Photo of the Day -- Kaba Modern Legacy on the Catwalk

Sarah Lee took this photo of Kaba Modern Legacy at the 13 Minutes Magazine 3rd Annual Fashion Show on October 13, 2008. I'd like to see more action like this in the Bryant Park tents at Fashion Week!

India's Best Dance Crew on MTV!

Buried in this strange newspost about the skincare regimen of MTV India VJ Anusha Dandekar is a some real ABDC news: there’s a new show called MTV Dance Crew to be aired soon. “In my new show, I get to shake a leg with the participants. That’s great, since I love dancing."

I haven't found any other information on this show yet. But I did hear from ABDC co-creator Howard Schwartz at the Season 3 auditions that Best Dance Crew was going international. All this is a great development for hiphop, and a prelude (I hope) to World's Best Dance Crew. And, I hope that MTV will post the episodes so we all can watch.

What country do you think is next?

Photocredit for VJ Anusha Dandekar: Glamsham.com

Watch Dance4Life live connection today!

Today (November 29), go to Dance4Life.com to watch the life satellite broadcast of the International Dance4Life event.

50,000 people in 19 countries will be dancing to celebrate achievements in fighting AIDS. Boogie Bots will be one of the U.S. performers, and some top dance crews in other countries are expected to perform. So, if you've got the time please watch and contribute to Dance4Life!

St. Maarten's Best Dance Crew -- new TV show!

It was bound to happen, given the success and popularity of America's Best Dance Crew. The first non-US "Best Dance Crew" TV show will be filmed in -- St. Maarten!. Here's the story in More Baccanal.

Six crews will be dancing each week, and the show will air on French St. Martin TV. The format and voting are pretty much the same as for ABDC. The top prize is $3000 and the title of St. Maarten's Best Dance Crew.

According to the article, "Organizers are limiting the crews only in what they can wear and how “vulgar” their styles can be. Besides that, it’s really no-holds-barred for this competition."

The six crews are: HOT, Hydrolics, Low Rydahs, LTL, Top Secret and The Spotlight. Please comment here if you've watched any of them in performance.

If this show becomes available on-line, you bet we'll post it. Good luck to all!

Click here to see pictures of the other crews in contention for St. Maarten's Best Dance Crew.

Kaba Modern Performing at the Expo

On November 22, 2008, LA was the site for The Expo - A Charitable Event Benefitting Culture Shock. Guests included Kaba Modern, Super Cr3w, Fanny Pak, and Fysh N Chick. Pacific Rim Video taped the Kaba Modern performance:

ABDC Merch #2: Fanny Pak Fanny Packs

On this Black Friday, we're featuring some shopping choices for those of you who can't deal with bricks-and-mortar stores.

Fanny Pak is now selling Fanny Packs for $15 on their website.

I'm really looking forward to the Fanny Pak shoes that will be available from Milkshake Kicks in February 2009. I saw Milkshake Kicks on crew members at ABDC Live in NY and I want them now.Right now, this website has some unique FP shirts and non-FP shoes.

ABDC Merch #1: the Kaba Modern Never Duplicated Shirt

On this Black Friday, we're featuring some shopping choices for those of you who can't deal with bricks-and-mortar stores.

America's Best Dance Crew Marathon on MTV2

For those of you with hundreds of cable stations: MTV is running an America's Best Dance Crew Marathon today and tonight. Just the thing to give thanks for.

Supreme Soul Performances in Toronto

From a few months ago, but still worth watching: Supreme Soul danced at Freshman Week at Ryerson University in Toronto. Honanie taped these performances:

San Diego & LA ABDC Appearances: Super Cr3w, Supreme Soul

Super Cr3w: appearing in LA at Club Tatou on November 29. Adults only show. Call (213)482-2000 for details. Thanks for the tip, Raquel!

Super Cr3w will also appear at the Armory Survival Gear Store (1539 Garnet Avenue location) on November 30. Call 858-274-7300 for details. From Friday through Sunday, the stores will be selling all their merchandise at 20-50% off. You can also shop on-line at Armoryhiphop.com and get a 20% discount on all their clothing by entering BLACKFRIDAY as the promo code.

Supreme Soul: December 9, San Diego State University. This poster has the info.

More audition videos: The Hype

At the Los Angeles auditions for America's Best Dance Crew, Pacific Rim Video filmed The Hype, from Hawaii. Here's the audition:

And their interview, talking about the sacrifices and challenges of deciding to audition:

Good luck to The Hype!

SoReal Cru and PhreshSelect in Philadelphia tonight

On Thanksgiving Eve (November 26), SoReal Cru and Phresh Select will perform at the Solo Nightclub with Sinthesis, Xclusive, Remedy, Flipside & multiple students' organizations from Drexel, University of Pennsylvania, Temple and Villanova for the biggest dance party of the year. There will be an autograph session from 9-10pm and giveaways all night long.

MUSIC: DJ Wreckless, Art, and DJ Goodlyfe

Limited Advance tickets will be available at Abakus Store (227 N 10th St.) or you can contact college organizations.

Mailbox: Reviews and Images from last week's shows

On November 24, the TASA (Taiwanese American Student Association) Freestyle Competition was held by RAPS (Rutgers Association of Philippine Students). Here's a picture of the winners - RDT -- posing with Boogie Bots after their win.

Some reviews of Break Sk8 and the San Francisco Hip Hop DanceFest:

• Voice of Dance loved the show, including Break Sk8: "To watch this quintet do something like entrechats on skates is to have seen almost everything."
• SFGate thought the show was "sick, buck, dope, stupid." Of Break Sk8, they wrote: "They do tight, hard-hitting moves that most crews would kill to pull off with their feet on the ground. Then they do more."

Photo credit: John Richard Pena/RAPS Media Crew

Reminder: Far East Movement On-Line Release Party tonight

Don't forget -- at 9-10pm West Coast Time, tune in to Far East Movement FM TV for the the first ever live, streaming on-line release party for their new album Animal.

The album (produced by Far East Moement which includes DJ Virman from the America's Best Dance Crew Live Tour) features the next generation of rising artists and sounds featuring guest appearances by many rising stars including Def Jam’s One Block Radius, Warner recording artists Wiz Khalifa and Jah Free along with Latin music legends Lil Rob and Baby Bash.

Planet B-Boy on Youtube Live -- WATCH THIS NOW!

We've been following Knucklehead Zoo because of their ties to America's Best Dance Crew through Super Cr3w, their Broadway show, and their members' audition (as The Zoo) for ABDC Season 3. Now, some KZ's Yust and Freaky are part of a Planet B-Boy crew for Youtube Live, to help promote the Planet B-boy movie. This video is just sick.

Shane Sparks - Talk of Fame Interview

Talk of Fame talked to Shane Sparks at the LA Auditions of America's Best Dance Crew. He talks about all his upcoming projects including the "Boogietown" movie and the "Dream Girls" theatrical revival. And, he thinks that Broadway should be in the future for some ABDC crew members!

One more favorite LA Auditioning Crew: Essence

Over the past few weeks, we've been posting videos of auditioning crews that our LA field reporters Brooke and Rebecca watched and really liked. As always, we'll remind you that they didn't see all the LA auditioners and that Blogging America's Best Dance Crew has no insider information or influence with the ABDC judges.

Here's one more crew for you to watch: Essence. We like their creativity with movements and props. While they showed no tricky moves, they had good detail and humor. We said the same thing about Fanny Pak when we watched the audition special from Season 2. So, maybe this girl crew has the goods for Season 3. What do you think?

Canada Tour with Super Cr3w, SoReal Cru, Fanny Pak, Supreme Soul

On the heels of JabbaWockeeZ' successful Canada tour -- the Best Dance Canada tour. The show will feature Fanny Pak, SoReal Cru, Super Cr3w, Supreme Soul, and DJ Wish One from JabbaWockeeZ.

The schedule:
12/13: Toronto Click for tickets
12/15: Winnipeg Click for tickets
12/16: Saskatoon Click for tickets
12/17: Calgary Click for tickets
12/18: Edmonton Click for tickets
12/19: Vancouver Click for tickets

Interviews with Super Cr3w, Kaba Modern, and Fanny Pak at Expo Benefit for CSLA

Pacific Rim Video talked to Kaba Modern, Fanny Pak, and Super Cr3w at the Expo Benefit in Los Angeles on November 22, as they prepared booths to meet fans and sell some crew merchandise. Click here to visit Pacific Rim's Youtube channel and watch all of them. Here's Super Cr3w's Do Knock talking about the crew and their webcam show:

Season 3 Auditioners -- Has MTV Contacted You Yet?

We've heard that MTV has started contacted auditioning crews as to whether they made it to Season 3. For those of you who get bad news -- try out next season! We know that the competition was fierce and many many great crews won't make the cut. Feel free to comment here if you were contacted by MTV, to let us know what they said and what you think. We welcome comments from anyone who auditioned for Season 3. IMPORTANT:

• Do not write anything that would violate your legal signed agreement with MTV. For example, if MTV told the Season 3 crews not to identify themselves publicly, leave a comment but don't give your name or your crew name.
• Don't lie or misrepresent yourself.
  

Stage View of ABDC Live's Last Show

DJ Virman provides the backstage view of ABDC Live's final show, showing the crews taking their bows:


Don't forget to tune in to FM TV next week --November 25 at 9pm West Coast time -- for the live streaming release party for Animal, the new album for DJ Virman's group Far East Movement.

Bay Area Hip Hop Weekend -- SoReal Cru, DanceFest with BreakSk8

1. SoReal Cru appears for shows and meet and greets in the Bay Area this weekend.

• San Francisco: meet the Cru in San Francisco at Fatlace (1630 Post Street) from on Saturday 11/22 from3-5pm.
• San Jose: watch SoReal perform at Club Vivid on Saturday 11/22. Call 408-279-4444 for details. Then meet them at Sole on Ice (475 W. San Carlos St.) on Sunday 11/23 from 3-5pm

2. This weekend is also the 10th Annual San Francisco Hip-Hop Dance Fest, featuring 22 crews from around the world performing, holding master classes, and partying. Break Sk8 will perform along with notable crews like Soul Sector, OTI, Flawless, and Plaque. Click here for details and tickets.

ABDC Audition Judge Napoleon D'umo : Rock the Reception!

America's Best Dance Crew fans may know Napoleon D'umo mainly as one of the audition judges for ABDC, appearing on the MTV audition specials. But he and his wife Tabitha are involved in much much much more, including handling auditions, choreography and judging for So You Think You Can Dance; teaching for Masters of Hip Hop; choreographing special events; selling their own line of street wear called NappyTabs; and appearing in their own TLC program called "Rock the Reception" (helping engaged couples prepare for the first dance at their wedding receptions).

You can read all about it in this article in Movment Magazine. And you can catch up and watch Rock the Reception on TLC or the TLC website.

Super Cr3w Video -- Florida Performance

On November 15, Super Cr3w performed in Arlington, FL at the Aqua Nightclub. We love Jabbawockeez904's video -- almost feels like we're at the show.

More Favorite Crews from ABDC 3 LA Auditions: Trendsetters

We have videos and interviews for two more favorite crews from the LA auditions. Remember that the Blogging America's Best Dance Crew field reporters Rebecca and Brooke were not able to watch all the crews and that our blog has no insider information or influence on the ABDC judges.

Today's video and interview: Trendsetters from North Hollywood

• Why the name Trendsetters: Because they ARE trendsetters, especially the choreographer Brooklyn Jai
• Crew members: Angel, Brooklyn Jai, Todd Flanagan, Trevor Kent, Anja, Melissa Miles, and Deidre Maldanado
• How long performing as a group: 7 years
• Style of dance: Hip Pop
• Why they're auditioning: they feel it's their year to shine, they are talented fresh and new, and all have individual talents
• Favorite crew from past seasons: Fanny Pak
• What they'd do if they won the $100,000: they want to produce their own show and invest the money in their careers.

Here's the video and interview from Talk of Fame:

Mailbox: Olsen Twins go Jabbawockeez, plus Boogie Bots & Live In Color

• Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (and friends) donned JabbaWockeeZ masks to conceal their identies at a friend's wedding. Somehow I don't think they busted any major moves at the reception. Read the report here.

• The Lantern (the student newspaper for Ohio State) covered Boogies Bots and Live In Color's performance at "Step it Up and Dance"

More JC Chasez Videos: JC and Justin Timberlake at TFL, Advice for Season 3

JC Chasez made the rounds during Total Finale Live. First, he and Justin Timberlake appeared with Carson Daly, reminiscing about their odd hair, outfits and behavior during the early years of TRL:

Next, he spoke to MTV Remote Control, with his guidance for Season 3's crews:

ABDC Crew Shirts -- sale on Jabbawockeez & Super Cr3w, or buy the latest JBWZ styles

• Armory Survival Gear is holding a Holiday sale on all merchandise purchased on-line, including JabbaWockeeZ shirts, Super Cr3w shirts and lots more. Click here to start shopping. The discount code is ARMORYHOLIDAY.
  
• JabbaWockeeZ added some new shirts styles. Things tend to sell out fast, so get that holiday present NOW for your favorite JabbaWockeeZ fan (or for yourself). You can get them at Shiekh stores or Shiekhshoes.com. They're also available at fancasa.com.

Kaba Modern, Fanny Pak, and Boogie Bots in Guam - Interview and Make-A-Wish!

Saipan Tribune provides some novel coverage of the Music, Dance & Wishes II show in Guam:

• They interviewed Kaba Modern when the crew served as judges for CNMI's best dance crew competition. The crew had such an outstanding reception that they've promised to return to Saipan sometime in the future.
• They went backstage as Kaba Modern, Fanny Pak, and Boogie Bots greeted Franklin Ebuen. Franklin is a 13-year old with a life-threatening condition whose request to Make-A-Wish was to attend the concert and meet the crews. Each crew gave Franklin a special gift. That's Franklin in the picture during his private meet-and-greet.
  

JC Chasez interview from Total Finale Live

JC Chasez was one of the guests at Total Finale Live, the last gasp of TRL. Watch the America's Best Dance Crew judge describe his experience to MTV's Buzzworthy:

Boogie Bots at Dance4Life - Watch video for chance to win computer or CDs!

On November 29, Boogie Bots will perform for Dance4Life at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.c.. Dance4Life is a nonprofit that fights AIDS through Dance Initiatives. Click here if you want register for the show or to volunteer and it for free.

And watch this video for more info on Dance4Life. BTW -- if we get the most viewers of this video on our site and win something, we'll hold a contest to give it away to one of our readers! (It loads slowly, so please be patient!)

More Favorite Crews from ABDC 3 LA Auditions: World Famous

We still have a few more audition videos to share with you. Our disclaimer: our ace Blogging America's Best Dance Crew field reporters Brooke and Rebecca only attended 4 hours of the L.A. auditions, so they did not see every crew. We also have absolutely no influence on the judges' decisions.

Another favorite of ours: World Famous. This girl group auditioned unsuccessfully for Season 2 but returned, better than ever for Season 3 auditions. Belle, one of the crew members, is the wife of Rainan Paguio of JabbaWockeeZ.

We're using Talk of Fame's video of the audition, so you can see their interview as well.

Mailbox: Why Filipino crews rule, plus cute Super Cr3w fan pix

• BakitWhy attended the NY auditions for ABDC season 3, focusing on the strength of Filipino dance crews. To quote the article and Howard Schwartz (co-Creator of America's Best Dance Crew): "I don't know what it is about Filipinos, and what comes inside you to make you dance the way you do." BakitWhy talks to and profiles the NY Filipino crews that tried out, including Sour Logic, Point Blank, and Fr3sh -- 3 crews that we highlighted as some of our favorite auditioners. Read the insightful post here.

• We see lots of fan pictures, but we thought these photos of Super Cr3w (including the one above) were especially cute. Thanks for sharing, Arianne-Izzzle!
  

Exclusive Podcast with DJ Virman, DJ on America's Best Dance Crew Live Tour!

This week, DJ Virman spoke with Blogging America's Best Dance Crew about how he got involved in the ABDC live tour, his favorite parts of the show, what they did between shows, complete with stories about crew 'drama', getting into trouble, friendships, shoe shopping, and meeting fans on the street. Here's the podcast:

As mentioned in the podcast, DJ Virman and his group Far East Movement are releasing an album called "Animal". You can join the live streaming release party on November 25 at 9pm (WestCoast time) at FarEastMovement.com. There will be performances, surprise guests, and prizes.

Randy Jackson at the ABDC Auditions - "This is what the Dawg Wanted"

Talk of Fame met with Randy Jackson at the Los Angeles auditions for America's Best Dance Crew. He's coy about the surprises in store but announces "This is what the Dawg wanted." And if the Dawg wants it, the Dawg's gonna get it. so stay tuned.

And stay tuned for more Talk of Fame links over the next week or so . They've got some new angles on ABDC's personalities and crews and I'm looking forward to watching and sharing.

JabbaWockeeZ in Winnipeg -- videos and pictures

Access Winnipeg attended the Reprezent show on November 11, which featured JabbaWockeeZ. They'll review the boys soon, but in the meantime, they posted lots of pictures and videos from JabbaWockeez' performance, final bows, and backstage. Click here for their JabbaWockeeZ report.
Here's my favorite of the batch, with some dances that I hadn't seen before:

Shane Sparks: ABDC's Impact, Forecasts & How ABDC can kick SYTYCD's butt

Blogging America's Best Dance Crew field reporters met with Shane Sparks at the Season 3 auditions in Los Angeles. Here's some more Sparks scoop about the new season, ABDC's impact, what it takes to win, and the differences between ABDC and So You think you Can Dance:

How will Season 3 be different from prior seasons?" I'd like to see more female groups and more break dancing groups. The Season 3 crews need to be ready to break more records each week, just like JabbaWockeeZ did, and step it up."

What do you think it takes to be a winning crew for Season 3?"The winning crew will have a bit of Fanny Pak, Super Cr3w, and JabbawockeeZ, while bringing something else completely different to the stage.

Do you think America's Best Dance Crew has had an impact on America's perception of hip hop dancing?"Yes. It's given these kids in the street the opportunity to get off the streets. It gives them something to look forward to every week. It gives them something to work on and perfect so they can try out for Season 4."

What are the main differences between So You Think You can Dance and America's Best Dance Crew? " The dance crews are more self-taught talent and offer better dances. They do their own choreography. They are totally individual."

kaba Modern on VH1's "Real Chance of Love" on Nov. 17

Kaba Modern's Cindy Minowa and Jia Huang will appear on VH1's "Real Chance of Love on November 17. They'll be splitting up the show's contestants into two crwes and serving as team captains for a dance face-off. Thanks for the tip, Michael Tran!

Here's the preview:

• VH1 TV Shows
• Music Videos
• Celebrity Photos
• News & Gossip

Upcoming Performances: Boogie Bots, Kaba Modern, Knucklehead Zoo

• Tonight (November 14), Roselle Park, NJ: Joesar Alva of Boogie Bots will be teaching and performing at the Paragon Ballroom. Click here for details.
• November 21, Los Angeles: Kaba Modern will be one of the performers at the KoreAm Journal Achievement awards. Click here for details
• November 22, 8Pm ET, everywhere!: Knucklehead Zoo will be hyping "Planet B-boy" at a Youtube Live event. Other guests include Akon, Katy Perry and Mythbusters. Here's the info.

More LA audition coverage complete with teaser video

Talk of Fame also attended the LA auditions for America's Best Dance Crew Season 3, and have issued a teaser video. It includes interview clips with Randy Jackson, Shane Sparks, Quest, World Famous, Head Hunters, Body Poets, and Trendsetters, as well as audition clips from World Famous and Trendsetters. Here's their write-up.

Here's their video. As soon they post again, we'll bring it to you. And, BABDC still has a few more crew audition videos coming up soon.

Mailbox: Planet B-Boy Video release, Mario Lopez Behind-the-Scenes, JabbawockeeZ PR

• Planet B-Boy has been released on video. Watch Knucklehead Zoo and some of the best crews in the world. Order it here.
  
• For those fans who cannot get enough of Mario Lopez (I know you're out there), "Extra" Raw stalked him through the streets of NY
• Another sign that JabbaWockeeZ has made it legit: The crew is now being handled by "It" Girl Public Relations, PR firm to Nelly and Backstreet Boys. "The publicity firm will be working with JabbaWockeeZ as they prepare to break in the entertainment industry in addition to launching their hip trendy men's street wear clothing line." Let's hope they keep it real.
  

Another ABDC Season 3 Contender -- Tripl3 Threat

Another hot crew for your consideration: Tripl3 Threat auditioned in San Francisco for Season 3 of America's Best Dance Crew. We bring them to your attention because 1. they won the opening dance-off for ABDC Live in Oakland (and got loads of love!), 2. have a member (Frost) who's an alum of Supreme Soul, and 3. they've got precision and some fresh moves.

Judge for yourself. Here's Tripl3 Threat's performance at ABDC Live in Oakland:

Here they are at World of Dance:

Do you think they've got what it takes for Season 3?

NSYNC Redux -- ABDC Tour bus tribute, and Final Request Live

NSYNC may be out of the picture (for now, at least!) but Americas' Best Dance Crew is still in the tribute business:

• JC Chasez will appear with Justin Timberlake (as well as Christina Aguilera, Kid Rock, Ludacris, Fall Out Boy and a ridiculous and growing A-list of performers) on "Total Finale Live". The show airs on MTV Sunday November 18 at 8PM ET/PT. Click here to read the latest. Hey, if Backstreet Boys can appear, why not an impromptu NSYNC reunion -- you've already got 2 of the members present!
• On the ABDC tour bus, the crews and DJ Virman got down with NSYNC videos.

Meet Kaba Modern, Fysh N Chicks, Fanny Pak and More at LA's Expo!

On Saturday November 22, The Expo will be sponsoring a charitable event to benefit Culture Shock's hiphop dance education programs in Los Angeles. Kaba Modern will be performing. The meet and greet will include America's Best Dance Crew alums Kaba Modern, members of Fysh N Chicks and Fanny Pak, and as well as Ryan (from Quest Dance Crew and So You Think You Can Dance) and dancers from Step it Up and Dance and America's Got Talent.
Click here for more information and buy tickets.

Interview with Quest Crew at ABDC Auditions

Pacific Rim Video and Seattle PI Blog interviewed the members of the Quest Crew when they auditioned for America's Best Dance Crew Season 3. Three members -- Ryan Conferido, Dominic Sandoval, and Hok Konishi-- competed on So You Think You can Dance. Here's their interview, talking about Quest's style, what they've given up to compete, and their goals.

For those who missed it, here's the Quest Dance Crew performance from the June 26 SYTYCD.

Upcoming performances: Super Cr3w, Supreme Soul, XTreme Dance Force

• Super Cr3w: November 14, Atlanta GA: Emory University and Studio 72. November 15, Jacksonville, FL: Super Cr3w at Aqua Night Club. 18+ only.
  
• November 19, San Jose, CA: Supreme Soul at San Jose Improv. Click here for details and tickets.
• December 8 Oshkosh Wisconsin: Xtreme Dance Force is part of "Christmas in the Air" at the Airventure Museum. Click here for more information.

Exclusive Interview with Howard Schwartz, Co-creator of America's Best Dance Crew

I had the privilege of talking with Howard Schwartz, Co-Creator and Executive Producer of America's Best Dance Crew at the Season 3 auditions in New York. Howard, along with Karen Schwartz, is also co-creator of the USA & World Hip Hop Dance Championships, and an all-round creative, inspirational person. Listen in as we discuss changes for Season 3 and the plans to make Best Dance Crew an international phenomenon.

Boogie Bots, Fanny Pak and Kaba Modern in Guam-- Press Videos, Photos, and Reviews

Guam PDN posts a rave review of the performances of Fanny Pak, Boogie Bots, and Kaba Modern, describing the audience as mesmerized, breathless, pumped up and crazy. Good photos too!

Buddy TV talked to Fanny Pak's Matt Cady and Tony Anderson (the show's MC).

Pacific News Center attended a press conference with the crews, with quotes on their unexpected success and on advice for aspiring crews.

Photocredit: Mike G. Santos for Pacific Sunday News

Super Cr3w performance in Las Vegas

Raw Vegas TV caught Super Cr3w when they performed at the Jet Nightclub in the Las Vegas Mirage. Here's a video interview and performance.

Interview with JabbaWockeeZ Chris Gatdula

Saskatoon Radio Station C95 interviewed JabbaWockeeZ member Chris Gatdula about his plans before America's Best Dance Crew, the crew's success, the reason for the masks, and his dream gigs -- Chris Brown and Wu-tang Clan. Click here to listen.

Photocredit: MTV

Fanny Pak, Kaba Modern, Boogie Bots performances in Guam

Shara attended the Music Dance & Wishes II show, and taped performances of America's Best Dance Crew favorites Fanny Pak, Kaba Modern, and Boogie Bots. Click here to visit Shara's Multiply site and read her commentary. Thanks, Shara!



Kaba Modern

Click here to see the Fanny Pak and Boogie Bots videos.

More Favorite crews from ABDC 3 LA Auditions: Head Hunters

Here's another favorite from the LA auditions for America's Best Dance Crew Season 3. Remember: our field reporters Brooke and Rebecca did not get to watch all the auditioning crews. In addition they (and BABDC) have no inside information, control, or influence over the judges' opinions. We just like to watch.

Today, we present Head Hunters from San Jose, California. They've been performing together for nine years.

• Member names: Jardy (30), Adrian (23), Vu (23), Roe (23) Naytron(24), Shyguy (26), Nasty Ray (22)
• Dance style: locking, popping, bboy, Boogaloo, robot, hiphop, house, crumping
• Why they're auditioning: Jardy and Naytron's deceased sister is their inspiration
• Favorite crew from previous seasons: Fanny Pack, Super Cr3w, JabbaWockeeZ
• What they'd do if they won the $100,000: Open a dance studio invest, give it to family. And, Vu wants to be on the World Series of Poker!
• Quote: "Life is too short not to follow your dreams."

JabbaWockeeZ -- problems at the Canadian border

Canada.com reviewed the dance show in Vancouver that featured JabbaWockeeZ. They report that the show started late because the crew were delayed crossing from the U.S. border into Canada. Man, those Canadian passport control guys are tough...or maybe they just didn't recognize the JabbaWockeeZ without their masks. Read the article here.

And watch their performance on Lyme1's channel. Here's the first of Lyme1's videos of the JabbaWockeez:

DJ Virman Recaps his ABDC Live Tour -- and get ready for an exclusive Podcast!

DJ Virman has recuperated from the America's Best Dance Crew Live Tour, and lives to blog the tale. Click here to read his recap (including a mysterious message about it resembling Real World!) and view his extensive photo album.

We'll be taping a blogcast with him next week to hear more about his experiences on the tour. Have some questions for him? If so, post them here or email them to us. And tune in next week.

Exclusive Interview with Randy Jackson

Blogging America's Best Dance Crew field reporters Brooke and Rebecca spoke with ABDC Executive Producer Randy Jackson at the L.A. auditions. Here's his take on the show and Season 3.

How will Season 3 differ from previous seasons?
"I'm not going to give away all the surprises. I can tell you that there will be more guest stars and more crew interactions."

What inspired you to start a hip hop dance competition?
"I wanted to bring the culture of dance crews off the streets. They have a lot of passion. This type of dancing has been around many many years down south, in Louisiana. The kids would create the crews in the street and have dance offs, like in "West Side Story" and "Footloose." I wanted to give them support."

Click here to read the rest of the interview, including Randy's role in picking the nine crews for Season 3, how he balances Idol and ABDC, and his other projects.

Red Bull BC One - Congratulations, Wing!

At the Red Bull BC One competition this week, Wing (from Korea) was crowned champion in a tight finals match against Japan's Taisuke.

Watch the finals here. Day-um. We either need a World's Best Dance Crew show, or an B-Boy event at the Olympics. Or both.

Win Tickets to JabbaWockeeZ in Winnipeg

Access Winnipeg and Sound Republic are giving away tickets for the November 11 JabbawockeeZ show. To enter, you must do ALL three of the following to enter:
- Add AxsWpg as a friend on Facebook
- Join the AccessWinnipeg.com facebook group
- Set your facebook status to “Win Jabbawockeez tickets @ http://www.AccessWinnipeg.com” (example: NancyT Win Jabbawockeez tickets@http://www.AccessWinnipeg.com)

They will randomly choose a winner on Monday November 10 at 5pm. Click here for the full details.

The Lost Kids at World of Dance and their studio -- waddya think?

The comments section has been burning up with love for the Lost Kids. I'm still trying to see if anyone taped their auditions, but here are two clips for your enjoyment and personal judgement. Do they stand out from all the other talented crews? Do they have that certain unique something that will stand up to the rigors of the America's Best Dance Crew schedule?

First -- here's their performance (and Supreme Soul) at World of Dance on September 27, 2008.

And here's a studio performance, from their Myspace page:

Update: I just got an email from the Lost Kids: "This is Kyle Hanagami from The Lost Kids! I just checked out your page and thanks so much for your support. It's so weird hearing you say we have a fanbase because World of Dance was our first and only performance we've ever done haha. But we really appreciate your kind words none-the-less. It really does mean a lot.Unfortunately the San Francisco auditions were really small so there weren't many people there: meaning no media coverage. I'll let you know if we put any new stuff up though. If you have any questions for or about our team please let me know and I'd be happy to answer them.

Thank you again!and GET LOST!"
=DKyle HanagamiThe Lost Kids oh yeah!
btw the second video you put up is just a class I taught, so they had just learned it and is by no means a performance. hahaha. just fyi. thanks again!

Mailbox: Super Cr3w at Red Bull, JBWKZ, Layla's Halloween,upcoming performances!

• Super Cr3w's Ronnie didn't repeat his win at yesterday's Red Bull BC One, but was eliminated in the first round against tough competition. Still, he was amazing as ever. Please feel free to share your Ronnie love here.
• I know Halloween was last week, but we HAD to share this shot of Layla Kayleigh as the tooth fairy. We have no idea who Elvis is, but he looks happy.
• Speaking of costumes: the JBWKZClothing channel is up, so you can see the latest Jabba shirts and find where they're available.
• Kaba Modern will perform in Saipan on November 9. Click here for details.
  
• Boogie Bots and Live in Color will perform at Ohio State on November 13. Click here for details.

Super Cr3w in Hawaii

Leizjodi taped the Super Cr3w and Supreme Soul show in Hawaii on November 1. If they were any closer, they would have had to join the crew! While you're at it, check out the Super Cr3w and friends channel -- it's a treasure trove for the SC3 fan.

More Favorite crews from ABDC 3 LA Auditions: JPD

Field reporters Brooke and Rebecca covered the Los Angeles auditions for America's Best Dance Crew Season 3. They reported back on some of their favorite crews from the day. Here's our disclaimer (get used to it, you'll see it a lot): They watched about 4 hours of auditions, so they didn't get a chance to see all of the crews. In addition, they (and BABDC) have no inside information or control over judges' opinions.

The crew de jour: JPD (Just Plain Dance). They are nowhere near traditional B-boy. But, they have creative moves and technical expertise. If ABDC is looking for some 'different' talent, they might just tap JPD for the show. But -- could they win, given the fan base's love for B-boy groups?

• Just Plain Dance is the name of their dance studio
• Members: Ashley, Devin, Melissa, Ania, Mike. All are 18 years old
• Performed as a group for three years
• Dance Styles: contemporary, 'contemp-pop', lyrical, jazz
• Favorite ABDC Crews: Fanny Pak, Kaba Modern
• What's special about them: big use of props. In the past, they've used pirate ships, a five-foot helium balloon, a glass box, a mattress, and a door. In their auditions, they used an electric plug and a cord attached to a cell phone
• What they'd do with $100,000: pay for college

Wednesday's SoReal! -- SoReal Cru's Dance Workshop

SoReal Cru hosted a dance workshop in Oxnard, California this weekend where over 100 kids showed up. Kickinitwithkelsey kicks it with the Cru and lives (and loves) to film and represent it. We love you, Kelsey!

Wednesday's SoReal! -- Best in the West Performance and Interviews

SoReal Cru were the headline group for Kasiyahan's 10th Anniversary Best In The West Show this past weekend. Pacific Rim (reporting for Red Carpet Events) captured it ALL. Here's the performance:


Click here to watch SoReal Cru's curtain call and the post-show interview with Ailyn, Mark, and both Brians.

Status Quo News -- My Super Sweet 16!

BlogTalkRadio.com reports on Status Quo, which has been an active supporter of the HipHop and Books Literacy Program. "These guys are driven by what they love to do," says Cyrus Webb, President of Conversations Book Club and the Founder of the Hiphop and Books Literacy Project (http://www.hiphopandbooks.com). Status Quo joined the organization not long after it was founded in early 2008. Check out the report and photos.

Biggest scoop: On November 2, Status Quo traveled to Atlanta for a taping of MTV's My Super Sweet 16. They were special red carpet guests for the birthday girl and performed at the party. The airing of the show has not been released.

ABDC Dance-off -- the Election Special Edition

Minimovie.com prepared this video to help you last minute undecided voters.

Video Interview -- Fanny Pak's Tiffani and Phil

Pacific Rim Video attended SoReal Cru's performance at Kasiyahan's 10th Annual Best in the West Show. To the delight of the audience, the crew was introduced by none other than Tiffani and Phil from Fanny Pak. After the show, Pacific Rim talked to Tiffani and Phil about the tour (including a funny glitch during the Rhythm Nation routine), life after the tour, and the thrill of meeting the Pussy Cat Dolls and Dannity Kane and at the VMAs.

Profile of another ABDC Season 3 Contender: Perplex Cru

Seattle PI details why Perplex Cru has a good shot at getting onto Season 3: they'd be the first all-male Latino group, the first crew with twins, and they've got the moves. Click here to read the story and watch the crew interviews. Here's their audition. Do you think they should make it to the show?

BakitWhy Chillin Backstage at ABDC Live

Our friends at Bakitwhy interviewed JabbaWockeez, Super Cr3w, Fanny Pak, ASIID, and Break Sk8 backstage when ABDC tour hit Los Angeles. They talked about what it was like to be on tour, the best moments on tour, and advice to crews. No scoops here, but it is a blast watching the crews chill together.

Halloween with America's Best Dance Crew - The Celebrity Edition

What do you think these costume choices say about the America's Best Dance Crew personalities? First, is JC Chasez out of this world, or just showing some NYSNC rivalry?

Click here to listen to Randy Jackson talk about his favorite Halloween costume and party:

And click here to see Mario Lopez reveal his alter ego. Not so alter, Mario!

JabbaWockeeZ Trick-or-treater Murdered -- The Horrible Story

Our sympathies go out to the family of 12-year old Tony Darrisaw of Sumter, SC. On Friday, he was killed while trick-or-treating as a 'dead' JabbaWockeeZ, complete with white mask. But, he knocked on the wrong door. Seeing masked people outside, the resident (who had a long arrest and conviction record) thought he was going to be robbed and attacked. He opened fire with an assault rifle through his closed front door, killing Tony and wounding other family members. Read the full story here.

We've looked for but haven't found details on how to send condolences or donations to the family. If you have this information, please email us.

More JabbaWockeeZ Canada Tour dates

JabbaWockeeZ has more dates in Canada. Note:ALL of these events are open to all ages -- we checked!

• November 7: Edmonton Event Center. Buy your Ticketmaster ticket here.
• November 8: University of Calgary. Details available here.
• November 9: The Odeon in Saskatoon. Tickets available at the Odeon and Twenty Twelve Clothing. WIRED Radio is also giving away tickets
  
• November 11: Centennial Concert Hall in Winnipeg. Buy your Ticketmaster tickets here.

From the NY Auditions -- Las Vegas' The Zoo

Because I arrived a little late to the the ABDC Season 3 auditions in NY, I missed watching The Zoo. It's not technically a NY group since it's made up of members of Knucklehead Zoo of Las Vegas, who were performing on Broadway in Rewind. Luckily, Poptimal caught the performance. And, I hope we'll all be seeing a lot more of The Zoo.

This Wednesday: Live Broadcast of Red Bull BC One -- Super Cr3w's Ronnie defends title!

On November 5 at 3pm ET, you can watch Red Bull BC One Competition live on your computer. As we reported earlier, this is THE foremost one-on-one b-boy competition in the world. Ronnie from Super Cr3w will be defending his win in last year's competition.

You can watch the show live on RedBullBCONE.com and on MTV Remote Control. Here's a preview: