Ivan Manriquez aka Urban Action Figure

IVAN URBAN ACTION FIGURE is one of the unforgettable B-Boy icons of the 90s. He is full of energy and known for his amazing power moves and stage presence. The audience always loves him. He is known for doing a lot of somersaults, back-flips, and flic-flacs and for extremely fast headspins, flares, windmills and tracks. IVAN is supposed to have the fastest and cleanest windmill of all.

Asked how he would describe his own style, Ivan says Party Rocking. To IVAN dancing is all about fun and he teaches the “Ivan Fundamentals” meaning that you should dance like you’re at a party with family and friends and enjoy yourself.

IVAN grew up with music. In the late 70s his father would jam with his band all night and his brothers, who collected records, would listen to music and dance all day long throughout the house. In 1984, IVAN started popping and party rocking. In 1985, he saw breaking on TV for the first time, but didn’t really think it was something for him. In 1887 he started acro-rocking and in 1993 he finally took up breaking. His biggest inspirations were the Popping-Brothers Alonzo & Jesse, the Party Rocking - Brother George and the Acro-Rocking-Brother Jaime.

In 1991, IVAN created the name Style Elements for a Hip Hop collective, a positive movement within the culture. In 1995, B-Boy Remind asked him if he could use the name for some northern California crews to unite as a battle team called “Style Elements - Monster Squad Crew.” Many people say that these guys upgraded the level of B-Boying. Ivan invented many new moves but always kept original B-Boying alive.

At present, IVAN hosts various events all over the world as a B-Boy entertainer and works as a judge, as well as B-Boying with Linkin Park, The Black Eyed Peas, Red Man, MC Supernatural, and Busta Rhymes. Ivan also teaches the next generation, giving workshops and master classes

In the 90s, IVAN’s name was “Universoul B-Boy.” “Meaning my soul movement was one with universal laws like gravity. Then after two decades of traveling in and out of cities I was an action figure with a breath of life within urban culture. Then I changed my name to IVAN URBAN ACTION FIGURE.”

Asked how he judges a battle, Ivan says, “Extreme warrior-like tactics are a must in the competitive art of B-Boying, but I'm only impressed if you are rocking every moment as a visual rhythm within the breakbeat at all times. But most of all, I wanna see that you’re having fun!”