Ubattle.com is the latest video-based website, launched specifically for B-boy performers and fans to upload video footage of their moves onto the internet.

Like YouTube but with an urban twist, the site offers the chance for break dancers, rappers and street artists to compete with each other in one-on-one online battles, in the hope of receiving the five star seal of approval from visitors to the site.

Set up by Sony Ericsson, who also put on the recent B-Boy Championships in London, the site could well become the next big thing amongst technologically savvy fans of urban music and dance.

Each contender’s video is a snapshot of their own performance, with the aim of being voted to go forwards to next year’s B-boy Championships. The video performances take place in locations from people’s kitchens to on the streets in front of a crowd of onlookers and are filmed using mobile phones or hand held recorders.

The 2007 B-boy Championships (held a couple of weeks ago) was won by French performer ‘Salah’ and having looked at his video it’s easy to see why he was crowned this years’ Body Popping winner. His performance is a combined robotic and mechanical look, with his own machine-like sound effects which lead his moves, creating a magnetic performance which is hard not to watch.

Amusingly the video was filmed in what looks like a school college - the teachers walking past are oblivious to the one of the biggest stars of the up and coming digital dance scene! Other winners from around the globe included T.I.P Crew from Korea as Crew champions whilst Yuma and Miho won the Body Locking award this year.

Judges at the final, set in Hackney, included respected DJs Renegade and Shortee Blitz from Kiss FM awarding the prizes.

(Anna Baker)