BBoy Yarko Interview – Hip Hop Culture

Interview with B-Boy Yarko (Polskee Flavour, Liony Kingz, Catch the Flava).

Introduce yourself. Which crew do you represent ? How many years you are connected with hip hop culture and bboying ? How old are you ?
Hello everybody, everything you will read right know becomes from bboy Yarko, representin Lion Kingz and Polskee Flavour. I’m into breaking from 2001 and that was my first step into hip hop culture. I am 25 years old.

Tell us your story as a bboy. How was your first steps ? Which crews did you represent ? Describe everything from beginning to 2012. How you became a member of Polskee Flavour and Lion Kingz ?
It was 2001, small town in south of Poland – Limanowa. There is a kid, who is keen on football and wants to be next Peter Schmeichel in the future. But his sport plans are being crossed by his school friends. On May 2001 he saw for the first time strange moves that been done by his homies and get a Music Instructor CD. It turned things in my life like a avalanchce …

4 years later it’s not the same kid, crazy about football. From that moment, he gave up his dreams about Champions League and his new goal was to achieve respect in the bboy game. It’s 2005, this kid goes to his first serious jam abroad – IBE 2005! In that time there is no thoughts in his head that are not connected with breaking. As it come in later, this trip was only the beginning, and IBE was a catalyzer to everything that will take place in a future. In 2005 he join to crew – Lion Kingz, that he owe a lot and got a alot of fantastic memories. From that time his life quickened, and time is not being measured by weeked but by jams, which were a lot since 2005. He practice a lot, be ambitious i moreover, he want to create his own style. In 2008, one of his dreams comes true – he travel to USA for the first time! From this moment, his breaking has ability to come into next level – now, he has possibility to confront his skills with the best bboys in the world.

From that time, long trips had begun – not only across the Poland, but whole Europe, USA and Korea… Meanwhile on his bboy way he meets people similar to him, keen on breaking and still want to prove others how breaking in Poland looks like. Well , it was natural consequence – in 2009 this young kid became a part of polish crew that wants to show to whole world what is POLSKEE FLAVOUR. That story is being continued nowadays. Everyone does incredible things in his life. Now, they are travelling, represent polish style, they are well known and respected for way they chosen. But they didn’t say the last word and still want to come to place, where no one else ever came.

What was your biggest achievement in dance? What do you regard as your biggest succes in dance ?
Two things: First is that I’m still here and still feel, that I’ve got something to say. The second thing – when I was kid I was watching footages with bboys, who had inspired me a lot, and now, after years, I meet them and they ask me where I’m from and appreciate what I do.

Who had a major influence on your bboying ? Who was your biggest inspiration ? Who’s your biggest inspiration now ?
On the begginings, that was my homeboys from Limanowa. Without them it coudn’t be myself in this place for sure. Next, trips around the Poland and people that I met on my way – Lion Kingz, Polskee Flavour, Funky Masons, Kingz of Warsaw, Funky Trip, WHSB, Broken Glass 2 and many more. From 2004, I was very inspired and I’m still being inspired by USA scene – especially from 90’s to 2003. It was amazing period for breaking , it won’t be times like that in the future… I mean – Havikoro, Skill Methodz, Boogie Brats, Flipside Kings, Style Elements … and from Europe : Ghost Crew and Flow Mo.

Now, the most inspiring things in my life are : my crew, my people and my life.

Did you try any other element of Hip Hop culture?
Back in the days I was trying to do graffiti, but that was only pictures, not raw, street graffiti style. I know how to do baby scratch, how to write a 16 and rap it to the beat – that’s all. I had not been doing any other elements really seriously. Breaking and my other activities fill my whole day.

You are on of creators the Catch The Flava project. Tell about the begginings and the last camp ? With whom do you co-operate ? How do you value the influence of this project to bboy scene ?
First Catch The Flava took part in first months of 2011. We wanted to share our way of understanding the break thing with young generation as well as transfer values, that we consider as very important in life. After first edition we knew that we want to improve this idea. From the very start it was not only a dance camp, but also some kind of community, where all people are equal and there is no barriers between teachers and kids, just pure inspiration. Today, Catch The Flava grew up and still improving. This year it’s been 4 editions, and for the 1st time – international. We decided to cooperate with MG&MK, due to the Outbreak Festival and connect our projects. We invited guests from 4 continents, real breaking legends. We decided to go back in time and show people how the original breaking schools were created in different corners of the world, when there was no youtube and internet and when dancers had unique style and character, depended of where they came from. If you ask about the influence on scene.. I think that we will judge it in a few years time , when kids from Catch The Flava grow up and they will determine where bboy scene will go. We will see if our idea was correct or not.

Not long ago, we could watch you in Got To Dance – TV show. Tell me what influence has media on dane ? How was your cooperation with TV ? What did you achieve by your show ? Do you have haters that standing on position that it was wrong way ?
Yeach, we were in Got To Dance. We put our energy to the most , it was our next goal. If you want to cooperate with media, you have to understand the machine of showbusiness. Media creates the society, so they got a huge influence on everything that you see around. If you want to hand on things using media, you have to give them something attractive – that’s how it is. Our cooperation with Polsat ( one of thhe major polish TV channels ) was very good – everyone knew why we met and what we had to do together. The biggest benefit that we earn after taking part in Got To Dance was our grandpas and grandmas satisfaction, so they had ability to see their grandsons in TV. Though we are from different parts od Poland, we can mobilize and do a good job.We wanted to show everyday people how breaking looks like. If you ask about haters, they were, they are and they will be forever – it’s a part of this game.

You have been in USA a few times. Tell about that trips. What did surprise you ? Compare the atmosphere of polish breaking to USA.
Trip to USA was my dream being a kid. As you read before, in 2008 this dream came true for the first time. I’ve been to USA four times and every trip was totally different. From the first trip, my attitude was the same – me and my people were always hungry of breaking and still wanted to show how we do it in Poland. We were dancing all the time on jams and were soundly prepared for it. I’m glad that after those trips people know Polskee Flavour or Lion Kingz. It’s your goal since you were kid – to leave imprint in place, where it all has began. Generally, jams are the same as in Poland – one better, other worse. One thing that single out jams in USA is fact that you can meet cats that you won’t see in Europe. Cats that inspired whole world back in the days. I truly reccomend everyone to feel the smell of american hip-hop and not only there. Travelling gives you very valuable experience that inspires you a lot. If you are reading it – you may think something that I hear very often – „ yes, sure, I want to check how it works in USA, but I don’t have capabilities like you, don’t have money, etc etc etc… I answer you quickly – you have exactly the same capabilities like us, you got to have dreams and do everything to make it true.

You – Catch The Flave and Polskee Flavour – are esteem as a representation of Poland. Tell about your preparation for contests, because you live in different parts of Poland. How your practice spots looks like?
We just do our thing and still want to improve. If you want to improve yourself, you still have to search, and you can’t find everything in your town. Because of that, from 2005 each od us started to travel a lot. Firstly, around the Poland. Then farther – to get more inspiration. It’s how we get together, as Polskee Flavour, as Lion Kingz. We had similar attitude to breaking and we knew what we can’t achieve anything by sitting at home. As a crew we get used to ourselves at jams and travels – it’s where we practices togethere and where ideas are being born. Sometimes, we allspend more time in one city so we try to make this time most effective. If we have to make a showcase, then we practise together and live in one place. To be a harmonious crew you don’t have to live in one place but it’s a must to feel dance in the same way – it’s the most important. Everything else will come after some time.

Is there any video or book that you want to recommend to bboys ?
I recommend just to read. As Will Smith said – if you have a problem or you don’t know something, there is somebody like you who had the same problem and wrote a book about it. But nothing can replace the real experience.

What do you do in your life except breaking? How your life looks like except dance?
Except breaking, I work in my company and want to improve it. I have always been dreaming about doing something in my own and be independent.

Any shout-outs and advices for bboys ?
Have a big dreams! As big as you can imagine it. So big that other people will laugh at you. If you will make your dreams true only in a half – you will be very far.

Shout-Outs to everyone.