Olympic gold medallist Phil 'Wizard' Kim was in the Foothills to get his groove on.
The Canadian b-boy brought his gold magic to Spruce Meadows on Sept. 4, alongside fellow dancers Gomo Cabarroguis and Siah Go.
"It's been really fun," said Toronto-born Kim on his visit to Alberta. "It's my first time at anything like this."
Kim's appearance at Spruce Meadows was part of the ‘Masters’ international showjumping tournament, taking place Sept. 4 to 8 and featuring riders from across the globe.
“There is so much hype around the sport of breaking at the moment, and it’s an honour to have the best dancer in the world joining us,” said Krista Poffenroth, manager, exhibits and business development at Spruce Meadows.
“This is just one of many ways we are looking to tap into a younger audience who we hope will enjoy the offerings of Spruce Meadows for years to come.”
The venue is hosting other events this week, including the Blacksmith World Championships and corgi races.
Kim was impressed by the equine star power competing in the ‘Masters’ this week.
"Honestly, I've never been up close to a horse," he said. "I got to pet one and give him a little treat and that was a big highlight for me. [Spruce Meadows management] gave me a rundown of the competition and the history behind it, so it's been really fun."
Kim took home gold at the inaugural men's breaking competition on Aug. 10, triumphing over France's Danis ‘Dany Dann’ Civil and American Victor Montalvo.
The 27-year-old's lengthy list of accomplishments also includes winning gold at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games and being crowned world champion at the 2022 World DanceSport Federation Breaking World Championship.
Kim is the first Olympic gold medallist in men's breaking and potentially the last as the sport is not set to return for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles nor the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
