Break dancer from Milton Keynes performs at Commonwealth Games

Meaway Kevin ‘MK’ Kallon, 27, attended Stantonbury International school, where he developed his love for the performing arts and sport, and was honoured to be selected to perform at the Games in Birmingham.

This is the first time the Commonwealth Games has showcased break dancing, which will be introduced as a new sport in the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.

“I felt so proud to be dancing on this stage,” said Kevin. “I felt like it was me MK (Meaway Kevin) doing it for my home city Milton Keynes.”

Kevin was born in war-torn Sierra Leone, his parents fleeing to the Netherlands before settling in Milton Keynes in 2008.

“At Stantonbury I thrived in the performing arts and sports,” added Kevin. “I already knew about physical discipline from my dad teaching me karate and went on to do well at tennis, free running, gymnastics and capoeira.

“In the end I realised that dance was my thing because of the freedom and creativity it offered. Breaking (break dancing) took over and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Kevin, who works as a finance consultant, also runs a break dancing club at Fishermead Trinity Centre and is organising a national break dancing competition in Fishermead on October 22. The club is open for lessons every Monday.

He also sits on the Pre-Founding Committee for Fishermead Citizens Alliance, which plans to launch in November.

“Having spent my formative years in Fishermead, I want to contribute and better my community through dance and fitness,” says Kevin.

Two cities initially launched bids for the 2022 games; Durban, South Africa, and Edmonton, Canada. Edmonton withdrew its bid in February 2015, leaving Durban as the only bid to go forward to CGF General Assembly in September 2015. Durban initially secured the right to host the games, as they were the sole bidder for the event.

But Durban were stripped of the event when it emerged they were unable to host the games due to financial constraints. On 21 December 2017, Birmingham was awarded the 2022 Games as Durban's replacement host.