An event bringing together countries and generations in the spirit of hip-hop was organized by the Italian Cultural Institute in Nairobi, which hosted a weekend titled “Breaking Borders,” dedicated to hip-hop culture, breakdancing, and cultural exchange between Italy and Kenya, featuring a special guest, the breaker artist Edoardo “Xedo” Bernardini, one of the most influential figures on the international scene who combines modern dance with sport and hip-hop culture.
An active B-Boy since 2002, Xedo is now an international judge for the World Dance Sport Federation and has played a leading role in breaking’s Olympic journey, serving as a judge in the qualification processes for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games.
Breakdancing, an urban dance discipline born in the suburbs of New York in the 1970s, made its debut as an official sport in Paris, where Canadian Phil Wizard triumphed in the men’s division and Japanese Ami in the women’s. However, it has been excluded from the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Throughout his career, Xedo has taken part in some of the most important international events dedicated to Breaking, including the Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai and the World Breaking Championship in Seoul.
Today, Saturday, May 16, at The Space, Amee Arcade in Westlands, starting at 1 p.m. as part of the Kenyan spin-off of the Hip Hop Cine Fest—a festival founded in Rome and dedicated to the relationship between hip hop, cinema, and social transformation—the public is invited to a day of cinema, dialogue, and urban culture.
The Italian films “Remapping Rome: A Hip Hop Story” and “Barre Aperte,” as well as the Ghanaian film “Roots of Culture,” will be screened. This will be followed by an open discussion on the role of Hip Hop as a tool for urban transformation, social empowerment, education, and community building, featuring artists and key figures from the Italian and Kenyan Hip Hop scenes, followed by a “cypher” open to the community with MCs, DJs, breakers, and dancers from the East African Hip Hop scene, with Xedo serving as guest judge. The events conclude tomorrow at the Empire Dance Studio, starting at 4 p.m., with a free Breaking and movement workshop led by Xedo, open to Hip Hop dancers and anyone interested in urban culture and movement.