Serhiy Banko

Dancing since age 9 — starting with folk dance and classical ballet. He came to breaking as a teenager, at 13-14, drawn in not by battles but by film (the "Step Up" franchise) and 2005-era Red Bull BC One battle footage on YouTube. Breaking barely existed in his native Kherson at the time — he taught himself the entire foundation from B-Boy Storm's training videos, picking up style from b-boy Ukho (now a military volunteer, still training) and b-boy Kharunzh.

College redirected him toward folk choreography for a couple of years — he seriously considered a career in ballet. He returned to breaking as an adult, during the pandemic. Alongside breaking, he danced in the show-ballet "Foresight" and performs in commercial theatre, currently with Shadow Strip Theater.

At IDC since summer 2022. Teaches Breaking (from the youngest 4-7 age group through teens and adults) and the Dance Mix team; previously also taught Contemporary — still available for individual lessons for students with an existing dance foundation. Alongside fellow instructor Yuniya Furman, he has choreographed several large-scale numbers, including "Secret Mission."

His Dance Mix team isn't a beginner group but a selective pro-team: dancers roughly 10 to 16+ years old with a jazz-modern/hip-hop foundation, focused on choreographed numbers and video content — original choreography only, enrollment always open. His personal goal for winter 2026/27 is the "Your Breaking" championship.

Achievements: TOP-10, World of Dance Ukraine (2024); 1st place, All Stars Our Jam 2026 (Breaking Pro 18+); two-time Show Your Style champion; placed at Explosion Battle and Bond Dance Battle.

"A good coach isn't the one who shows and does — it's the one who can see and explain without ever laying a hand on you."