Instax interviews: B-Girl Courtnaé Paul

Local B-Girl Courtnaé Paul came second in the Solo Women category in the previous FUJIFILM Instax Undisputed Breaking Championship event that was held in Cape Town. She’s back in this year’s competition, and the crowd will see her, alongside some of the top breakers worldwide, representing South Africa on 6 December at the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. We chatted to Courtnaé to hear about how she feels about her chances this time around.

Hi Courtnaé! It’s fair to say that the disappointment from the local crowd was palpable when you just missed out to B-Girl Alessandrina from Italy in the Women’s Solo Final at the previous Instax Undisputed event in Cape Town!

Thanks. I was so present in the moment and in my own body, that I didn’t pick up on much else. I didn’t expect to be in the Top 4, never mind in the final in two different categories! I was dancing from 13:00 till about 21:00 that evening, and I was sick too. So, my expectations weren’t high at all, I just knew I wanted to have a good time.

In the final, I just decided to give the last final bit I could. When I came second, I think we were all a bit disappointed, but more proud for having made it so far to begin with!

How are you feeling about your chances for the 6^th of December?

This time round, the line-up is truly insane. There is top breaking talent from around the world, Olympians, world champions. These breakers can win on any continent, so it’s going to be super difficult for South African talent to shine. If there is one thing we can do is to make sure to make an impact. That is going to be my goal, in that no matter where I end up, I show up to represent myself, my city, my continent as best as I can and take it from there.

At the end, it could be anybody’s day – let’s see if the year-end fatigue is going to show up or if we are going to have some luck!

We are going to make this hard for you – if you had to pick only one: your DJing or breaking?

I definitely couldn’t choose one above the other; they go hand in hand for me. I can’t break without the music, and when I DJ I want to dance. For me they are one and the same thing. There is a time and place for both in my life, and they give me a deeper connection and understanding of the culture, and how to share it with the community around me.

How is the local SA breaking scene looking these days, and what do you think the Cape Town Undisputed event brings to the table?

The South African scene is small but growing, but it comes in waves. Right now, the talent is becoming a big older and life is becoming a lot more real. We don’t have all the opportunities or platforms that allow people to train or compete consistently. Most breakers are in school or working a 9-to-5s, so it’s difficult to compete if you’re not necessarily making a living from it.

FUJIFILM Instax Undisputed brings a lot of excitement plus just an additional platform that breakers can get excited about – alongside the general public. Also, to have these superstar breakers come down, it’s awesome for everybody to see and being exposed to that kind of level!

Find Courtnaé’s Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/courtnae_paul/

FUJIFILM Instax Undisputed World Championship event information

– Date: Saturday, 6 December 2025
– Location: V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
– Schedule:
            • Open Qualifier starts at 13:00
            • Main Event starts at 18:30
– Admission: Free entry | All ages welcome.