Filipino street dance team wins gold in UK world finals

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October 19, 2026 | 4:44pm

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino street dance team Legit Status Varsity made history after becoming the first Filipino team to win the 18-and-Under Advanced Category at the UDO World Finals in Blackpool, United Kingdom.

Founded in 2009 by coach and artistic director Vimi Rivera, the team is composed of 24 young dancers who train at GC Dance Studios in Cubao, Quezon City.

The victory adds to the team's recent international achievements, including gold in the Under-16 category and silver in the Adult Mega Crew Division at the SOAR Street Dance Championships World Finals in Manchester.

Rivera said preparation and discipline are key to competing internationally.

“I’ve always been very competitive, but the confidence always comes from proper preparation,” he said.

Team member Lianna Litan described competing at the world finals as the fulfillment of a childhood dream, while fellow dancer Cheska Uy said the experience taught her to become more resilient and trust her teammates.

Rivera said he hopes the team's success will help earn greater recognition for Filipino artists and creativity.

“More than anything, I want them to respect Filipino artists and Filipino creativity,” he said.

Following the victory, Legit Status Varsity plans to prepare for future competitions while exploring corporate and television projects.

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