; and J-Squad, the Toronto Youth Division champions, also attended the event and gave special guest performances.

O.U.C.H., a non-profit annual hip hop dance competition founded in 2003, promotes university and college dance teams across Ontario. This year saw the moves of Brock, Carleton, Queen’s and Ryerson universities and the universities of Toronto, Waterloo and Western Ontario in addition to former four-year champion McMaster University.

The Durham College/UOIT Geek Freaks hipped and hopped their way to a winning performance earning them the title for the second year running.

Wayne Carrasco, president of Hip Hop in its Essence and Realness at Durham College and UOIT, was eager to win for the second time and said that although it was a crazy experience and a lot of hard work, he was thankful for the approval of the judges.

“I’m so proud of my entire team,” said Carrasco. “Hopefully next year we will be able to pull off a three-peat.”

Although the college and university are celebrating the success of their 2011 win they are eager to step up their game and work to defend their title when they host the OUCH dance competition again next year.