History

The beginning

1. 1983

   DefIce and Zed belong to the first generation of Breakers in Bern, Switzerland. Both start to dance in '83. Their first crew is called City Rockers. Between '83 and '86 they are the only Breakers in Bern who seriously practice day after day, so they join a crew from another city, the Jazzy Rockers from Biel/Bienne.

2. 1986

   DefIce wants a crew in “his” town that can show everybody that Bern has good Breakers too. In spring 1986 he founds The Spartanic Rockers together with Zack, Action and Butch. But soon after, at the end of '86, they split up again, and The Spartanic Rockers consist of DefIce and a new member: Monty.

   Some months later the crew is completed by Baze.

3. 1989

   For professional reasons DefIce leaves the crew and sometimes joins another Swiss crew, Crazy Force Crew from Lucerne. Between '89 and '92 the members of The Spartanic Rockers are Monty, Baze and Zed (who joins for shows and contests).

   

4. 1990

   DefIce takes part in Battle of the Year with Crazy Force Crew, and Zed in the same contest with two dancers from Zurich, Frank & Power.

5. 1991

   After spending several months in the UK and practicing with them, Zed becomes a member of the English crew Second 2 None. The same year Zed wins the Swiss Breaking Championship, and Monty wins the European Breaking Championship.

   

6. 1992

   Zed stops dancing because of a motorcycle accident and to travel around the world. Jamez joins the crew. He started to dance in '88, was in crews like Union Rockers, First High Society and Bern City Breakers, and took part in Battle of the Year 92 with the crew Rock't Better.

7. 1993

   Remy joins. He started to dance in '89 and was in crews like Double Crush Rockers and Freeztyle Rockers.

   

8. 1995

   Baze stops dancing completely and Jamez partly. Monty and Remy win the Swiss Crew Championship.

Going international

1. 1997

   Monty and Remy take part in Battle of the Year 97 together with Crazy, Magic and Mike of the Crazy Force Crew. Zed starts to dance seriously again and rejoins the crew.

   The Spartanic Rockers get new members from Japan, after getting to know them via the World Wide Web the year before. The first meeting is at the 20th Rock Steady Crew Anniversary in New York City. The new members are Takeo (owner of the dance studio Faith in Tokyo), Tsuyoshi (former member of the Japanese crew Freez) and Hiro (founder of the Japanese crew Imperial JBs).

   

2. 1998

   In early '98 Monty and Remy reach the final of a national 2-on-2 contest, where they lose against Jimmy and Andrew of Toys 'n' Effect.

   In spring, Monty, Remy, Takeo, Tsuyoshi and Hiro take part in Urban Skills 98. They win the title for best show, but lose the battle for first place against Extreme (France). The same weekend Monty enters the European one-on-one battle of Ultimate B-Boy Session 2, losing in the first round to Tuff Kid (Switzerland), who goes on to win the whole contest.

   In summer, Monty and Remy take part in the first national Battle of the Year, the official elimination for the international Battle of the Year 98, but as a duo they can't qualify for the final battles. Around the same time Jamez starts to practice seriously again. A few weeks later the crew is completed by Jo (former member of Freez) and Go (member of the Japanese popping crew 3D Connection, originally from Osaka).

   In autumn, Takeo, Hiro, Tsuyoshi, Go and Jo take part in the UK B-Boy Championships 98, and they win the final battle against Style Elements (USA)! A few weeks later they also win best show at the international Battle of the Year 98.

   

   

3. 1999

   In spring, The Spartanic Rockers tragically lose one of their members: Jo (R.I.P.).

   After winning the Japanese street dance contest Dance Delight (together with 3D Connection), Go gets a contract as a singer and dancer in the Japanese top-10 pop group PaniCrew.

   In summer, Tomo, a former member of the Japanese crew Waseda Breakers, becomes part of the Spartanic Rockers family after being a friend and practice partner of the Japanese members for many years. Hiro, Tsuyoshi, Takeo and Remy take part in the 1st World Hip Hop Festival in Seoul, Korea, together with longtime friends of the crew Shin and Now.

   In autumn, the whole crew, except Jamez and Go (who couldn't leave his job), takes part in the international Battle of the Year 99, and they win best show! One week later they come second at the UK B-Boy Championships 99, after “losing” the battle for first place against Bag of Trix from Canada.

   

   

4. 2000

   In November the Japanese members take part in Freestyle Session 6 in Los Angeles, where they qualify for the finals on the second day by battling Renegades (USA), then lose against Massive Monkees (USA).

5. 2001

   In April the Japanese members enter the 1st B-Boy World Cup in Paris and reach the semifinals, where they lose against the French Dream Team. The same month Remy judges the crew and 2-on-2 battles at Total Session 3 in Grenoble, France. In May the Japanese members take part in Battle of the B-Boy Masters in Seoul. In July Remy judges BOTY Spain 2001 together with Soul Control (USA).

   In September the crew throws a party in Bern to celebrate its 15th anniversary with dancers from all over (see the photos). In October Remy judges the UK B-Boy Championships 2001, and in November Hiro judges the international Battle of the Year 2001.

   

Organizing, judging, battling

1. 2002

   Remy judges Battle of the Year Scandinavia, Spain and France. Takeo judges the UK B-Boy Championships 2002.

   The Spartanic Rockers organize the Battle of the Year Switzerland 2002 series, with two regional eliminations in Lucerne and Lausanne and the final in the legendary Dampfzentrale in Bern (the venue of CH Fresh 90).

   The crew also produces a song for the compilation of the international Battle of the Year 2002: “Why Should I Move When I Can Dance”, a homage to all dancers around the world.

2. 2003

   Remy judges the Belgian B-Boy Battle, Battle of the Year Italy and Battle of the Year South Africa. For the second time the crew organizes the Battle of the Year Switzerland series, with eliminations in Zurich and Lausanne and the final at the Hotel National in Bern.

3. 2004

   The crew organizes the final of Battle of the Year Switzerland for the third time, at the Rote Fabrik in Zurich. Takeo organizes the first official Japanese qualifier for the UK B-Boy Championships.

   

4. 2005

   The Spartanic Rockers take second place at the first Red Bull Beat Battle in London. Eight crews from all around the world, with eight members each, got their show music from eight different DJs eight weeks before the event. The competing crews were Flying Steps (Germany), Furious Styles (USA), Wanted (France), Supernaturalz (Canada), Gamblerz (Korea), Break The Funk (Italy), Soul Mavericks (UK) and Spartanic Rockers (Switzerland & Japan).

   Takeo organizes the UK B-Boy Championships Japan for the second time, and Remy judges the first edition of Circle Kingz in Lausanne.

   

5. 2006

   Takeo organizes the UK B-Boy Championships Japan. Remy judges the 2nd Battle of the Year USA in Los Angeles.

   In September the crew throws a party in Tokyo to celebrate its 20th anniversary. A special guest is the photographer Charles Peterson, who takes photos at the party for his B-Boy book “Cypher”.

   

6. 2007

   Takeo organizes Juste Debout Japan, and Hiro judges all international Juste Debout qualifiers and the final in Paris. Takeo also judges the 2nd Red Bull Beat Battle in London and again organizes the UK B-Boy Championships Japan.

7. 2008–09

   Takeo again organizes Juste Debout Japan and the UK B-Boy Championships Japan.

This history runs until 2009. To learn even more about the crew, check out the Spartanic Story on Studio Faith's blog, browse all the photos, and see the crew in action on the videos & music page.