Dance Mogul Magazine · Exclusive Interview · Breaking & Hip-Hop Culture
Zulu Gremlin: “Dance Is the Physical Celebration of Life”
B-boy, producer, judge and culture builder Steve “Zulu Gremlin” Roybal created the B-Boy Masters Pro-Am and helped take breaking around the world. His 2013 DMM interview, with the video library from the original feature.
Originally published May 13, 2013 · Updated November 12, 2026 · Dance Mogul Magazine
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File // At a Glance
Name — Steven “Zulu Gremlin” Roybal
Born — Los Angeles, 1970, the son of a touring musician
Created — The B-Boy Masters Pro-Am (1997), co-founded with Speedy Legs
Stage & screen — Jam on the Groove (Ghettoriginals); Step Up 2; The Freshest Kids; a scene for Step Up 3D
Industry roles — Creative director, Red Bull Beat Riders (2006); battle coordinator and judge for Hip Hop International
Honors — Zulu King Award (1993); Mighty 4 Lifetime Achievement Award (1999)
10
Age he started roboting
12
Age he began teaching
1997
Founded the B-Boy Masters Pro-Am
16
Videos in this feature
Who Is Zulu Gremlin?
From the DMM Archive · May 13, 2013
Dance Mogul Magazine is honored to present Steve “Zulu Gremlin” Roybal, a great example of positivity in hip-hop and success in street dance culture. He gives us some insight into his accomplishments and what it takes to be successful. There are many paths to success in dance, and we hope the next generation can pull from Mr. Roybal to help them on their journey.
Steven Roybal, born in Los Angeles in 1970, is the son of a musician and toured the United States with his father from birth. He began producing at the age of 13 as part of Denver’s Inner City Youth Production in 1983. Steve learned at an early age how to work with large groups of people and handle budgets by producing concerts with artists such as Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash and Earth, Wind & Fire; special events such as “The Beat Street Tour”; and competitions for all the elements of the hip-hop culture. Throughout the ’90s, aside from producing events and music, Steve worked as a street promoter for major record labels: RCA, Tommy Boy, Island, Polygram and Warner Elektra Atlantic. In 1991, Steve signed as an artist to Virgin Records. He also choreographed pop artists like Timmy T, Mellow Man Ace and Kid Frost. He was part of the first hip-hop Broadway show, Jam on the Groove, presented by Giorgio Armani, which toured not only the United States but internationally as well. In 1997 Steve created the B-Boy Masters Pro-Am Urban Conference and has gone on not only to produce the Pro-Am World Tours, but has also been contracted to produce conferences and events for other large companies. Steve has produced artists on major labels and has teamed up with the likes of McDonald’s, Lipton, Red Bull, Universal Records, Rocawear, Pepsi, Sony, Def Jam, EA Sports, Verizon Wireless, MTV, BET and many other companies to bring the U.S. urban market abroad. He has become the “go-to” man for labels and marketing firms trying to brand themselves with the urban market. Steve has been active in the hip-hop community since the early ’80s. In 1984 he began teaching hip-hop dance (at the age of 14) to college students at the University of Southern Colorado, while also giving private breakdancing lessons at the same time. His students also included the children of the congresswoman at the time, Patricia Schroeder. Since he began teaching dance, his students have ranged in age from 3 years old to over 50 years old. Steve has contributed pieces currently shown in the Smithsonian Institute’s American Cultural Arts Building. Other articles of Steve’s personal archive, his sneakers specifically, are currently on exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also performed in the first celebration and induction of hip-hop culture into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.
In 2006, Steve became the creative director for the Red Bull Beat Riders program, and in 2008 he became the director of The International Dance Academy, Hollywood, and The Hollywood Pop Academy, located in the world-famous Kodak Center. In 2009 Steve became the battle coordinator for Hip Hop International’s World Battle and is now on the international panel of judges for the Hip Hop International World Championships. Some of Steve’s noteworthy nationally televised performances include The Damon Wayans Show and ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. Steve participated in and was featured in the theatrical releases Step Up 2 and The Freshest Kids, and choreographed a scene for Step Up 3D, released in 2010. Most recently, Steve choreographed and performed in Justin Bieber’s music video “Somebody to Love,” Rihanna’s “Breakin’ Dishes” live show for tours, and the Tommy Boy 30th anniversary show at the 45th Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
DMM’s original 2013 introduction and bio, reproduced in full with spelling and punctuation corrected.
The 2013 Interview
Dance Mogul: At what age did you develop a passion for the arts?
Zulu Gremlin: I was born the son of a drummer and an artist, so I started dancing very young. Roboting at 10 years old.
Dance Mogul: Who were some of your early inspirations?
Zulu Gremlin: Lockers, the Jacksons, Sammy Davis Jr., Maurice Williams.
Dance Mogul: Were your parents supportive of your passion for dance?
Zulu Gremlin: My parents managed my breakin’ crew, and my dad’s band gave us gigs.
Dance Mogul: When did you know that you could become a professional?
Zulu Gremlin: I knew at 12 when I started teaching at the YWCA.
Dance Mogul: How did you develop your work ethic?
Zulu Gremlin: My father passed his rehearsal ethics to us, and our passion to learn did the rest.
Red Bull: The Line. From DMM’s original 2013 feature. Video: YouTube.
Dance Mogul: You have had numerous opportunities and accomplishments. What have been some of your most memorable?
Zulu Gremlin: Dancing with the cast of Fame, 1984. Winning the sweepstakes and first place at Showstopper National Talent Competition, 1985, in both street dance choreography and overall performance. Lettering in gymnastics at El Rancho High, 1987. Placing fourth in ACF/CIF on pommel horse in gymnastics for California high schools, 1988. Landing a record deal on Virgin Records with Latin Alliance, 1991. The first induction of hip-hop culture at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1999. Induction into the American cultural building at the Smithsonian Institution for work with Ghettoriginals. 1993 Zulu King Award. 1999 Lifetime Achievement Award at Mighty 4. Creating the B-Boy Masters Pro-Am international conference, 1997. Being chosen as an ambassador for the USA at Hip Hop International in Mexico, Ukraine and Peru, and head judge of the U.S. Championships. Creative director for Red Bull Beat Riders, King of the Ring, BC One U.S. and World Battle. To name a few.
Dance Mogul: Why is it important to give back to the dance community while still achieving success?
Zulu Gremlin: It’s important to me because I know many people, I have children, and I am passionate about hip-hop, and I was taught to care and share.
Step Up 2, opening scene. From DMM’s original 2013 feature. Video: YouTube.
Dance Mogul: What advice would you have for the younger generation of dancers that want to become professionals?
Zulu Gremlin: Professionalism is acquired, and it takes practice, training, rehearsal and limited knowledge of the industry. Invest in yourself and it pays off.
Invest in yourself and it pays off.
— Zulu Gremlin to Dance Mogul Magazine, 2013
Dance Mogul: How do you get the younger generation to understand that the discipline in dance is the same discipline that needs to be executed in an educational setting?
Zulu Gremlin: It’s not for everyone. Dance is a physical celebration of life. Dance is for everyone, but being a professional dancer is not. It’s for those who dedicate their time to become well mixed with aligning yourself with the industry. Many dancers think they will be a star if they come to Hollywood and are often disappointed with the results.
Dance is for everyone, but being a professional dancer is not.
— Zulu Gremlin to Dance Mogul Magazine, 2013
Dance Mogul: How important is it that dancers try to leave legacies instead of bits and pieces of momentary satisfaction?
Zulu Gremlin: My perspective on this is different. I think that true dancers learn for themselves and then apply their skills to the industry, though there are many professional students just trying to get gigs. There will always be a coexistence, and sometimes the less worthy land the jobs. The audition lifestyle is not easy for dancers.
Dance Mogul: What are you currently doing now to elevate the craft?
Zulu Gremlin: What I am doing now is teaching, coaching, training, judging and lecturing worldwide with a couple of programs I offer, including Hip Hop 360. Also, I’m head judge for the Hip Hop International World Championships, marketing director for Ill Kids Streetwear, Wayne Brady’s assistant on Let’s Make a Deal, teaching and producing my children, and working on two TV shows, one documentary, a couple of short films, and records for several artists.
Dance Mogul: Do you feel a publication like Dance Mogul is needed to connect the professionals with the next generation to help guide them to their goals and aspirations?
Zulu Gremlin: I think it’s great that you guys can help spread the word and re-educate the youth.
Medea Sirkas: Justin Bieber. From DMM’s original 2013 feature. Video: YouTube.
Dance Mogul: Is there anyone you would like to thank for helping you on your journey?
Zulu Gremlin: I would like to thank Maurice Williams, Vince Colon, Seymour, Devious Doze, Ken Swift, Crazy Legs, Tony G, Mr. Wiggles, The Lockers, Medea Sirkas, Electric Boogaloos, K-Mel, QD3, Mandie Adell, Wayne Brady, my mom and dad, and my wife and kids, Bernadette, Sophia, Stevie and Isabel.
Interview reproduced in full from DMM’s May 13, 2013 feature, with spelling and punctuation corrected.
Video Library: From the Original Feature
DMM’s 2013 feature ended with a list of video links covering Gremlin’s career. Every one of them is embedded below, in the original order, so readers can watch in place. Three more from the list appear in the interview above.
13 videos · Zulu Gremlin career library
Dancing with the Stars
Ghettoriginals
Ghettoriginals (second clip)
Live with the cast of Fame
“That’s What’s Up” rap video
Latin Alliance, Virgin Records
Mighty 4 Award
Hip-Hop 360
“I’m Saying Though,” from The Freshest Kids, featuring Ken Swift and Pkid
NBA halftime show
Jabbawockeez receiving Zulu Gremlin shoes worn in their winning piece, “The Red Pill”
Red Bull Beat Riders
King of the Floor with Wilmer Valderrama
Titles as labeled in DMM’s original 2013 feature. Some older YouTube videos may no longer be available. Video: YouTube.
Building the Pro-Am
Of all his credits, the B-Boy Masters Pro-Am may be Gremlin’s most lasting. Hip Hop Elements, the organization behind it, describes the Pro-Am as created by Zulu Gremlin and Speedy Legs. It billed itself as the first international street-dance conference, with competitions in popping, locking and breaking alongside the other elements of hip-hop. In 2003, Gremlin told the Miami New Times that he chose the name to stand for “professional and amateur.” He explained that the conference was meant to showcase new talent and teach correct terminology.
The Pro-Am grew into a yearly Miami tradition and expanded into tour stops in New York, Los Angeles, France and Japan in the early 2000s. Hip Hop Elements later promoted a 25th anniversary edition of the Miami Pro-Am.
Career Timeline
CULTURE = the scene · CAREER = the work · TEACHING = passing it on · DMM = our coverage
1970 · CULTURE
Born in Los Angeles to a drummer and an artist; tours with his father’s band from birth.
Age 10–12 · CAREER
Starts roboting at 10; begins teaching at the YWCA at 12.
1983–1984 · TEACHING
Produces events with Denver’s Inner City Youth Production at 13; at 14 teaches hip-hop dance to college students at the University of Southern Colorado.
1984–1985 · CAREER
Dances with the cast of Fame; wins first place at Showstopper Nationals in street dance choreography and overall performance.
1991 · CAREER
Signs to Virgin Records with Latin Alliance.
1993 · CULTURE
Receives the Zulu King Award.
1990s · CAREER
Tours internationally in Jam on the Groove with Ghettoriginals.
1997 · CULTURE
Co-creates the B-Boy Masters Pro-Am with Speedy Legs.
1999 · CULTURE
Performs at the first celebration of hip-hop culture at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; receives the Mighty 4 Lifetime Achievement Award.
2006–2009 · CAREER
Creative director for Red Bull Beat Riders (2006); director of The International Dance Academy, Hollywood (2008); battle coordinator for Hip Hop International’s World Battle (2009).
2008–2010 · CAREER
Featured in Step Up 2; choreographs a scene for Step Up 3D.
May 2013 · DMM
Dance Mogul Magazine publishes this exclusive interview.
Where Is Zulu Gremlin Now?
In 2013 Gremlin described a full schedule: teaching, coaching, judging and lecturing worldwide through programs including Hip Hop 360, serving as head judge for the Hip Hop International World Championships, and working on television, documentary and music projects. The B-Boy Masters Pro-Am he co-created went on to reach its 25th anniversary edition in Miami.
What we could not confirm: DMM did not find verified recent reporting on Zulu Gremlin’s current roles. We will not guess. If you are Steve Roybal or work with him, we would welcome the chance to bring this story up to date. Reach us through our contact page.
What the Next Generation Should Learn
1. Professionalism is learned. It comes from practice, training, rehearsal and learning how the industry works. Invest in yourself and it pays off.
2. Dance is for everyone; the career is not. Gremlin’s honest line: loving dance and working in the industry are two different commitments.
3. Build the platform you wish existed. The Pro-Am gave new talent a stage, a way to be seen, and the correct language of the culture.
4. Family can be your first crew. His parents managed his crew, and his father’s band gave them gigs.
Why It Matters to DMM
DMM introduced Gremlin in 2013 as an example of positivity in hip-hop and success in street dance. His career shows how many roles a dancer can grow into: performer, teacher, producer, promoter, judge and builder of events that gave thousands of young dancers a stage.
His thank-you list reads like a hall of fame. Read about one of those legends in our Mr. Wiggles legacy feature, see how Hip Hop International grew in Hip Hop International: The Olympics of Street Dance, and explore The Legacy.
Continue Your Journey
Watch more history in the DMM Video Vault, and read more conversations in our Exclusive Interviews.
Zulu Gremlin: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Zulu Gremlin?
Zulu Gremlin is Steven Roybal, a Los Angeles-born b-boy, producer, choreographer and judge. He co-created the B-Boy Masters Pro-Am and worked with Red Bull and Hip Hop International.
Who created the B-Boy Masters Pro-Am?
Hip Hop Elements credits the B-Boy Masters Pro-Am to Zulu Gremlin and Speedy Legs. Gremlin dated its creation to 1997 in his DMM interview.
What does “Pro-Am” stand for?
Gremlin told the Miami New Times in 2003 that he chose the name to stand for professional and amateur.
Was Zulu Gremlin in Step Up?
His DMM bio says he was featured in Step Up 2 and choreographed a scene for Step Up 3D.
What is Zulu Gremlin’s advice for young dancers?
He told DMM that professionalism is acquired through practice, training and rehearsal, and that dancers should invest in themselves because it pays off.
The Story Continues
Gremlin called dance “the physical celebration of life,” and his career has been a long celebration of the culture: from a 10-year-old robot dancer to the man who built one of breaking’s best-known conferences.
The videos above are part of that record. Watch them, learn the names he thanked, and keep the culture’s terminology and history correct, just as he asked.
Sources & Further Viewing
Hip Hop Elements: B-Boy Masters Pro-Am (2002 conference page)
© 2026 Dance Mogul Magazine LLC · From the Archive, Updated · A Black-owned dance and empowerment publication since 2010
