Field Agent report: Ninjaboi's meeting with Quest at DisneyWorld's Grad Nites

Here's the rest of the field report from Ninjaboi:

Agent Field Summary:
      Arriving at Disney approximately at 2100 EST, we actually entered the park at 2200.  Thanks to prior arrangements with Agents N and J, the Field Agent was scheduled to meet with Quest Crew by the Rocket Plaza stage in Tomorrowland before their 2245 performance at approximately 2215.  However, thanks to strict regulations by the Walt Disney World Corporation, gaining access to Quest Crew, who were backstage in a secluded area, was made difficult and postponed.  Finally, at about 2235, the Field Agent was able to enter with 3 associates backstage.  Due to the limited time now available for an interview, the Field Agent was only able to acquire about 2 minutes worth of interview, in low-light settings, before being escorted out to the Rocket Plaza stage.

      Present members of Quest Crew included Steve Terada, Hok Konishi, Brian Hirano, Victor Kim, Ryan Confierdo, Aris Paracuelles, and D-Trix Sandoval.  Ryan Feng was not present, likely due to his recovering foot injury.  Most members were dressed in Marvel Character t-shirts. The Field Agent was able to acquire a performance at the Rocket Plaza stage, albeit slightly blocked by Disney’s cameraman.  The performance was of various freestyles, with many signature moves. 

      The Field Agent was not able to watch and record the choreographed routine at Castle Stage at 2330 and 0115, due to being on the opposite side of the park at that time and in line for another ride.  However, reports from classmates who did watch the performance and various youtube videos, it appears to have been a combination of their ABDC performance set and their Samsung tour set.  Apparently their schedule for the night was to circulate between about 4 smaller stages in addition to the Main Stage, leaving little time between performances for interviews or meet and greet opportunities.  
 
Observations:
-The Field Agent can now sympathize with Agents Chris and Glenda when they say that they were “literally kicked out” of the ABDC crew garage when trying to get interviews.  There is just so much to ask and say and do with the crews, but so little time.
-Quest Crew is much shorter in real life than on TV
-Rather than the traditional Disney song track for the park, many contemporary songs were played; Many of these were songs used in challenges
-Whenever “You’re a jerk” came on, random “jerking battles” spontaneously erupted, which the Field Agent found amusing.  The dancing at the various dance floors was, in the same thread, much of what you would find at a high school dance rather than the freestyling seen on the show, with a few exceptions. 

Results:
-Interview Video 
-Freestyle Video at Rocket Plaza stage 
-Castle Stage performance acquired from Youtube 
 
Successes:
Met Quest Crew, got Interview video, got Performance video (freestyle) 

Failures:
Did not get reader shoutouts, autographs, or pictures 

Overall appraisal:
      The agent self-recommends a “B-” grade, for actually meeting Quest Crew and getting a video, but with penalties for forgetting to take a picture and for missing the Castle Stage performance, as well as the shoutouts.  However, the overall experience of actually meeting Quest Crew, and having fun at Magic Kingdom at night nets Disney Grad Nite 2010 a solid A+.  Anyone who is going to go to Grad Nite on the 30th or 1st should bring a camera as well to try and capture Season 3 runner ups Beat Freaks performing.  

End Field Report.

Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. I give the field report an A!

Videos: World of Dance Dallas Performances by Static Noyze, Ghost Crew, Illovation

From Airjsen23 Youtube Channel, here are more performance videos from World of Dance Dallas:
Static Noyze 6 (the group that appeared on America's Best Dance Crew Season 5)

Ghost Crew, also from ABDC Season 5:

Here's Illovation's performance that won the WOD Dallas Competition:

Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments.

Ninjaboi's Review of ABDC5 (aka Seasoned Fries) & Key Success Factors for ABDC Champions

Here's the rest of Ninjaboi's review:
Speaking of the Champ’s challenge, Let me go into that a bit more, barring numbers, and in somewhat general terms (It’s late, bear with me). 

-Opening: Pretty clear theme.  I mean, these guys are the royalty overall.  It was sort of like an extended segment of when Mario calls out all the crews in the first and last episode and they give a sneak peek of their moves.  Plus they had midgets.  In my opinion the best of the night, particularly Quest’s solo with the double over and under and Ryan’s Matrix moment.

-Poreotix: A novelty kid’s song to help a kid’s charity.  Perfect, even more “how do you choreograph to that” than Love Story.  May not have been the best of the night, or their personal best. But consider that they were the only crew who have been competing for the past 3 months, and they worked on 9 routines in 4 weeks (Top 4 collab+Magic+Hip Hop Nation+Tetriotix+West Collab+Drumline+Victory+Champs Collab+Chipmunks).  Classic Poreotix humor through and through.

-We Are Heroes: To be honest, I thought they were in comic book covers rather than toy boxes.  But again, they matched their theme of helping children. Not particularly to my taste personally, but I admit it was dope dancing.  Mami’s hair explosion was a bit weird, but the tutting was dope.

-Quest: Film opening for a Film project.  We’ve seen most of these moves before if you’ve been paying attention, but as I’ve said before, recycling stuff isn’t a sin.  Heck, we finally were able to see Ryan’s special stage-crossing technique!  Props to Aris for bringing it hard on his first time on that stage.  And the music really showed their diversity for musicality.

-Supercr3w: As Lil Mama said, they killed it.  But Jalen stole the show.  How the heck he’s able to do it that well, I don’t know.  But hopefully he’ll come back in future years with other kids his age, like Lil Demon. 

-Jabbawockeez: The original ABDC champ.  Anyone notice their 7th member?  Anyway, tbh it started off a bit slow, but those robotics… I swear they’re escaped animatronics from Disney or something.  They showed us why they won first season and have had continued success ever since. 

-Cypher: MTV, if you’re reading this, please please please post up the full cypher battle.  Be they crews or individuals, this is some of the best dancing we’ll ever see.
*********************************
So we saw all these crews, and were reminded why they are amazing.  But why did they win in the first place?  They are by no means the only great crews to ever have stepped on this stage. Kaba Modern, So Real Cru, Fanny Pak, Beat Freaks, Strikers All Stars Massive Monkees, Rhythm City, Blueprint, Hype 5-0, Jungle Boogie, Static Noyze, and many others will all go down in ABDC history as amazing crews.  But what set Jabbawockeez, Supercr3w, Quest, We Are Heroes, and Poreotix apart from the others, that gave them that edge to win?  (By the way – I never was much of a Season 2 fan, so if any Supercr3w/Fanny/SRC fans get mad because I don’t talk about their crews as much… sorry. )

1.All these dancers have a minimum level of competence in dancing that can only come from years and years of experience.  There are no shortcuts – most of these people have been dancing since college by the latest, some (like Jalen), since before that.  Only that hard work will even get you on the stage. The production crew does a good job of screening the talent that is there and that needs more time to develop.  This dancing talent is both at an individual and group level: you cannot have one dancer carrying 6 other people by his merit alone. 

2. Most crews tend to have the majority of their members masters in a single style.  Jabba = Beat Kune Do, Quest and Supercr3w both have a plurality of bboys, WAH and Poreotix with tutting. This familiarity with a specific singular style allows them all to fall back to common moves when choreographing, and brings a sense of unity to their performances so it’s not like they’re fighting each other for the spotlight.  Crews that tended to be more eclectic in their mastery would split their performance time and effort trying to showcase all their ability, which could often lead to substandard results. 

3. That being said, these crews can’t be specialists in one style.  Past crews that tried to bring their one thing each week soon got old and went home.  While mastery of ALL STYLES is not a mandatory requirement, at least a working familiarity with the basic style can add flavor and diversity each week. 

4. This is a bit of a repetition, but showcasing a single style won’t work.  Be it bucking, or bonebreaking, we don’t wan to see a museum exhibit on one dance style.  Even in the multiple-styles challenges, winning crews integrated their own style into it, showing the challenge for a bit, and showing that they knew it well, before showing us something not in the challenge.

5. Ability to learn is also important. JC is a good barometer for which crew is going to win – he always picks on the crew a bit for one issue.  Other crews got blasted, too, but only the champs really improved on their stuff to bring to the judges what they needed to see. Even better, when crews realize that they need to change something on their own because it’s not working, that must be acknowledged as well.

6. Winning crews in the past have been relatively humble.  By that, I mean while they came with a passion and a drive to win, they don’t look down on any other crew as truly inferior, giving props where they’re due.  This humility also helps as the weeks go on in preparing challenges: By never assuming that they will automatically be saved, the crews that are humble will keep on giving their best by expecting to be on the bottom, and bringing the heat each time.

7. Dancing is for entertaining, but it’s also for having fun.  When a crew doesn’t have fun, then the routine really can’t be called great. Likewise, a crew that has fun, but doesn’t show it, is just as bad as a crew that doesn’t have fun.  Crews that can be expressive and show that emotion behind the routine, be it anger or sadness or joy, will get the audience into the routine and have them “feel” it and support them.

8. A funny thing I’ve noticed is that all winning crews have some sort of icon to them.  Masks, S-hands, hair+salute, peace sign, sunglasses… It all lends to a crew being more memorable and gives them more options when being creative on how to spice up their routine.

9. In going with this idea of an identity, these crews never really compromised their character.  Sure they may have emulated a dance style, or had to put on a new side of themselves once in a while.  But they always reminded us somewhere that it was THIS CREW that we were watching, no matter how many moves they needed to copy. 

10. Teamwork and chemistry are obviously very important: Any crew that has shown problems working together never really made it far.  Most of these crews have been together for a long time, as in several years, and if not as a single crew, at least as professional acquaintances and collaborators or rivals in battling.  By being able to work together, they can bounce ideas off each other better than total strangers could, and bring out previous choreography without too much effort.

11. Another thing I’ve noticed is that while these crews do have drive, and occasionally shed a few tears of emotion, they are very down to earth and not above making fun of themselves or goofing around in practice.  Taking themselves too seriously has the effect of making their performances too serious, and removes that element of “fun” which is why we came to watch.  Be serious in their desire, but remember to laugh sincerely once in a while.

12. Connections.  This may be the reason why the West coast crews always win.  As the dancing community is very entrenched over there, with many major competitions and employers in the area, the dance scene allows these dancers to make contact with each other, and continually learn, and find out the secrets to success. Many dancers are part of many crews, and taking those experiences really supplement their existing skills.

13. I’ve said this before.  But crews really can’t survive with one person pulling the others up.  It must be a group effort.  When they highlight different individuals, you get a sense that they all deserve it, not just that one person who’s always in the limelight.

14. Athleticism is always a plus.  After all, who doesn’t like seeing a few good physical tricks here and there.  Plus it helps with endurance, and attempting some of the more difficult challenges given you.

15. All crews have amazing battle abilities.  Be it through sick moves, or the ability to make fun of your opponent and bring that mindset, or through individual skill, battling crews do have an edge over straight hip hop choreography crews.  Being able to get dirty and hardcore and let it go where it will and rally back is a trait that must not be overlooked.  This is why crews in the bottom 2 of the top 3 who are saved always win I think: They show at the very end that they can bring it when it matters and hold nothing back. 

16. Musicality and Timing tend to be highly favored. While formations and specific moves are impressive, how you take those, and meld them together so that it matches the music well and how you build up to those big moments.  Beyond routines, timing when to show a special trick hidden up your sleeve or to let it all out in the final performance is important as well.

17. Crews that can apply a concept, be it a story tied to the music or not, or some overlying theme, abstract or not, to a dance routine will add a new layer of depth to a routine that makes it more memorable.  It lends emotion to it, which we as an audience can feel.  Likewise, having a strong ending and opening also lend to that memorability, especially if it matches that concept or comes full circle or such.

18. Eye Candy. While you specifically may not think anyone on a certain crew looks fine, several other people do, and that lends to their…
-…Fanbase. All these crews came out strong on their first appearance.  First impressions last, sometimes the whole season, and can easily label a crew as “the one to beat,” making the fans less apt to switch votes.  Some may not like it, but then again, if it was purely by talent, we’d have Nappy Tabs, past show winners, and other choreographers on the judging panel and no voting. Being able to be presentable to the public and get a fanbase is just as important to a dance crew looking for fans as is their dance moves, by which they make and keep their fans. That non-dancing quality can be the clincher between two crews of equal talent (in different styles maybe), but where one comes off as impersonal to their audience.  Even if they do love their audience, but isn’t as obvious about it.

19. Perhaps the most important thing of all: The champs (and a few others) have transcended “dancer” status.  They are no longer dancers who are entertaining: they are entertainers who dance.  While anyone can learn steps and be creative and make a good set, it takes a certain type of performer to be able to take non-dance moves, and integrate them in your routine for that small effect with huge results.  It takes a certain type of performer to put on a total show through facial expressions, body placement, set concept, overall storytelling, and sheer technical ability.  Dancing is a form of self expression, but it is also a form of entertainment. That sacred bond between dancer and audience, where the audience spends their time watching in recognition of the dancer’s talent, must be validated by the dancer presenting a show suited and tailored to the audience in thanks for that recognition.  By never forgetting that they dance for their audience, these crews truly have become legendary.
****************************************
So there you have it. It may not be a comprehensive list, but it has what I think are some of the main points a crew must have before they even seriously consider themselves to be worthy to be called ABDC.  So ends another season, but don’t worry, I’ll stick around (when school permits me), and be back for Season 6!  Saying farewell to Seasoned Fries, it’s been swell. ~Ninjaboi

PS: Shoutouts to BABDC fam, and specifically to Isaac for getting WOD Pomona shoutouts!  Special love to my fellow Lawfacers and Herosmilers!

Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks again Ninjaboi for all your reviews all season long!

"4th ABDC Judge" renders his FInal Judgement on ABDC: Champions for Charity

Here is the detail on "The 4th ABDC Judge's" verdict on America's Best Dance Crew's Champions for Charity show: 
OPENING: It was so good to see every winner once again. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them (not including Poreotix). The theme was great, the kings and queens of ABDC. Let’s start with the crews' own sections:-Jabbawockeez, when I saw that this time there was 7 of you, I wondered if this would help or hurt you. It most definitely helped you. Your section was great. You were all in sync with each other. You played with the music because when it said, hands go up; you did your signature hand point up, respecting your fallen crew member. The cool thing with the 7 people now is that one guy can be in the center while the other can split up evenly to make it look clean, which you did. 
-Super Cr3w - you started just like I remember you, with tricks. You started with some flares and went into some back flips. Then two more went into back flips. Thankfully, you didn’t just focus on your big tricks. I did see some choreography which was good. 
-Quest Crew - you guys work so well together. You started with you guys moving together perfectly. You also used the entire stage by jumping off, also showing your high energy. I really liked the passing head spins; it was something I’ve never seen before. The best thing was when one of you was the base and one guy went over the base, another went over the guy who went over the base, and one went under the base. It reminded me of your week 1 performance which was one of my favorite performances by you. 
-We are Heroes - your popping style and teamwork never stops amazing me. You started by moving like a unit like your VMA week which I loved. You also showed your athletic style with the no-hand cartwheels. You also showed your feminine side with the booty shaking, something no other champion can do, and you ended with you moving in sync, something you ladies do well. 
-Poreotix - your tutting style is what got you here and I was pleased to see it once again. You played with your levels and I thought that was clean. You tutting section was very good; you showed us why you got here. When Poreotix got knighted, I thought that was very creative. When all of you danced together, it was very, well, together. The 3 people who were doing flares in the middle were good. I liked the ending when you sat in your seats doing your signature poses. This was maybe the best group performance in ABDC history.  
***********************
POREOTIX: Wow, tutting to the chipmunks, and I thought that it was good to tut to Taylor. This performance was very interesting since most people don’t dance to chipmunks but you did and it was very good. Your opening was clever with the tree and all. You tutted with the music well and when you had your arms around each other’s shoulders, it actually did remind me of the chipmunks. When the music started speeding up, that’s when things got real good. Your tutting was so clean.  You did show your humor with the shimmy. You even showed you were smooth with the body rolls. Your floor work was clean and I loved your hand tutting section and your head tutting section. Your ending was also humorous because it brought it back to the chipmunks with the acorns. Great performance Poreo!
Slo-Mo: When the was two lines of 3 and one person in each line was going a different way because it was a very precise formation and I loved it. Great job.
The charity: What Jackie does is amazing. To teach kids how to dance as an outlet for their problems is very moving. To keep kids away from violence, drugs, alcohol, etc. is very important because kids are the future and if our future leaders are doing bad things, well then the future will be bad as well. Jackie keep doing what your doing at Everybody dance now and I hope more kids sign up for it to.
**************
WE ARE HEROES: Your theme is very good for you. You guys are action figure heroes and that’s who you are, We Are Heroes.  When your broke out the box, your energy went bursting out as well. You all were in Sync with each other which is what I love about this crew. You also used your flexibility to your advantage because you got your legs high! You had your unit thing going on. Your double back hand flips were sick. Loved that. Also, after you did that crazy thing with Mimi’s hair, you went into a popping section which I liked. You showed power on that stage and it really shows. Good Job ladies.
Slo-mo: When you were all huddled up and started doing a hand tutting section. It was very clean and I really liked it. Good job.
The charity: Sarah really opened up her heart. Starting a cheer squad for kids with disabilities is really heart warming. She wants to show people that just cause you have a disability, doesn’t mean you can’t anything. The Sparkle effect is such a great cause and I love that they continue to do this. What ever Sarah does with the 10000 dollars, I know it will be something great. 
******************
QUEST CREW: Your old style performance was amazing. In the beginning, you started with robotic head spins which I thought were very interesting. Then, you did an old classic, the running man. It’s been so long since I’ve seen that, but it’s still good to this day. Like Omarion said, those air flares and then a coin drop was sick. Then that floor work. How you got across the floor, I don’t know what it was, but it worked for you. Your formations were very tight. My favorite being when you went into a box shape.  Your ending was also funny. How the Hok fell on top of the dude and their facial express said it all. The ending split was cool also. Overall, Quest crew brought it like they used to. Great Job.
Slo-mo: When the two dudes went through the 2 openings because the way you formed them was extraordinary. Great performance.
The Charity: While Jordan’s video is not a charity, it is just as important. He made the idea of staying in school into a cool presentation. He put his heart and soul into this and it definitely shows. It is so important to stay in school, get a quality education, and live a successful life. Enjoy the 10 Gs Jordan, maybe you’ll use it to make a sequel. 
***************
SUPER CR3W: Wow, this performance was amazing. Let’s get started with your intro. You all were in sync, while on your hands. Its one thing to stay in sync, but to do it on your hands, is just amazing. The back flip off the wall was cool too. Like I said before, you did do some choreography which is very important. A crew (or cr3w), can’t just rely on stunts, they NEED choreo. Then, you went into these hand scuttles and it was nice and fast. Your line formation with all of you doing windmills was like organized chaos and it was dope. Then there’s the back flip, off a back! Very nice. The hand stand poses were creative because they went with the camera noises. But then your secret weapon comes out, Jalen! This kid is insanely good! He is rocking those head spins on the wall and while he’s doing that, you guys go back to choreo which is great because you’re balancing stunts with choreo. Also, Jalen doing the flares, where did this kid learn those moves? He even did a back hand flip. The little kid can keep up with the big boys. Outstanding performance Super Cr3w and Jalen.
Slo-mo: When you flipped the two guys up from the ground, so they were standing. It went by fast so not a lot of people didn’t see it. It was good and I thought people would want to know about it. Great job!
The Charity: Marvelyn, your story truly touched me. I love what you do. Spreading the word about HIV is so important. I’m so proud of you because when you got HIV, you didn’t let it ruin your life, you used it to help people everywhere learn the true dangers of HIV and how they can prevent it. Please continue what you do Marvelyn because it helps out so many people.
********************
JABBAWOCKEEZ: It has been so long since I’ve seen you guys, but it’s totally worth the wait after seeing this performance. Let’s start with you amazing entrance. The giant mask coming from the sky was so Jabba. As JC said, your robot was you. You but your own style into it and it was so sick. Your Choreo was nice and you were all so together. Your line formation was great because it showed some great reveals. Then, the sickest part of your performance, the robot. Literally, you moved as one. It was a great way to end the episode. Amazing job JabbaWockeeZ.
Slo-mo: Your head spin. It was simple yes, but it was still good. I liked it and it reminded me about the back in time performance. Great Job!
The Charity: Josh, your website is so important. It really moved me that you show people that even without an arm or a leg, you can still do everything people with 4 limps do. IT boost up their morals and It’s so moving. Josh, keep doing what you do because it’s so helpful to so many amputees. 
*************************
Final Comments: Okay, THIS is last my last review for the season. I loved writing these reviews and really loved reading what people have to say, some good, some bad, all were made me happy to write reviews.  Don’t worry, I’m not leaving BABDC. In fact, I’m in the middle of making two contests, so make sure you participate. Later!
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks again for your reviews for Season 5 "The 4th ABDC Judge"!

Videos: Main Event 2 winners: Capital Funk, Static Noyze, Rhythmology

Here are the performances by the Static Noyze (2nd Place) and Rhythmology (Third Place). On my Youtube page, I also have performances by E.P.I.C. Motion and Ridonkulous.


Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments.

Survey: Best performances for ABDC Season 5

Please vote for UP TO 10 performances. And click here to return to the first page and to leave comments.

poll by twiigs.com

Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments.

Competition results (with videos) for World of Dance Pomona

Here's second place finisher at World of Dance Pomona -- Sexy Boy Special (aka Choreo Cookies):

Third place finishers: Academy of Villains (Second generation team for Supreme Soul)

All videos from Strife TV Youtube Channel.
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments.

Exclusive Video: Rhythm City performance at The Main Event 2 - Part II

Here is the second part of Rhythm City's exhibition performance at the Main Event 2.

Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments.

ABDC March Madness -- Round by Round results

Here are the results for all rounds of our ABDC March/April Madness contest to find the best quote from an Americas Best Dance Crew Judge. The winners are marked with asterisks and are in italics.
ROUND ONE:
Lil Mama:
"Y'all put so much choreography into this piece that I actually had to try & pay attention to y'all"
*"She held her legs apart -- so classy!" (to Static Noyze)

*Ten-ten-ten shabaam!
You always cease to amaze me!

Y'all was swaggerific!
*Make sure you put that extra stab in the heart of the chicken, ya know what I mean (to SoReal Cru)

*Obama actually watches the show, him and his daughters! HELLO OBAMAAA!
Saltare keeping it Gangsta!

Shane Sparks:
I can't believe they let us do this on TV!
*Can I get a slo-mo of the girls shaking their butts? Yeah, that's it.

Ya'll SMASHED it!
*I don't know if I can say this on TV...but ya'll just s*** on EVERYBODY!

JC Chasez:
Thinking about a woman stretching is every man's fantasy (to SassX7)
*Crispy iso's

*Uh, you know...I..we we we...that's...I mean...uh..thank you (to Vogue Evolution)
You guys made humpty towers! (to Super Cr3w)

The meat is IN the sandwich (to Xtreme Motion)
*The walking the dog part, I wanted to be on the floor.Like yeah, take me for a walk! (to ASIID)

*Tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik (to Poreotix)
You had a lot of dudes in your dress. Actually that's a little weird (to Hype 5-0)

Omarion:
I'm a man and I know what it means for ladies to fight over me
*Somebody's ass is going to be on fire!

*People might think you just go and eat (to Heavy Impact)
All I gotta say is booty booty booty rockin everywhere

ROUND 2
Lil Mama:
*She held her legs apart -- so classy! (to Static Noyze)
Obama actually watches the show, him and his daughters! HELLO OBAMAA!

*Make sure you put that extra stab in the heart of the chicken, ya know what I mean (to SoReal Cru)
Ten-ten-ten Shabaam!

Shane Sparks:
*I don't know if I can say this on TV...but ya'll just s*** on EVERYBODY!
Can I get a slo-mo of the girls shaking their butts? Yeah, that's it.

JC Chasez:
*The walking the dog part, I wanted to be on the floor.Like yeah, take me for a walk! (to ASIID)
Crispy isos

*Tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik (to Poreotix)
Uh, you know...I..we we we...that's...I mean...uh..thank you (to Vogue Evolution)

Omarion:
*People might think you just go and eat (to Heavy Impact)
Somebody's ass is going to be on fire!

ROUND 3:(to choose the best quote for Lil Mama and JC Chasez):
Lil Mama:
*She held her legs apart -- so classy (to Static Noyze)
Make sure you put that extra stab in the heart of the chicken, ya know what I mean (to SoReal Cru)

JC Chasez:
*Tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik (to Poreotix)
The walking the dog part, I wanted to be on the floor.Like yeah, take me for a walk! (to ASIID)

ROUND 4: Semi-finals
*JC Chasez: "Tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik"
Omarion: "People might think you just go and eat" (to Heavy Impact)

*Shane Sparks: "I don't know if I can say this on TV...but ya'll just s*** on EVERYBODY!"
Lil Mama: "She held her legs apart -- so classy" (to Static Noyze)

ROUND 5 - FINALS!
Shane Sparks: "I don't know if I can say this on TV...but ya'll just s*** on EVERYBODY!"
*JC Chasez: "Tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik tik"

Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. 

Report and videos from the Main Event Workshops

Here's the rest of Melissa's report on the Main Event workshops:

Next up was Gloryzen from Funkanometry SF. She was the “mystery choreographer” that nobody knew of till the day of registration. Her style was completely different; much more sexy! It’s a shame I didn’t have a chance to video tape it!

Cara was next. She may be short but she was extremely powerful. Her routine was very intricate and complex. It was definitely a master’s class so I personally give mad kudos to those who were able to land each point. We tried persuading her to give us a solo, but she refused. Instead, she danced the routine with some of the top dancers in our class who were able to learn the routine.

And finally, Mike Song came. Even though he was last and most people have been dancing for 3 hrs straight already, there was still a lot of excitement in the room. Mike started the class by teaching us tutting roots as well as some of the first tutting moves he learned. (If you’re curious as to what’s the first tut he learned just bend your elbows and hands to match these pictures: 

POSITION 1:

POSITION 2:   

Mike then jumped into the routine. He was probably the most chill out of all of the teachers; he cracked jokes left and right and kept trying to keep the energy and mood of the room up. At the end of the class, we cheered on Mike to give us a solo and before he agreed, all 50 of us dashed to the front of the room for a view of Mike’s performance.

Overall, it was a great day of learning and fun! Everyone was really respectful no matter what level you were at and encouraging. You don't truly get to appreciate everything on ABDC till you take a class and try dancing to what they do. I drove 5 hrs to be able to attend this workshop, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. =D

Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks Melissa!

"The 4th ABDC Judge" renders judgement on ABDC's Finale

Here's the rest of the review of America's Best Dance Crew's Finale from "The 4th ABDC Judge":

East Coast: I liked your opening because it looked like the East Coast was a tight unit. The wave was also clean. Another thing I found cool was when the Blueprint boys were doing that arm section, going through the hands with different aspects. When the jump ropes came out, people started tripping up. But I don’t care. It’s the finals and you’re here to have fun and I know each one of you had a great time. Static Noyze, your section kinda reminded me of your regional performance. The leg lift reminded me of the guns in your battle. I also hope Enrique is okay because I didn’t see him. Blueprint, I liked how the ladies were jumping rope with the guys from Saltare. That’s easy for Saltare, not so much Blueprint. Your section was precise, just like you guys. Saltare, bring the ropes back, but tripping up made it short. I wish I could have seen more. Overall, this performance was good. As they say “East is Beast”.

South Side: I loved your song choice, fast song is perfect for this region. Your opening was just going into separate groups, so let’s start there. Swagger Crew, Your swaggerness was definitely there and I missed it. Then, every one ripped their shirt off, going with the song. Royal Flush, your big tricks came back. The back flip off the guy was dope. Also, the part after the flip reminded me of your regional battle which I loved. Jungle Boogie, definitely saw your exploding high energy. I loved your cranking and glad that you brought it back. Overall, this high energy performance was good. As they say “Dirty South representing”. 

Top 2: This was just like Jabba and Status’s top 2 performances. But I think I liked this one better. Loved the beginning because it was showing us the leaders fighting against each other. Then you got into stepping and I thought it was great. Poreotix’s stepping was good and smooth, while Blueprint was fast and high energized. The flip was cool too. Not too much to say about this performance, but I liked it. Not my favorite top 2 performance, but it was good.

Final Comments: I just want to thank every one of you. The people who have read my reviews and commented about liking them. That always made me happy. I want to thank the people who have defended me when haters were hating on me. It showed that people really do like my reviews. I also want to thank the haters. You’re not a good review if you don’t get some boos. Just like judges. I will definitely be back for season 6 because I know that people will read. So thank you all so much. Finally, comment if you do want me to review the charity for champs. Actually, one more thing. I especially want to thank Nancy for letting me do this. For giving me this chance to let my voice to be heard. Thanks to every single person and who knows, I might be in contest, or I might create contest of my own. Peace BABDCers. 

Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks again "The 4th ABDC Judge"!

Ninjaboi's Review of ABDC5's Hip Hop Nationa/Last Chance Challenge show

Oh, and a reminder for my grading scale:
Choreography: Togetherness, Intricacy, Creativeness, Execution
Wow: Moments that stand out and help define the routine. Be it athletic,
Showmanship: Stage Presence, Formations, Transitions, Expressions, Storytelling (optional), Energy, Use of stage, Highlighting individuals, Recovery, Beginning, Ending, Musicality
Challenge: Completing the challenge, as well as injecting their own style in it.
Improvement: For this episode, there should be nothing held back.  We should get the feeling that they’re pulling out their best tricks that they’ve kept hidden.  They should remind us who they are, while still showing growth

This week, some individuals have asked me to not penalize Poreotix for my bias, saying that I’ve more or less worked that out over the season.  See if you agree.
********************** 
CHALLENGE - HIP HOP NATION. Must successfully showcase the three dance styles presented them, Turfin, Baltimore House, and New Orleans Bounce.  Now, I won’t pretend to be an expert on these three styles.  But based on the clips of the video they learned from (I can’t access the one on Remote Control for some reason), and various youtube videos of these styles, I’ll do my best to judge how well they embodied these styles.  For the Turfin section, I want to see more gliding.  For the House section, I want to see the footwork and the arms.  For the Bounce, I want to see the Booty.  And I probably am missing something important here.

So for the first elimination, I was, as with everyone, very surprised. Maybe it’s the West coast vote split, or maybe it’s something else.  Idk.  But in any case, based on their last performance, Blueprint did deserve this spot.

BLUEPRINT
Choreo – 9 – When it came to doing their own stuff, it was dope as always. It’s the overall performance lacking a certain X-factor that was what made this performance a bit disappointing.  Not much to say.  Some haters may say that its always the same moves, but I disagree.  As always, together and intricate, with flashes of other styles aside the challenge.
Wow – 6 – There was a bit more here than in past weeks, which I appreciate.  Bboy Hero did his thing again here, with his babies and the cash register midair freeze.  I liked the DK style barrel roll transition, and the Hand weaving section was pretty cool, probably my favorite part of the performance.  But overall though, there wasn’t that much that made this performance stick out in my head like Funhouse or That’s Not my Name did. 
Showmanship – 8 – Decent use of the stage.  Energy was a bit muted, but passable.  They didn’t seem awkward with anything at all up there actually, and the transitions and formations were pretty clever actually.  However, I think you didn’t really let many individuals shine as individuals, which can be a nice break sometimes.  There was the pirouette and the babies, but that was it.
Challenge – 7 – They completed their challenge for sure. But that was just it.  They didn’t kill the challenges, and inject something that made it so that we would know that Blueprint completed it, and not the generic crew in the opening sequence.  The housing at the first was pretty good, if brief.  Probably the best style they pulled off.  The turfing was a bit short, but still smooth.  The housing could have used a bit more booty, I think.
Improvement – 6 – It wasn’t a bad performance by any means.  They definitely didn’t pull a Beat Freaks, as many have been apt to claim.  But it seems as if someone had just turned down the intensity and fire that they usually bring.
Highlight: Without the video in front of me, the part that stands out the most was either the “swag” moment showing attitude, or the hand weaving, which was one of the best moments of the night in my opinion
Total: 36

POREOTIX
Choreo – 7 – Their own robotic style was a bit understated here, in favor for the theatrics.  I did see some tutting in there, though it was a bit hidden.  Technically dancing, they can pass, although outside their personal style others may shine more.
Wow – 8 – After a brief blip last week, they brought back out the power moves.  From Law’s flip over Dumbo straight to Jet Li’s elbow freezes, as well as the bboy stuff at the start of the house section, that was cool.  The jumping in the formations too was extra nice.
Showmanship – 9 – As always, this is probably their strongest point.  They moved around the stage well.  They brought a lot of energy.  The signs were a really simple touch, sorta like it was a museum piece or something.  The transitions between sections could have been a bit better but formations overall were pretty good.  They highlighted individuals with their bboy stuff and formations.  They played off of being female singers. They threw us the Westside W. And what I think was most important, they bowed at the end.  As Kid Bowser pointed out, that was a tribute back to their home group, Pac Modern, from their Fusion 2006 performance ending (click here to watch).  
Challenge – 8 – Pretty good.  My personal favorite part was the Bounce.  At the risk of sounding like Lil Mama, I’ll say it’s sort of like you were making fun of yourselves for having ABD (don’t worry guys, so do I), by the sheer amount of booty you were shaking in our faces.  The turfing was pretty good, smooth as it should be, though a bit understated as a whole.  The house part was good, and Jet Li’s mess up, while apparent once pointed out, didn’t take away from the set as a whole I think, although I am taking points away for that. Also, as stated before, the signs really helped those of us who aren’t as familiar with the styles of dance.  To be honest, it wasn’t until I saw this routine that I could match the dance style with the music (tried to do it without the songlist)
Improvement – 7 – One of their better performances, I think, if you’re looking for a more well-rounded crew.  They’ve shown us they can take varied forms of dance and do them well. And should they fall short, they’re good enough entertainers to be able to bluff through it.
Highlight: When the song said “Put your hands up,” they did, waving around someone doing bboy stuffs, hyping him, and the audience, up, getting ready for transitions.  It was another small thing, but shows their attention to the musicality, along with various lip synchings and stuff.
Total: 39

HYPE 5-0
Choreo – 8 – Dope choreography.  Seriously, I will say that at times you all were so energetic that it started to look out of sync, which is why you didn’t get higher scores.  But it was creative and we could sense your passion through it.
Wow – 8 – In terms of actual specific moves, the really only memorable moments for me were the mansplits, the run in at the start, and the shoutouts.  But the biggest thing here was the entire attitude.  It was like they were shout out of a rail gun or something, with the energy they had.
Showmanship – 10 – Formations and transitions were a bit… too energetic I think?  To the point where one could call them almost sloppy.  But this minor issue pales in comparison to your opening with the Hype-run, and the whistle rope ending.  But the biggest thing that got them this perfect score was their attitude.  They prepared for their routine as if they were going to be going into battle, and that is the mindset of never assuming to be safe for a moment that is important.  As Arnel Calvario says, the call outs are part of hip-hop culture.  They show that you’re not afraid, but at the same time you respect the other crew enough to take away from your choreography to give them mention.  In the end, given that the other crews have said they enjoyed the shoutouts and respect them, there’s no issue of “disrespect” here.  They embodied that battle attitude to the fullest extent tonight, more so than any other crew that has ever been on this show. 
Challenge – 7 – I will say that I think you did complete most of the routines, and injected your own style in them, but the technical aspect of each challenge (the Booty, the footwork, and the smoothness) were more only inserted in there very briefly, before you went back to doing your own thing.  The Bounce section was taken up mostly by your opening, I think, and the turfing by the callouts.
Improvement – 9 – Back in form.  Thank you for that.  Showing us why we picked them for top 3 material in the first place at the start of the season.
Highlight: For me, def the whistle rope section right at the end.
Total: 42

Now, was this a good elimination?  Going with the mindset “You’re only as good as your last performance,” then no.  From the “more consistent crew of the season,” and the “completing the challenge,” then yes.  So in reality, it could have gone either way.  Even if these two were the better performances of the night.
****************************
 LAST CHANCE CHALLENGE:  I won’t judge this by the same numerical score.  I’m instead going to go with another ranking grade.

BLUEPRINT CRU - Come to Life
The concept in this is very cool.  It is, as I read someone write – their master plan coming to life.  It was pretty good too.  Their own personal precise choreography was off the charts as always.  Their energy was a bit subdued, I will say.  And I noticed that both windmills weren’t going at the same speed, likely due to a shoulder injury.  In terms of making memorable moments… aside from the Donkey Kong style barrel rolls (again), and the faster hand motions. I will say that the ending reminded me a lot of DraZtik’s ending, but a bit less fierce.  It is not Freak the Dream, though.  I have the feeling that if this routine had been given more time lengthwise, it would be really really really impressive.  Overall, good choreography, but then again, it’s not any *special* choreography.

POREOTIX - Tetriotix  
So, if you’ve done any research into these crews at all, at some point in time or another, you’ll have come across this famous “Tetris” routine.  I’ll talk more later if it’s appropriate to recycle choreography for this (short answer: no).  But suffice to say, this routine… was sort of a combination of a “greatest-hits full circle” routine, and a “thank you” to their fans.  The obvious Tetris theme was there (although it was weird watching it being done to different music – definitely prefer the original).  But there was also so many of their biggest moves thrown in there that gave them the fanbase to demand that they be on the show.  The chest-popping, the eyebrow wave, the stomach wave, the iso-octopus (my personal hook that got me to pay attention), the levels with the tutting, and the classic “broken robot” ending.  They even got their new shirts and flashed it in our face that they do “tik tik tiks.”  There is no bboying, and not much other types of choreography in here.  Because at the core, Poreotix was started as a popping robotics crew, from 3 guys in high school and a few of their friends.  Maybe it wasn’t as technically smooth as with other routines.  Others have done better tutting.  But for that nostalgic value, that deeper meaning, I really appreciated this.  And it was definitely memorable.

So who had the better one?  Both were good – I think this is the first season (aside from season 2 which I don’t count cuz of the weird format) that had both crews give decent/good last chance challenges, not one stellar one and one WTF one.  Just showing the strength of both crews.  In terms of making it memorable, Poreotix sticks out more simply because of the concept/theme/nostalgic value.  But in terms of the technique, Blueprint’s was a tad better, with better transitions too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So who should win?  
As Arnel Calvario says in his review, from a dancer’s point of view, Blueprint brings many more styles. Poreotix, however, brings the entertainment value that non-dancers can appreciate as well.
-Blueprint has a cumulative score of 290.1 adjusted, 288 unadjusted.  So the average is 289.05
-Poreotix has a cumulative score of 302 adjusted, 279.6 unadjusted.  So the average is 290.8
-Blueprint (289.05) vs Poreotix (290.8) – Pretty close, possibly too close to be statistically significant
-If you weight the scores so that earlier performances are not as important, Blueprint’s score is between 192.1 unadjusted, and 193.36 adjusted.  So 192.73 would be the average
-Poreotix’s weighted score is 188.11 adjusted, 201 unadjusted.  So 194.56 average
-Blueprint (192.74) vs Poreotix (194.56) – Pretty close again, though a bit more of a difference here, showing how Poreotix came out stronger in the last routine.
-For some non qualitative factors… Poreotix has the bigger fanbase by almost twice the amount going by this week’s youtube view count (Poreotix: HHN-22009+LCC-26075=48084) (Blueprint: HHN-7348+LCC-8444=15792).
-Blueprint has gained a lot of people's respect over the course of the season. Not sure if the less than stellar reviews will help this week though.
-From a business perspective, Blueprint would be a good choice because then ABDC is opening itself up for more international crews, coed crews, and non-west crews to a chance at winning the show, which we all would want.  On the other hand, as I’ve said before, Poreotix also brings that groupie fanbase that would go gaga for any merchandise/appearances.
- Hype 5-0 fans may or may not go for Poreotix. May if going by past seasons and the love between them onstage, May not if people get mad at the booing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What makes a great last chance challenge? (note – I don’t include Supercr3w or SRC’s A milli routine in here because I never was much of a Season 2 fan).This is the personal statement of who you are.  The last thing America will see before they vote.  So what can a crew do to make it last?

-As E-knock said, it's not just another set. It must have a concept to it. It doesn’t necessarily have to be something concrete – it could be abstract.  But something that all the more makes it so that it will stick in our mind.
-  One thing in common between all the winning routines is that they brought the audience to another world. As entertainers and artists, these dancers are supposed to make us forget where we are and show us a whole new side to things.  Jabbawockeez brought us into our imaginations, in a dreamy haze with “The Red Pill” (Matrix references ftw).  Quest brought us to the concert house. We Are Heroes… I will say that I seriously was thinking “Gotham” during their entire performance.
-One thing these routines DON’T NEED TO BE is completely brand new choreography.  Quest said that they had this concept and routine down from an earlier talent show.  We Are Heroes more or less put a new theme to an old “zombie routine” (click here to watch) . I’m pretty sure that if you look up Supercr3w battles with other crews, you’ll see the same bboy moves they used in their routine.  Even Jabbawockeez, according to Kid Bowser, redid Kevin Brewer’s choreography to Moloko’s The Time is Now.  So no, bringing back bad routines
- Must be memorable. After all, this is the last thing we’ll see from them for a week, and will be the thing many people base their votes on.  If you can come back after a few days and think “which performance do I remember more,” you’re going to vote for that performance.
-Perhaps the most important thing that this routine must have is “depth.”  A deeper meaning to it all.  More so than showing us what it means to be a Jabbawockee, these masked men were doing this as a tribute to their fallen member, Gary (hence the pointing up to the sky at the end).  almost as if it were an individual study, or museum piece.  Quest was showing us their view on performances – that it must be an overall show, as if you were going to see the orchestra perform.  We Are heroes… were telling us why they are heroes – they’re daring (the fire).
 
How do they rank overall?  Well, as I don’t judge LCC’s with a formal grading system, I’ll just give you my own personal ranking.
1)    OrQUESTra – the crew that tops this will be ABDC up to that point
2)    Red Pill – For the insanely deep meaning behind it, with the dream state and the tribute to Gary.
3)    Tetriotix – Haters may say I’m biased.  But for that nostalgic value, I appreciated this.
4)    Come to Life – Given time to develop, I think this could be really really good.  The concept is what I really love about it.  It’s the opposite of Ichiban – great dancing, but no memorable moment really.
5)    Ichiban – Ichiban: It was pretty good, but without the fire it would be nothing.  And last time I checked, fire breathing wasn’t dancing (looking at you people who said Saltare weren’t dancers.) It’s more of a routine with okay/good dancing but amazing memorable moments
6)    Freak the Dream – Looking back at it, it wasn’t that bad.  Just lacked in memorable moments, which is the most important thing here.
7)    Raices/ Jack in the Box – All over the place and sort of indescribable/ lost me
 ----------------------
Why is Quest’s Hip Hop Decathlon challenge so great?
To be frank, this performance (as well as OrQUESTra) have set the gold, if not the platinum, standard for any future performance on the show.  We all look toward the final episode in the hopes of finding a similar performance.  And we should be careful not to overhype anything to this level.  But what set it apart?  No other routine (with the possible exception of Jabba and Kaba’s Evolution of Dance performances) really come close to this. This is the only routine to which I would give a perfect 50.
-To be fair to all the other crews, there has never really been a crew like Quest that had individual members so expert at such a variety of dance styles – either most crews had members versed in similar styles, or crews with multiple styles may have gotten eliminated earlier on.  To have such experts in such styles and then have those styles as part of their challenge (coughHokcoughtuttingcough) was very fortunate.
-With this expertise comes something I really admired about this performance: it flowed.  Unlike Beat Freaks or Fly Khick’s routines, there wasn’t any dead moments that seemed like they were thinking, or awkward.  You got the idea that they knew exactly what they had to do, where they had to be on stage when… as if it were second nature to them and they had spontaneously came up with it, that they were born to do it.  When they don’t think about what steps they need to do or what to do, you don’t either, and are just taken away in the splendor of it all.  Had they slowed the pace down a touch, I don’t think it would be nearly as amazing.
-They were having fun up there.  While you knew they were serious and going hard core, you still got the sense that they were enjoying themselves up there.  As Omarion said earlier in the season – When a crew has fun on the stage, so does the audience.
-The held (almost) nothing back.  At the end of the night, you got the sense that they didn’t reserve anything or hide anything from us.  In fact, I’m pretty sure I saw some recycled moves during their routines in the final episode.
-They made it memorable. Some may dislike the use of tricks on stage to win votes *coughchoreopuristscough*.  But you have to admit that the athletic things they did, plus the non-athletic wow factor (the tutting, the bikini, the table and shirtlessness) made it the most memorable performance of the night, season, and possibly entire show.

The crew that matches, to say nothing of topping, this performance will be the next gold standard, and win that season, unless something funky with the politics happens.
*******************************
Other things
-Omarion’s quote “There will be haters - That’s what greatness is” is the quote of the season, I think.
-I personally wasn’t a fan of Swizz’s remixes for the LCCs.  But him coming out at the end with the crews was pretty cool.  I think Blueprint won the “dance off” with the first two song (esp with the ladies getting up close with Swizz), but Poreotix killed “I can transform ya”
-We’ve broken history people!  “Big Prop with people inside it” LCC will win for sure for once (SQ’s Jack in the Box, BF’s Radio, AB’s Drum).  Also, the top 2 crews in the bottom 4 being the top 2 of the season has also been broken.  Let’s see if Blueprint will keep breaking records here.
-MANIWALA YUNG HYPE!!! That was a Hawaiian flag they were holding people.  Big respect to this crew, from the opposite coast.  My picture this week is in honor of ya’ll (surfing ninja if you couldn’t tell.)
-My picture from magic week: my legs are hooked over a handrail.
-GO VOTE PEOPLE.

Tune in next week for my recap of the season, and a discussion on “ABDC: What it takes to be the top.”  Shoutouts to the BABDC fam as always.
-Ninjaboi.

Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks again Ninjaboi!

"The 4th ABDC Judge" renders judgement on ABDC's Hip Hop Nation and Last Chance Challenges

So let’s start with the Hip Hop Nation Challenge. Also, I didn’t give any advice or slo-mos because I can’t. Judges took my slo-mos and I can’t give them advice about their group performances.But before I begin remember this: I suck with dance terminology, so don’t make fun of me if I don’t get everything (or anything) right.

Blueprint Cru- I loved this performance, probably your best of the season. Let’s start with the Baltimore house. I think this was good for you. It looked very precise which is what your group feeds off of. Then, B-boy hero with his side headstand was pretty sick. When you actually did the Baltimore house, you guys moved as a unit, all of you doing the same thing and it was clean. Next you did turfing. This was my least favorite part of your routine. I thought it was kinda slow to start off with, but that’s the only reason why it was my least favorite. I liked the coin drops that B-boy hero did and loved your hand sections. Finally, you did New Orleans Bounce. You started that song with the Bounce right off the bat. I liked when you guys did that, I wish you did it later so I could be blown by it, but that’s just my opinion. The pirouette was a surprise to me and you do some floor work, it was nice. Great Job Blueprint!  

Poreotix: This was such a high energy performance from you guys. You started off with the flip and the elbow freeze and it was good and clean. Your turfin was smooth but you are from the West so it was a give away. You also brought your humor when He held up the sign and was like, “hey guys, come over here”. I think you did good with the New Orleans Bounce even with your ABD. You did many different styles with it and it was great to see the different styles of the Bounce. You also played sexy with the grinding. You also got into it because one of you played the female singer and I thought that was funny. When it came time to do Baltimore house, you guys were great at it. You kept up with the high energy with the floor work and the windmills. But when he was doing the windmills, I felt like the rest of you were waiting for him almost. But it was worth it when you killed the Baltimore house. Overall, great performance Poreo!

Hype 5-0: This is the Hype 5-0 I know and love. You guys did Fantastic! In the opening, you guys exploded with high Energy and I thought “I know this will be great” and it was. You started off with the New Orleans Bounce and I thought you killed it. This is a high energy dance and I thought you would do good at it. You executed the Bounce very well and I liked the turn you did, but that was only memorable part of that part. But when you got into the Baltimore house section, you brought me back. When it said “put that booty on the floor”, you really put it to the floor. You did it creatively and it was hot. When you executed the House, you did that creatively. Not all your crew members did that cause as the fellas did the house, the ladies was doing some floor work, giving us more to look at. That gave us levels and so did the guy going up on two people. Your turfin section was extremely creative. You did the Blueprint part and told us, “We’re going to smash Blueprint”. Also, when you made fun of Poreo, you told “We’re going to kick Poreotix off the stage”. You told us your plan which was good. But, that kinda took away from your turfin. I didn’t see as much as wanted to, but it was still good. When you used the prop, it was good and smooth. Excellent work Hype! 
***************
Now it’s time to talk about the last chance challenge.
Blueprint Cru: This is the definition of Blueprint, the perfect plan coming to life. You started with your crisp precise moves and showed off B-boy hero. But it turns out, he wasn’t the only B-boyer in the group. The flip was hot and your ending was so powerful. It showed us that you are blueprint and you are her to stay. 

Poreotix: The perfect thing for robots, a video game. I liked your beginning because it was symmetric. You also showed us some groovy robots and the stomach wiggle which I didn’t expect robots to do. You then brought it back to symmetry and ended it with a death in a video game. It told us that you were poppin and you are going to win this game.
 
Final Comments: So let’s recap on this season:

• Week 1, Swagger Crew didn’t have enough swag and was gone
• Week 2, Royal Flush lost the card game and had to evacuate the dance floor
• Week 4, Heavy Impact crashed through the floor and out the competition and Static Noyze had a bad signal and got out as well
• Week 5, Saltare didn’t get caught up in the ropes, but jumped out the competition
• Week 6, Jungle Boogie cranked their hearts out, but got puled out the competition
• Week 7, Hype 5-0 showed off their moves, but they were shown out the door

And now it comes down to this. Blueprint vs. Poreotix
- Will the West win again?
- Will a coed crew finally win?
- Will a non-US crew take the title?
- Will history be made, or will it be repeated?
It’s up to YOU!!!

Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks again "The 4th ABDC Judge"!

Review from the Pressbox - Chris Trondsen on ABDC5's Hip Hop Nation and Last Chance Challenges

 Here's the rest of Chris' review:

Each crew is given the same challenge that Mario announced last episode for their first performance.  This week was to do 3 different regional dances that are popular and based out of either the West, South, or East.  Hype 5-0 not only came up with choreography but also did two things in the performance to call out and put down the other two crews, taunting them.   The crowd reacted two different ways when they saw this crew call out the other two crews in their performance.  When this crew was being critiqued by the judges and it showed a slow mo of them calling out and dissin' the other two crews, some of the crowd cheered, and other's boo'd.  The fan's of Poreotix didn't like that their favorite was being made fun of and boo'd extra loud.   

Another thing you won't see on the show is that the two crews that were being called out actually came up to Hype backstage and told them that they loved the props they used when making fun of them.  It's all love.  These three crews really like each other and there were no hard feelings.

It was a hard decision based on the two crews that had a chance to be saved by the judges and take that last spot in the finale.

You see how each crew dealt with the pressure differently.  When they were both on stage, and the music came on, and Mario was about to announce who ended up this season in 3rd place and who was going to perform in the finale, Poreotix was laughing, waving to the crowd, and Hype 5-0 had serious faces on and looked straight forward with little expression on their faces.

Once the judges' decision was announced, Hype took it real hard.  They gave 110% and wanted this so bad.  There were tears and they took it the hardest I've ever seen a crew take it in the two seasons I've been covering the show.  They were crying backstage and just really down about it but a lot of people including the other two crews were giving them props for being so good and reminded them how far they came in this competition and all the reasons they should keep their heads up.

Hype was also very professional.  They had a choice to either head back to the hotel when they were announced as third place or they could stick around to do interviews.  They chose to stick around and were so nice to the press and gave everyone great interviews.  Although they took it hard, they still wanted to thank the fans and everyone supporting them.

Now it was time for the Last Chance Challenge.  There have been Last Chance Challenges that will forever stick in our minds in past seasons like Quest Crew's: OrQuestra and last year's We Are Heroes fire breathing: Ichiban. I will let the fans and viewer's decide if they felt that these two Last Chance Challenges stood up to the memorable Last Chance Challenges from the past.. 

The only thing I heard is that you could catch one of the final two crew's Last Chance Challenge on Youtube because they have done it before.  Was that a smart idea?  Some think it was and others think it wasn't and they should come up with something new. One thing to remember though, is this time they did it on a huge stage with the lights, props, backdrop, etc. 

After they performed, another thing you won't see is that the 2 top crews ended up having to re-perform every performance of the night over again.  Both their first one, as well as their Last Chance Challenge.  Not that they messed up but MTV wanted it perfect.  That is the reason they are so tired and sweaty in their after performance interviews with us press! Both crews were so tired when it was all over.  They didn't seem to be cheery and actually, Hype was the most uplifted.

Both Blueprint and Poreotix were tired after performing so much but just thankful to be in the finale.  Another thing the show won't show you is that outside, before the crews headed back to the hotel, some fans were on the lot near where the vans were that takes the crews back to the hotel, and the crews were all taking pictures, signing autographs, talking with their fans.  The final three crews love their fans and are so humble!

One thing to know about the remaining crews as well is that there were some injuries.  One is evident in the crew's final performance when there is some B-Boy moves with two of its members and one member is not as sharp as the other.  He has multiple injuries himself but both crews had members with injuries but instead of complaining, they all performed full out.

Another thing the two remaining crews told me is that they are close friend's and actually in the talks of performing with each other in the future.  There is no beef and that is started by the fans, and not the crews itself.  And both crews feel blessed to just be there but of course they also want to win.  So know that all of them will be performing together and hanging out in the future.  I have heard from MTV staffers that all the crews in Season 3 and this season were the closest.  Like an actual family.

So next week will be the big Season 5 finale!  We will see if America shocks us and go for the underdogs of the final 2 or if the show ends how many have thought all along.  Also, one thing to remember is that the crew that has always been saved by America's votes right off the bat during the final 3, has gone home.  Status Quo from season 1, So Real from Season 2, Beat Freaks from Season 3, and Afroborike from last season.  Will this happen again or will this be the year that it is different?
 
But I am VERY EXCITED to announce that Hype 5-0 will be performing at World Of Dance in Pomona on April 10th and there is a REAL good chance that they are going to perform their Last Chance Challenge for all their fan's to see!! They are just working out some things but they are 100% performing and there is a REAL good change it will be that final performance!  We will keep you posted!  And if you can't make it to WOD: Pomona, the footage of their performance will be on WorldOfDance.com soon after the show!

Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks again Chris! 

Chris Trondsen: more things on what you DON'T see on TV tonight!

• Another thing you won't see is that the 2 top crews ended up having to re-perform every performance of the night over again. Both their first one, as well as their Last Chance Challenge. Not that they messed up but MTV wanted it perfect. That is the reason they are so tired and sweaty in their after performance interviews with us press!

• One last thing you wont see on this week's episode that I want to share with you is this: Season one, after Status Quo and Jabawockeez were announced in the final two and performed their Last Chance Challenge, the crowd went crazy after feeling Kaba Modern was cheated and kept chanting to let Kaba perform. Well, the producers granted Kaba that request and Kaba got to perform that Last Chance Challenge for the crowd!! Well, this year some people in the crowd chanted for the 3rd place team to be able to perform what their final performance was going to be but unfortunately because the top 2 crews had to perform their performances again, there wasn't any time.

We will have more of Chris's review of ABDC's Hip Hop Nation and Last Chance Challenge tomorrow, including more revelations about what went on off-camera. 
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments.
Thanks again Chris!