Movement, Color and Rhythm - The Story of Armando El-Hag Hassan 

This story is based on his own written reflections, memories, and experiences, which have been adapted and presented in the third person.

Armando El-Hag Hassan is the president of the Hip-Hop Osijek Association, a chapter leader of the Original Skillz World Wide Crew, and a member of several hip-hop and creative collectives. For more than twenty years, he has been involved in event organization, Graffiti art, and B-Boying, or Break Dance, while for the past ten years he has also worked as a DJ. Today, he also dances at the Croatian National Theatre in Osijek.

His love for Hip-Hop culture began toward the end of elementary school, when he listened to artists such as Tram 11, Edo Maajka, and Bolesna Braća. Growing up in Osijek’s Jug 2 neighborhood, near the famous Šećeranski zid, brought him even closer to the world of Graffiti. As a child, he watched Osijek Writers at work, while his first steps in both drawing and Break were shown to him by a school friend nicknamed Leski.

What began simply as fun gradually became an important part of his identity. Hip-Hop influenced the way he thinks, his creativity, and his outlook on the world.

Today, the Croatian National Theatre in Osijek holds a special place in his journey as a dancer. He considers dancing in the theatre the crowning achievement of his dance career so far. After starting out in front of his elementary school, he now collaborates with choreographers and directors and performs in well-known productions such as The Nutcracker.

His work in event organization began long before the founding of the Hip-Hop Osijek Association. Back in 2009, together with his friend Mario Marolin, he took part in founding the Jug 2 Youth Associations Alliance, which connected organizations from the neighborhood and provided young people with a variety of creative, educational, and entertaining activities. Through the Alliance, he participated in organizing projects related to dance, Graffiti, concerts, exhibitions, culture, and humanitarian initiatives, developing many of the organizational and communication skills he continues to use today.

He particularly remembers Southside Jam, organized in 2011 in cooperation with the Movement dance association, which brought together international guests, judges, and competitors in Graffiti, Break, and Hip-Hop dance. Experiences like these naturally led to the founding of the Hip-Hop Osijek Association a few years later.

The Hip-Hop Osijek Association was founded in 2013 with the aim of developing and promoting Hip-Hop culture, urban arts, and creative and educational activities. Over the years, its members have organized and participated in numerous projects, workshops, and events, including Pannonian Challenge, Urban Fest Osijek, Rap Skillz, and many others.

Armando particularly values the opportunity to connect people from different backgrounds, cultures, and areas of interest. To him, Hip-Hop is not simply music, dance, or art, but a space in which people can express themselves freely and creatively. This is why one message is especially close to him: “Peace, unity, love & having fun.”

Despite his many years of experience, he does not like to explain what he does simply in terms of talent. He believes that effort, continuous learning, and a love of creating are far more important. He finds inspiration for his Graffiti in his surroundings, thoughts, and emotions, often combining Graffiti techniques with traditional painting approaches and imagery inspired by comics and animated films.

Music is another inseparable part of his life. He can almost always be seen with headphones in his ears, and his desire to share quality music with others inspired him to become a DJ. Over the years, he has shared the stage with artists he listened to as a child, including Edo Maajka, Bolesna Braća, and Tram 11, as well as internationally renowned musicians such as Manu Chao.

Dance, art, music, and sport are not merely hobbies or work for him. During difficult periods of his life, these activities have often provided support and given him a way to express himself, find calm, and keep moving forward.

Looking back at everything he has achieved, Armando finds it difficult to choose just one memorable moment. He recalls years of travelling to Break competitions and performances, winning the well-known Osijek Hip-Hop Delight, developing the Rap Skillz battle rap league, performing at the Croatian National Theatre, creating large murals in Jug 2, and collaborating with numerous artists and institutions. He says he has achieved far more than he could ever have imagined when he first started drawing and dancing.

Through all of these experiences, he has learned that sometimes it is necessary to step outside your comfort zone, try something new, and allow yourself to grow through new experiences.

In the future, he wants to continue learning and working on projects that fulfil him. One of his goals is to create a creative centre in Osijek – a space where artists, associations, and other creatives could come together, collaborate, and create.

His advice to young people who are afraid to follow their passion is that the most important thing is to have the will, find the courage to begin, and not give up. It is important to enjoy the process, keep learning, and avoid comparing your own progress with that of others.

Armando feels most in his element when he is dancing and acting on stage, DJing, creating art on canvas or walls, or playing football. For him, being true to himself means remaining original, creative, and authentic in everything he does.

If you’d like to follow Armando’s journey and keep up with his work, you can find him on social media through the links below.