Read about the history of the Soul on Top Project.
The first edition of Soul on Top was held on Sunday 17th of September 2006. Soul on Top Volume I launched the Soul on Top Project as a series of b-boying battles. Soul on Top Volume I was a 3 vs. 3 b-boying battle held in K.O. mode over four rounds (round of sixteen, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final). Up to 32 crews made of three b-boys or b-girls each were able to participate. Soul on Top Volume I was held in the Querfeldhalle at the Gundeldingerfeld in Basel, Switzerland. We were able to organize Soul on Top Volume I with a tiny budget because judges, dj and host worked in an honorary capacity. Soul on Top Volume I made the Soul on Top Project known amongst Swiss b-boys and b-girls and proved that the public has an interest in the Soul on Top Project.
The second edition of Soul on Top took place on Sunday 9th of March 2008. At Soul on Top Volume II we changed the battle system to a 5 vs. 5 b-boying battle. As previously Soul on Top Volume II was held in K.O. mode over four rounds. However, at Soul on Top Volume II only 16 crews, that now had to be made of five b-boys or b-girls each, were able to participate. As the previous edition Soul on Top Volume II was held in the Querfeldhalle at the Gundeldingerfeld in Basel, Switzerland. Soul on Top Volume II differed in two other aspects from the first edition. Firstly the appointment of professional judges, dj and host - Soul on Top Volume II was also the first edition hosted by Sky189, who has become the host of all further editions so far - almost tripled the costs of organizing Soul on Top. Secondly the venue was getting too small because the number of spectators almost doubled.
The third edition of Soul on Top was held on Sunday 26th of April 2009. Before Soul on Top Volume III we have organzied Soul on Top as individuals. In order to make the organization of Soul on Top Volume III easier we founded the AbsTracks Association. Since the old venue was getting too small we were looking for a bigger venue to hold Soul on Top Volume III. In consequence Soul on Top Volume III was held at the Kaserne in Basel, Switzerland. At Soul on Top Volume III MistaSweet - who has been a dj at all further editions so far - was for the first time playing at Soul on Top. Again we slightly changed the battle system. As at the previous edition Soul on Top Volume III was held in K.O. mode over four rounds. New was that up to 24 crews were able to participate at Soul on Top Volume III. Unfortunately the new venue also led to higher costs we weren't able to cover even though the number of spectators grew further.
The fourth edition of Soul on Top took place on Sunday 9th of January 2011. As the third edition Soul on Top Volume IV was held at the Kaserne in Basel, Switzerland. We haven't changed the battle system for Soul on Top Volume IV. Because we weren't able to cover the costs for the organization of Soul on Top Volume III we had to consider new ways to finance Soul on Top. The first three editions of Soul on Top were principally financed through the entry fees paid by spectators. We decided to try to partly finance future Soul on Top events through contributions by foundations and sponsors. Thanks to the generous support of the foundation Kulturkick and Carhartt we were able to fully cover the costs of Soul on Top Volume IV.
The fifth edition of Soul on Top was held on Sunday 15th of April 2012. As the fourth edition Soul on Top Volume V took place at the Kaserne in Basel, Switzerland. We made some major changes in the battle system for Soul on Top Volume V in order to enable more crews to participate. As at all previous editions Soul on Top Volume V was held in K.O. mode. However, we wanted to enable up to 32 crews made of five b-boys or b-girls each to participate in the competition. In order to achieve this we expanded the battle system from four to five rounds (round of thirtytwo, round of sixteen, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final). To save time we held two battles in two circles at the same time in the first two rounds. In order to hold two battles at the same time we needed to appoint three additional judges. In the end 28 crews participated at Soul on Top Volume V and proved that there is a demand for the enlarged battle system. Due to the enlargement of the battle system the competition got more fair because there were no more battles with three crews. We think that battles with three crews are less fair than battles with two crews because they are harder to judge and because crews with two adversaries are at a disadvantage compared to crews with only one. At Soul on Top Volume V there was for the first time a Preparty that took place at the Kaserne on Saturday 14th of April 2012. A 7-to-smoke battle, a one on one b-boying battle with eight dancers, was held at the Preparty. Soul on Top Volume V was the first edition to be supported by the Jacqueline Spengler Stiftung, who has become a steady supporter of the Soul on Top project.
The sixth edition of Soul on Top took place on Sunday 10th of March 2013. As the fifth edition Soul on Top Volume VI was held at the Kaserne in Basel, Switzerland. We haven't made changes to the battle system for Soul on Top Volume VI. The participation of 32 crews at Soul on Top Volume VI proved one more time that there is a demand for the additional spaces in the competition. As at the previous edition a Preparty took place on Saturday 9th of March 2013 at the Kaserne. As the year before a 7-to-smoke battle was held at the Preparty. On the occasion of Soul on Top Volume VI we have created the Travel Fund. The Travel Fund is a fund filled by donations. The money in Travel Fund is awarded to selected crews in order to help them pay for their journeys to Soul on Top. At Soul on Top Volume VI we were able to support two crews with money from the Travel Fund.
The seventh edition of Soul on Top was held on Sunday 27th of April 2014. Unlike the last four editions Soul on Top Volume VII was not held at the Kaserne but in the Festsaal of the Stadtcasino in Basel, Switzerland. We have made no changes to the battle system for Soul on Top Volume VII. We have although made slight changes to the registration process in order to get more crews from outside Switzerland to participate at Soul on Top. In addition to the two spaces reserved for crews that get supported by the Travel Fund we have reserved an additional three spaces on the registered crews list for international crews of our choosing. At Soul on Top Volume VII we were able to support three crews with money from the Travel Fund founded the year before. As the two years before a Preparty was held on Saturday 26th of April 2014 in the Ladybar. Soul on Top Volume VII was the first edition to be supported by the Jugendkulturpauschale Basel-Stadt.
The eighth edition of Soul on Top was held on Sunday 17th of May 2015. Unlike last year Soul on Top Volume VIII was again held at the Kaserne in Basel. At Soul on Top Volume VIII we have made a slight change in the battle system. We have introduced a new two-step draw procedure for determining the crews to battle each other in the round of thirtytwo in order to make it even harder to win Soul on Top. For the first time a Live Band has performed at Soul on Top. In the wake of Soul on Top Volume VIII we have tried in vain to raise donations for the Travel Fund by crowdfunding. We have supported four crews with money from the Travel Fund. As the years before we held a Preparty on Saturday 16th of May 2015 at the Sommercasino.
The ninth edition of Soul on Top was held on Sunday 12th of June 2016 at the Kaserne Basel. At Soul on Top IX we have made no changes to the battle system and have kept the two-step procedure for drawing the crews to battle each other in the round of thirtytwo. Again the band the Kinkeez played live at Soul on Top. Like the year before we have tried in vain to raise money for the Travel Fund, this time by selling patron-tickets. Nontheless we have supported three crews with money from the Travel Fund. In addition to the mainevent on Sunday we have for the first time held a jam called "For the Love of Music" on Saturday afternoon at the Jugendzentrum Dreirosen. At this jam we have offered workshops for beginners and advanced dancers and have held a short competition for chosen single dancers. Unlike the year before we haven't organized a Preparty.
The tenth anniversary edition of Soul on Top was held on Sunday 28th of May 2017. Unlike the last two editions Soul on Top Volume X was not held at the Kaserne but at the Volkshaus in Basel, Switzerland. We made some major changes to the battle system for the tenth edition in order to enable more crews to participate and keep Soul on Top an open competition that is easy to enter but hard to win. As all previous editions Soul on Top Volume X was held in K.O. mode. However, we wanted to enable up to 48 crews made of five b-boys or b-girls each to participate in the competition. To achieve this we held battles with three crews in the first round. In the end 46 crews participated and proved that there is a demand for the enlarged battle system. Long term we aim at a battle system with 64 crews over six rounds held in strict K.O. mode. At Soul on Top Volume X we have for the first time worked with local danceschools and could in cooperation with the YMCA Hostel for the first time offer support in the form of free accomodation through the Travel Fund: we could support four crews with money or free accomodation. At Soul on Top Volume X a new band called Loop Locked played live music. Like the year before we held the jam "For the Love of Music" on Saturday afternoon - this time at the Jugendzentrum Purple Park - where we again offered workshops for beginners. Soul on Top Volume X was the first edition to be supported by the Swisslos Fonds Basel-Landschaft.
The eleventh edition of Soul on Top will be held on Saturday 2nd of June 2018 at the Volkshaus in Basel, Switzerland.