Thomas Kibar AKA B-Boy Tom

This interview with Thomas Kibar, a Milton Keynes–born breaker known as B-boy Tom, explores his journey into breakdancing, his role within the crew Payback Season, and his reflections on the local hip-hop scene. Born in 1996 and raised in Fishermead, he first discovered breaking at the age of twelve after watching a performance outside Woughton Leisure Centre. Motivated to learn, he began practising seriously with friends and soon met established local dancers including JMC and Kevin Kallon, who became early influences and helped shape his development.

Kibar’s involvement in breaking grew quickly. He joined his first crew, Freestyle Soldiers, in 2009 before moving through other collectives and eventually becoming part of Payback Season, formed in 2018 with a core group of dancers who had trained together for years. The crew now trains regularly across different locations, including Milton Keynes and Birmingham, staying connected through social media and organising structured sessions to practise routines and prepare for competitions. Their performances combine rehearsed group choreography with freestyle sections and solo rounds, requiring both coordination and individual creativity.

Through breaking, Kibar has travelled widely across the UK, competing and performing in cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Bristol and London. More recently, the crew has begun attending international events, including competitions in the Netherlands, Italy and Romania. While some trips are self-funded, invitations to larger events can cover travel and accommodation. He describes these experiences as opportunities not only to compete but to explore new places, build networks and be part of a supportive community.

Kibar has also experienced the scene from another perspective, judging competitions for the first time in Leicester. He explains that judging requires focusing on clear criteria such as execution, creativity and originality, and removing personal bias. As a dancer, he draws inspiration mainly from visual ideas rather than music alone, developing new movements by experimenting with body positions and recording his practice to refine techniques.

He notes that Milton Keynes has strong infrastructure for street culture, with accessible training spaces and supportive communities. Public locations and leisure centres have played an important role in allowing dancers to practise and develop, and he feels the city has been particularly accommodating compared to others. While he has briefly explored other elements of hip-hop such as graffiti and rap, breaking remains his main focus.

Looking ahead, he is concerned about the lack of a younger generation coming through locally. Alongside other dancers, he now helps support teaching and mentoring sessions to keep the scene alive. For him, breaking offers creativity, travel, discipline and community, and he hopes new talent will continue the culture in Milton Keynes for years to come.