Romieo wants to break through in Uusikaupunki
- Breakdancer Bboy Rom, also known as Moustafa Saad, who moved from Egypt to Finland, dreams of building a dance community in Uusikaupunki.
“I want to give the people of Uusikaupunki a chance to see the dance world that I have experienced myself.”
“Do you want me to show you a move?” Moustafa Saad asks.
In the next moment, he is already upside down, balancing on one hand in the middle of Wintteri’s café hallway.
“Ah, my body is a bit asleep since I haven’t trained in a while,” he apologizes, though to an outsider, there’s no sign of sluggishness.
On the contrary, his acrobatic moves, defying the laws of physics, leave passersby gasping in astonishment. How is that even possible?
“Breakdancing is one of the hardest sports in the world,” Moustafa confirms. “Maintaining dance skills is definitely challenging when working full-time.”
It was work that brought him to Uusikaupunki four years ago, right in the middle of the strictest pandemic restrictions. At first, he kept his home in Helsinki, but over time, his entire life shifted to the southwest coast.
“I have a degree in metalwork from Egypt. I came to work at Valmet Automotive, and now I work at Vahterus,” he says.
Before moving to Finland, however, Moustafa worked in the tourism industry. His job allowed him to improve his language skills and, most importantly, incorporate his expertise in breakdancing.
Becoming a professional dancer has always been his biggest dream.
Breakdancing, or breaking, emerged in the 1970s in the United States, in the midst of a deeply unequal society. Over the decades, breaking has grown into a global phenomenon that unites cultures, people, and skills, creating a safe and inclusive space for movement and self-expression.
Originally, breakdancing was known as “b-boying,” which is where Moustafa’s dance name, Bboy Rom or Romieo, comes from. It’s common in the breaking scene for dancers to have stage names.
Dancer Romieo is a different person from the everyday Moustafa, who does grocery shopping and pays bills.
“I feel my true self when I dance.
No matter what sadness or difficulties life brings, when I dance, I forget everything—the world disappears around me. Dancing feeds my soul and gives me energy,” he says.
Moustafa dreams of a community of like-minded dancers in Uusikaupunki. He believes that training together would benefit everyone.
“Not everyone has to be a breaker, as long as they have the same mindset about dance and we sync well,” he says. “I still have the same passion for dance as I did when I was younger, even though I haven’t been able to train as much. Nothing else in the world gives me the same feeling.”
There are good opportunities for dance training in Uusikaupunki: Moustafa has occasionally practiced at the Uusikaupunki Sports Center, and he now plans to book a dance hall at Wintteri.
One of his dreams is to gather enough children and young people interested in breaking so he can start teaching dance classes.
“Training starts with the basics, nothing dangerous. There are many beginner-friendly moves that are suitable for kids and young dancers to help them get into the world of breakdancing.”
Even Finland’s dark winter doesn’t feel too long to Moustafa, as long as he keeps his dreams alive. Though his training is still occasional and often solitary, he believes that dance will have a significant place in his future.
“No matter how much it feels like life is just work and sleep, you should never forget your dreams. I believe that one day, I will dance for a living. At the very least, I want to try and see if I can make it—I won’t give up before I even start,” he says with determination.