ABDC6 Preview by Names are Overrated: What to expect from the crews

Here's the rest of the preview of the crews chosen for America's Best Dance Crew Season 6. Thanks, Names are Overrated!

------------------------------------------------

Eclectic Gentlemen-North Hollywood, California
Strengths-Eclectic Gentlemen is composed of dancers from LXD and Destined 2 Be. They have different choreographers each with their own unique style. This group is very clean and precise, no matter whose choreography they’re using, which shows their talent as dancers. Eclectic Gentlemen’s smooth moves and sophisticated attire could win over America’s vote.
What they need to do if they want to go far-Their choreography is simple compared to what we’ve seen in the past. If they could step it up a notch while still saying super clean, they could go far.

---------------------------------
FootworKINGz-Chicago, Illinois
Strengths-ABDC has seen footwork before, but not on this crew’s level. When they perform, they move at blazing fast speeds. Their energy is amazing and their footwork is probably among the best in the country. The FootworKINGz are very talented and exciting, and have done well on America’s Got Talent, showing that they have the ability to garner votes.
What they need to do if they want to go far-While their footwork is amazing; it could potentially get old very quickly. They need to show America that they are doing something different each week.

  --------------------------------------------------
IaMmE-Houston, Texas
Strengths-Assembled by the world famous duo of Pacman and Moon, this crew is the most hyped group going into the season. Each dancer in this crew has their own unique strengths that they contribute to the crew. IaMmE’s strong point is definitely their tutting which they present in creative formations, giving us great visuals with them.
What they need to do if they want to go far-Many viewers have sky high expectations for this crew. Live up to them, and they could be very successful on this show.

  -----------------------------------------------
ICONic Boyz-Englishtown, New Jersey
Strengths-Based out of ICON Dance Studio, these boys are a miniature version of ABDC 1’s ICONic.  These boys are all the brilliance of Geo Hubela wrapped up in fun sized packages. His choreography combined with the cute factor could propel them along in this competition.
What they need to do if they want to go far-They need to prove that they’re not just good for their age. They need to be good, period. Dance like adults and they could make it farther than ICONic did.

  ---------------------------------------------------------
Instant Noodles-Los Angeles, California
Strengths-The token bboy crew for this season is very different from the ones we’ve seen in the past. Instant Noodles is more performance oriented than traditional bboy crews and they focus more on musicality than power. They package their moves really well and are great at choreographing their breaking.
What they need to do if they want to go far-A lot of their performances have stopping and posing going on. While not necessarily bad since they’re done for musicality purposes, they need to be constantly moving in their 50 second ABDC routines.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JAG6ED-Crenshaw, California
Strengths-This season’s “gimmick” crew comes in the form of a group of contemporary pole dancers. Their pole dancing is very graceful. They give a lot of nice visuals in their choreography (I do not mean that sexually). When it comes to showcasing pole dancing as an art form, these girls do a great job of it.
What they need to do if they want to go far-If they’re trying to not be viewed as strippers, their sexy style won’t help. Not to mention, sexy crews never get much love from the viewers. They need to show another side of them if they want to make it far.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phunk Phenomenon-Boston, Massachusetts
Strengths-Phunk Phenomenon is a dominant presence on the East Coast dance scene. Their choreography hits hard. Phunk also has shown clever use of props in past performances. They also have a strong bboy in their crew named Bebo who can definitely create wow moments on his own.
What they need to do if they want to go far-This crew is a sleeper crew right now. They’re going to need to catch people’s attention with their performances on the show.

----------------------------------------------
ReQuest-Auckland, New Zealand
Strengths-These ladies from New Zealand are the reigning world hip hop dance champions. They are very strong dancers and are versatile. They’ve shown their fierceness, sharpness, sex appeal, and swag in their performances. They are very clean and are very diverse in styles.
What they need to do if they want to go far-We saw last season that Americans don’t like voting for international crews. ReQuest needs to show that they are consistently better than the American crews if they want votes.

-----------------------------------------------
Street Kingdom-Los Angeles, California
Strengths-We’ve seen attempts at krumping in past seasons of the show. This crew is here to show America how it’s done right. Being the founding crew of the krump style, they are the best at what they do. America is bound to fall in love with krumping once Tight Eyez and friends hit the stage.
What they need to do if they want to go far-There is going to be a lot of pop music this season. They need to find a way to krump to that.
NOTE: For this video: please watch starting at 1:48

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

Information and videos for 3 ABDC6 crews: Footwerkingz, Instant Noodles, JAG6ED

More on the crews that were chosen for America's Best Dance Crew Season 6:


JAG6ED was founded in 2009 with the mission to "break the negative image of pole dancing to reconstruct it as an art and fitness tool". Their website describes their style as sexy yet sophisticated. You can follow them at Jaggeddc.com. Twitter andJAGedUP09 Youtube.  Here's the promo for their full-length show called "The Encore".

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

Teldon's Rewatch Review: Season 5 Episode 12 - Champions for Charity -- THE END!

JabbaWockeeZ, Super Cr3w, Quest Crew, We Are Heroes, & Poreotix dancing to "All I do is Win"
What I thought- OK, I admit the theme was kinda hokey but come on they had midgets dressed as jesters!  I love that when each crew came out they gave their signature style, even if the line up changed (Quest) or a member was added (JabbaWockeeZ) or they stayed the same.  All five crews got equal stage time and they they all came together and and killed it.  Wonderful way to start the night.

Season 5 Champions, Poreotix dancing to "Witch Doctor" by Alvin and the Chipmunks    
Charity: Everybody Dance Now
What I thought- OK I am sorry but this was crap, Week Two crap when you are outside-your- comfort- zone-crap.  Don't give me that excuse that the charity was for children so they  picked that song for them.  The moves were basic and the routine looked like something that would have been done for a 6th grade talent show.  Put some damn thought into your routine and make it look some effort was put into your routine!  With that said, I will give them a pass for this performance.  I know they have been on a tight schedule for almost three months at that point, but if they are gonna dig into their old routines to use (again) they could have picked something better.

Season 4 Champions We Are Heroes dancing to "Rock That Body" by Black Eyed Peas    
Charity: The Sparkle Effect
What I thought- This routine started off well.  These ladies can always bring a killer concept and execute it.  The main problem is they would have a good moment and you think it is going to continue, but things would just fall apart, either from someone being lost or not in the right place.  It really was most evident in the last 20 seconds.  I know you had to change theme and concept at the last minute, but that is no excuse for the errors made in this routine.  At least they came up with something new.

Season 3 Champions Quest Crew dancing to "Sing, Sing, Sing" by Swing Kids    
Charity: Say It Loud
What I thought- First off, the fact that they got a song that is 84 years old and made it feel modern tells you how well they did.  They not only combined the feel of the Big Band Era, they also blended it smoothly into their normal style.  Simply a joy to watch over and over again.

Season 2 Champions Super Cr3w with special guest dancer, B-Boy Jalen dancing to "ABCs" by K'naan    
Charity: Marvelous Connections
What I thought- OMG they were clean!!!!  This was a very exciting routine that built and built on itself.  Once you think they can't do any better they break out the cute factor with their guest B-boy Jalen.  They worked the kid well into their set and most importantly, the kid did not bring the routine down at all.

Season 1 Champions JabbaWockeeZ dancing to "The Final Countdown" by Europe/"The Robot Remains" by The Bangerz    
Charity: Less Than Four
What I thought- Despite the fact this took forever to get started, it was still an amazing performance.  This really showed how much they have evolved as a crew and --by far -- destroyed anything else they did on the show.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Well folks, it has been a ride with some ups and downs but I am glad I got the chance to do this with everyone.  Now that our journey is done, let's get ready to support the ten new crew that will be fighting for our love and support!
---------------------------------------------------------------
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Teldon -- thanks for taking us on the journey, bumps, ruts, vistas, and all!

Teldon's Rewatch Review: Season 5 Episode 11 -- the Finale

REGIONAL ROUTINES:

West: Poreotix, Hype 5-0, and Heavy Impact dancing to "Blah Blah Blah" by Kesha
What I thought- It started strong and then quickly lived up to the song's namesake.  With the exception of the group tutting section, this routine was Blah.  There was no energy or real cohesion whatsoever in this routine.

East: Blueprint Cru, Saltare, and Static Noyze dancing to "Hot Mess" by Cobra Starship
What I thought- Well, like the West, they certainly knew how to make the title of the song come alive.  We got just a touch of personality in this one but again it was boring.  They could have done so much more with this.

South: Jungle Boogie, Royal Flush, and Swagger Crew dancing to "Take Your Shirt Off" by T-Pain
What I thought- Kinda figures the only region without a horse in the race would do the best tonight.  Again why so literal tonight with the song titles?  Overall this was a somewhat entertaining routine.  Good energy helped to salvage this one, because it was sloppy.
----------------------------------------------------
TOP TWO DUO:

Poreotix and Blueprint Cru performing Pulse Percussion
What I thought- This routine in no way, shape, or form does justice to these two crews.  I may have issues with one of those crews but this is something you do not do to them.  This is an insult plain and simple to the abilities of these crews.  I would have thought from the massive failure the last time this was tried the producers would have learned their lesson.  If I have to rank the top duos from all seasons it would be:
1. Beat Freaks and Quest Crew "Beggin"
2. Afroborike and We Are Heroes "I Gotta Feelin"
3. SoReal Cru and Super Cr3w "Puttin on the Ritz"
4. Jabbawookez and Status Quo "Stomp the Yard"
5. Blueprint Cru and Poreotix "Pulse Percussion"
-------------------------------------------
Overall thoughts of this episode- Need I say more than WORST FINALE PERFORMANCES EVER!!  They were all boring.  They were all sloppy.  They should have never happened.

Overall thoughts on the season- This season was the reverse of Season Four.  It started great and built up major momentum but once we hit Usher Week, things just went downhill until we crashed and burned.  I think the only thing that saved this season was the intense hype for Blueprint 5-0 and Poreotix.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks Teldon!

Teldon's Rewatch Review: Season 5 Episode 10: Hip-Hop Nation & Last Chance Challenge

Challenge One: Hip Hop Nation- crews must make a routine featuring three distinct styles of dance:

"Get Me Bodied" by Beyoncé   

Style: New Orleans Bounce

Style Demo by Riquel Olander from We Are Heroes

   

"I'm The Ish" by DJ Class featuring Lil Jon   

Style: Baltimore House

Style Demo by Porché Anthony from Beat Ya Feet Kings

   

"Blow The Whistle" by Too Short   

Style: Turfin'   

Style Demo by Mitch Sanedrin from Supreme Soul

Okay, I'm not gonna lie. I've  been trying for two days to judge this thing fairly and I just can't tell the difference in the styles presented.  I am going back to my old Season One and Season Two format of what I liked and what I didn't like.

Did America get it right?  While I think Blueprint Cru earned their pass to the finals, I find it hard to believe they suddenly won enough of the vote to advance like that.

Bluprint Cru

What I liked- I loved the effort they put into this.  The partner section was creative and ingenious as well. 
What I did not like- This suffered from the classic 'white boy' syndrome.  They tried their best but it looked silly and I know that was not what they were going for.

Poreotix

What I liked- This was a well thought out routine.  The formations were nice and added to the routine The humor actually fit in for once.

What I did not like- It was sloppy throughout the whole thing, plus Jet got lost.  That should not happen at this stage of the game.

Hype 5-0

What I liked- Holy crap, that was good!  They brought energy and passion to all three dances and they made it seem like it was their natural style.  The shout-outs to Blueprint Cru and Poreotix were nice touches and appropriate for that leg of the show. 
What I did not like- I honestly liked the whole thing.

Did the judges get it right?  Nope.  I am sorry but Hype 5-0 clearly out-danced Poreotix and did it without anyone getting lost.  That mistake cost Static Noyze and Strikers All-stars, so why should Poreotix be the only exception?  After the judges critiques,  it seemed like the Shh!/Sass x 7 debacle from Season Two.  Where the crew the judges liked did not get saved.  Seriously -- this is a fail on MTV's part.
------------------------------------------------

Tonight's Rankings

1. Hype 5-0
2. Poreotix
3. Blueprint Cru

Power rankings (based on placement average)

1. Hype 5-0 (7)
2. Blueprint Crew (6.8)
3. Jungle Boogie (6)
4. Poreotix (5.9)
5. Static Noyze (5.7)
6. Saltare (5.4)
7. Heavy Impact (3.7)
8. Royal Flush (3.5)
9. Swagger Crew (1)
------------------------------------------------------------

Part two- Last Chance Challenge

Blueprint Cru dancing to an original piece "Come To Life" 

What I thought- While it was a good performance, we have seen it before.  There was no real wow moment to it and it felt lifeless. 
Thoughts on this crew as a whole- One of the best crews to ever grace the ABDC stage.  They had everything a crew needed to do well and they did it wonderfully.  I am glad you were my crew this season.

Poreotix dancing to an original piece "Tetreotix" 
What I thought- See what I said about Blueprint. Then add in 'boring'.
Thoughts on this crew as a whole- I still don't like this crew.  Other than their humor, they had no real personality and no real spark to them.  I have no idea why these guys are so popular.

Okay --for all you wondering where all the magic went to tonight and what happened to these Last Chance Challenges and why they both were meh, here is Hype's Last Chance Challenge
routine.  I really think they would have had a chance if they had been given the chance to perform this.

America's Best Dance Crew (Season 5) - MTV Shows

Thoughts on the episode as a whole- WORST TOP THREE EPISODE EVER!!!  Say what you will about Season Four, but at least those three crews brought some passion to the stage that night.  Besides Hype 5-0, the performances just fell flat.  Originally when I watched the season last year, I could not wait for Hype 5-0 to leave. Now,  looking back they were screwed out the prize worse then Fanny Pak was in Season Two.

Out of the two who should win- Honestly when I first saw this I did not care.  I still don't.  Neither deserved it after that horrible showing but I know Blueprint Cru could not compete against the army of fantards that Poreotix had.
------------------------------------------------------
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Come on -- you know you want to!

Teldon's Rewatch Review: Season 5 Episode 9 - Illusion Challenge

Challenge guideline for this week: How well do they do the trick, how did they put it in their routine and does the trick take away from the routine.
------------------------------------------------
Group Routine:
Blueprint Cru, Hype 5-0, Jungle Boogie, Poreotix and special guest dancer Lil Mama dancing to "Take It Off" by Kesha

What I thought-ZOMG BEST GROUP ROUTINE EVER!!  Every crew got an equal amount of face time and they all blended their styles together perfectly.  I can't say anything bad about this one.
---------------------------------------------------

SAFE CREWS: 

Hype 5-0 dancing to "Morning After Dark" by Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado & SoShy     
Challenge: Make an object come to life.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Okay guys, I just don't know what that was.  For the most part, moves were done passably but they were not together. There was no real energy or power to these moves.  It just felt safe and worst of all boring. 3 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? This routine was a hot mess, plain and simple.  Nothing about it made any sense whatsoever.  Like Poreotix last week, it just seemed liked there were two different performances going on the whole time and neither was talking to the other. 3 pts
How well did they do the challenge? All in all they did okay here.  They did highlight the prop and the trick but kept the focus on the dancing.  Still, the trick was rather boring and didn't add anything in. 5 pts
Total points- 11 pts

Poreotix dancing to "Right Hand Hi" by Kid Sister     
Challenge: Move an object with their minds.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Very clean and together this week.  I did not find any missed moves.  Really strong moves this week and everyone was on point. They danced liked they knew this performance would make or break them. 8 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? Another great job here.  They took thier time setting everything up and it flowed nicely into their transition and formations. 10 pts
How well did they do the challenge? I remember hating this the first time I saw it.  I like the fact that they played with the cube a bit more and brought it into their routine as a prop.  It was the levitating part that turned me off.  It didn't feel as strong as the other parts of the routine except for the ending. 8 pts
What were the highlights? great prop work and formations.
Total points- 26 pts
------------------------------------------
BOTTOM TWO:

Did America get it right:  /head desk need I say more...

Blueprint Cru dancing to "Funhouse" by Pink     
Challenge: Become lighter than air.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Amazingly clean.  Throughout the entire performance you could see the controlled power in each of their moves. Formations were good and the framing was great.  10 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? Props for doing a story to this number and fitting the challenge into it.  The only thing that took away for me was that  the opening took too long to get things going.  Otherwise it was great. 9 pts
How well did they do the challenge? The challenge move was done well and the build-up to it was done in a clever way.  Only problem: when the big reveal happened, it was kinda blah.  It picked back up once the reveal was over and they moved on. 8 pts
What were the highlights? bringing the dreamer from the audience to the stage.
What, if anything, took away from the performance? the reveal
Total points- 28 pts

Jungle Boogie dancing to "Da Da Da" by Lil Wayne     
Challenge: Pass their bodies through a solid surface.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? They were mostly on point for this one.  I really noticed timing and sync errors when the whole crew was finally together in the 3 on 3 mirroring section. 8 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? They really stood out here and used their prop to the full effect.  The first crew to do a mirror effect since Strikers All-stars in Season Three. 10 pts
How well did they do the challenge? All in all they did really well here, but took just a bit too long setting up the trick.  Plus, the punch through has been done to death. 9 pts
What were the highlights? The first 15 seconds.
Total points- 27 pts

Did the judges get it right? This is just like the Rhythm City and Massive Monkees bottom two last season where whoever wins the fans lose.  Both were the best performances of the night and they were the crews' best performances of the season.
 ------------------------------------------------
Thoughts on the eliminated crew- Like most viewers, I thought it was a mistake choosing them for ABDC at first,  but  by Week One they won me and everyone else over.  They put their hearts into each performance and kept getting better.  I still have no idea how they landed in the bottom and they really should have been final two.
--------------------------------------------------
Tonights Rankings (based on tonight's score)
1. Blueprint Cru 28 pts
2. Jungle Boogie 27 pts
3. Poreotix 26 pts
4. Hype 5-0 11 pts

Power rankings (based on placement average)
1. Blueprint Cru (6.8)
2. Hype 5-0 (6.7)
3. Jungle Boogie (6.3)
4. Static Noyze (6) 
5. Poreotix (5.5)
5. Saltare (5.5)
7. Royal Flush (3.8)
8. Heavy Impact (3.7)
9. Swagger Crew (1)

Thoughts on the episode as a whole- With the exception of Hype 5-0, a really good episode.  I think most of us were still soured over Season Three's lackluster Magic Week, sot we automatically just hate this one on principle.  Honestly, the other three crews managed to deliver better routines then all of Season Three did.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks Teldon!

Teldon's Rewatch Review - Season 5 Episode 8: The Usher Challenge

Judging guidelines for the Usher challenge: How well did they bring a smooth and sexy Usher vibe to the performance and how well did they handle the challenge move.
------------------------------------------------------------------

SAFE CREWS: 

Jungle Boogie dancing to "Love in This Club" by Usher featuring Young Jeezy    
Challenge: Incorporate glides into the routine.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? This crew just gets better week by week.  I love seeing crews evolve and Jungle Boogie definitely did that tonight.  They were on point throughout most of the routine.  Only thing that takes away from this was spacing in their glide formation. 9 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? They delivered another solid routine.  Their transition set up and framed great stunt work, yet they were able to keep the focus on their dance for a trick-heavy middle section. 9 pts
How well did they do the challenge? It was good, but we have seen better slide work from other crews.  What they did was creative and they brought a smooth and sexy vibe to the stage. 8 pts
What were the highlights? The sliding formation.
Total points- 26 pts

Poreotix dancing to "Yeah!" by Usher featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris    
Challenge: Incorporate some of Usher's moves in reverse.
Note- I really hate this song and it may cloud my judgement a bit more then normal, so I am adding +3pts to the routine.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? What the hell happened?  This was a sloppy mess from beginning to end.  At least one person was either out of sync with the rest of them or someone was out of formation or it was both at the same time.  No sense of control to their moves and it felt like a safe performance. 3 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? Unlike their other routines, I could not tell where this one was going.  It felt like there were two-routines-in-one and neither was talking to each other.  Also, they really didn't build on anything like they normally do. 5 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Though this was basic and safe, it was done very smartly.  They knew their limits and gave us something basic but did add a little to it.  No real Usher vibe from this; it was neither smooth or sexy. 3 pts
Total points- 11+3=14 pts

Hype 5-0 dancing to "U Don't Have to Call" by Usher    
Challenge: Incorporate choreography using Heelys.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? It was clean, with a few timing errors in it.  Formations were together but this set had no energy.   I was kinda bored watching it. 5 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? While it may have been boring, I can see they worked with what they had.  The transitions worked well and they successfully incorporated the challenge prop.  While not grea,t the routine did build on itself. 7 pts
How well did they do the challenge? It was done well.  The smoothness was there, the sexy not so much.  The challenge aspect of the heelys was used very intelligently and it was not overdone. 8 pts
What were the highlights? The transitions that used the heelys
What, if anything, took away from the performance? no energy
Total points- 20 pts
----------------------------------------------------------------
THE BOTTOM TWO:

Did America get it right? I love these two crews, but I have to agree with the choice of them being in the bottom.  They did not do as well as the others last week.

Blueprint Cru dancing to "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" by Usher featuring Plies    
Challenge: Incorporate a hand section that highlights one of the members in their crew.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? This was the Blueprint Cru I fell in love with.  While the same level of super hard-hitting clean moves was not there, they managed to slow it down a touch and give great controlled power.  It was just a touch sloppy towards the end  9 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? This was very well thought out.  The transitions took them in to great formations that set up that part of the routine, and it built up and made each section stronger. 10 pts
How well did they do the challenge? This was both smooth and sexy without being dirty.  The hand section was good but not great, though I do like the fact they dragged it out a bit in different spots. 9 pts
What were the highlights? The break away formations
Total points- 28 pts

Saltare dancing to "Caught Up" by Usher    
Challenge: Incorporate fight choreography from the video.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? It was clean and together They seemed to focus more on the dancing than on their rope work.  Sadly, the dancing was rather weak. 7 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? They did put thought into this and it showed.  Transitions could have been a bit better and the stunts they did were fairly low key.  I do appreciate the fact they tried to tell a story. 8 pts
How well did they do the challenge? It was there but it could have been worked on just a bit more.  They did kinda bring an Usher feel to this. 6 pts
Total points- 21 pts

Did the judges get it right? Yes they did.  Blueprint flat out out-performed Saltare that night.
-------------------------------------------------
Thoughts on the eliminated crew- A gimmick crew that brought something new and was evolving into something more.  I wish them luck in the future and hope things work out for them.
-------------------------------------------------
Tonight's Rankings (based on tonight's score)
1. Blueprint Cru 28 pts
2. Jungle Boogie 26 pts
3. Saltare 21 pts
4. Hype 5-0 20 pts
5. Poreotix 14 pts

Power rankings (based on placement average)
1. Hype 5-0 (6-8)
2. Blueprint Cru (6.4)
2. Static Noyze (6.4) 6th place
4. Jungle Boogie (6)
5. Saltare (5.6) eliminated
6. Poreotix (5.2)
7. Royal Flush (4.2) 8th place
8. Heavy Impact (3.6) 6th place
9. Swagger Crew (1) 9th place
--------------------------------------------
Thoughts on the episode as a whole-  I think the Boondocks episode "Tom, Sarah and Usher" (season 2, episode 2) severely colored my view on Usher.  I didn't like him or his music before, and that show pushed it over the edge.  As far as tonight goes, it seemed nobody except Blueprint Cru and Jungle Boogie had any spark of life in their routines.  Maybe they should just stop doing iconic challenges for a bit.
------------------------------------
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks again, Teldon!

Teldon's ABDC Rewatch Review -- Season 5 Episode 7: The Disco Challenge

Tonight's Judging guidelines for the challenge- How well did they incorporate their challenge move and the mandatory lift?
 
SAFE CREWS:
 
Blueprint Cru dancing to "Le Freak" by Chic     
Challenge Move: "The Funky Guitar"
Was it clean/Was it Difficult?  Maybe I am being too hard on my chosen crew this season, but this felt very sloppy to me.  I noticed sync errors throughout the routine.  While it didn't really throw anything off, it just 'felt' off.  Difficulty-wise, this was nothing special.  They have done better in past weeks. 5 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? They killed the theme and they did amazing transitions in this set.  Loved the homages they gave to classic 70's icons such as Soul Train and Charlie's Angels. 8 pts
How well did they do the challenge? I watched this routine four extra times just to find ANY funky guitar in this routine.  It was there, but it was so fast and so quick you would easily overlook it.  The lifts were simply okay.  The helicopter lifts were nice but not together. The addition of the carousel lift did help to balance it out. Hate to do this, but you failed your main challenge. 1 pts
What were the highlights? The tribute moments
What, if anything, took away from the performance? It just didn't feel like a Blueprint performance
Total points- 14 pts

Saltare dancing to "Disco Inferno" by The Trammps     
Challenge Move: "The Hustle"
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Clean for the most part, with a minor rope error this week.  What I liked was that they focused more on the dancing than on their rope work.  All in all, the moves were done well and cleanly. 7 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? They really shone in this department.  First, they framed all the partner sections very nicely and had great transitions that made whatever they were doing pop out at you.  The addition of the fire ropes was a bit cheesy, but it was handled and highlighted superbly as well. 8 pts
How well did they do the challenge? They were smart and started with their lift early and made it look good.  The Hustle section was well done with the inclusion of the ropes as well. 8 pts
What were the highlights? the framing made everything look better.
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The slight rope mistake
Total points- 25 pts

Poreotix dancing to "Dancing Machine" by The Jackson 5     
Challenge Move: "The Robot"
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? This is the only crew tonight to actually do great.  They were together the entire time and made it look natural.  In addition, it was nice to see them branch out in a good way and actually put some passion and emotion into their work for once. 10 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? Thought and effort was put into this routine from beginning to end. Transitions not only looked great -- they effortlessly set up the next section of the routine. 10 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Another knock out here: I was going to be harsher with them because their challenge was their normal style, but they actually took it old school and then showed many other different ways to make it fun.  The two lifts were nice as well, and did not feel out of place. 10 pts
What were the highlights? The whole thing was a highlight
Total points- 30 pts

Hype 5-0 dancing to "Shake Your Groove Thing" by Peaches & Herb     
Challenge Move: "The Electric Slide"
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? This was fairly clean.  Only a few short moments where it felt like they were off.  All in all it had a bit of difficulty in it but it still felt kinda safe. 8 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? They nailed the attitude of Disco.  Transitions were entertaining and blended everything together very nicely. 10 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Another great job with the look, the attitude and making the challenge move look like fun.  The lifts were on-point and together. I would give them more than ten but rules is rules. 10 pts
What were the highlights? The opening let us know this was gonna be a great set.
Total points- 28 pts
-------------------------------------------------------
THE BOTTOM THREE

Did America get it right? Well two out of three ain't bad, is it?  Honestly though, Static Noyze gave the second best performance of the night last week, and they "coincidentally" just happened to have to sideline Enrique due to injury.  I call Bull S***!
 
Heavy Impact dancing to "You Should Be Dancing" by The Bee Gees     
Challenge Move: "The Strut"
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Cleanest they have done so far.  A few timing errors in the transition but overall very nice.  They hit their moves harder then normal.  8 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? While the moves were nice, it just seemed to be one formation shift after another. They could have slowed it down just a touch for each one. 6 pts
How well did they do the challenge?   The strut section was very nice but the partner work and lifts were very weak. 6 pts
What were the highlights? The strut section
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The lifts
Total points- 20 pts

Static Noyze dancing to "A Fifth of Beethoven" by Walter Murphy     
Challenge Move: "The Staying Alive Finger Point"
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? It was okay, but something felt off (besides Enrique being missing from the group). Nothing felt too difficult, and one person was completely lost for a little bit. 4 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? They were passable. Formations were basic and transitions lacked their usual pop. 7 pts
How well did they do the challenge? The finger point was okay, but nothing helped it to stand out.  The lifts worked very well, but again not that special. 7 pts
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The one dancer getting lost.
Total points- 18 pts

Jungle Boogie dancing to "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & the Gang     
Challenge Move: "The Bump"
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Their cleanest set yet.  With that said, they were still off in their formations.  Their moves were done well with power and swag.  However, I did not get that much difficulty from this. 7 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme?  They made their transitions look fun and easy.  Formations were a bit loose but they looked nice.  In addition, the buildup to the lifts and the end set were quite nice. 7 pts
How well did they do the challenge? They definitely brought the funk to this routine.  The bump was done fierce and fabulous and often. The lift was unexpected because this was the only crew that had a woman do it and also the shortest person of the season do it. 10 pts
What were the highlights? The build up to the lift, and the ending
Total points- 24 pts

Did the judges get it right? And thus Jungle Boogie finally vanquished the evil curse of the "The All Black/All Black but One Crew Goes Home in 6th Place Curse."  No I am serious here folks -- this happened in Seasons One through Four:  S1-Live in Color (all black), S2- A.S.I.I.D.(all black but one), S3-Ringmasters (all black), S4-Beat Ya Feet Kings (all black).  It is about time if you ask me, because two of those earlier deserved to go on further and should not have been in the bottom
at that time.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Thoughts on the eliminated crew- Just when I was starting to love Heavy Impact, they got cut.  They won me over the past week and this week.  Good job guys.  For Static Noyze -- I think the only reason you got cut was the injury.  It was just a graceful way for you all to bow out without quitting.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Tonight's Rankings (based on tonight's score)
1. Poreotix 30 pts
2. Hype 5-0 28 pts
3. Saltare 25 pts
4. Jungle Boogie 24 pts
5. Heavy Impact 20 pts
6. Static Noyze 18 pts
7. Blueprint Cru 14 pts

Power rankings (based on placement average)
1. Hype 5-0 (7)
1. Static Noyze (7) eliminated
3. Blueprint Cru (5.75)
4. Jungle Boogie (5.5)
5. Poreotix (5.25)
5. Saltare (5.25)
7. Royal Flush (4.75) 8th place
8. Heavy Impact (3.5) eliminated
9. Swagger Crew (1) 9th place

Thoughts on the episode as a whole- Overall -- great episode.  I was surprised how well Poreotix could do once they got a fire lit under them.  These themed style/era challenges always seem to work out as being some of the best of the season.  Really can't wait to see if the streak continues in Season 6.
-------------------------------------------------------
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks Teldon!

Teldon's Rewatch Review --: Season 5, Episode 6: Lady Gaga Challenge

Please note this is a non-elimination round due to incorrect voting numbers that were accidentally displayed at the end of the previous episode. Tonight, instead of sending one crew home, the judges will hand out immunity (for the first time ever) to one crew for the next show.

Tonight's Judging guideline:- How well did they bring Gaga to the stage with their dancing?  Did they make you feel like it was a Gaga-style show?
--------------------------------------------------
Static Noyze dancing to "Beautiful, Dirty, Rich" by Lady Gaga
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? What a great way to start off the show.  This routine was seductively clean.  They moved as a well oiled unit from beginning to end. Only thing was the girls' partner work was sloppy and off sync for their solo. 9 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? This was another one of those routines that built on itself.  Every element was introduced at the beginning and used with care.  They had smart transitions that highlighted their moves and framed them nicely. They took some risks with their visuals and made them work. 10 pts
How well did they do the challenge? It really did feel like a Gaga performance with the way they danced and used the props. The casual indifference they brought to the routine really made everything stand out as well. 10 pts
What were the highlights? The upside down foot tutting and the flip off the table.
Total points- 29 pts

Blueprint Cru dancing to "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? They managed to marry their style with the stylized randomness of Gaga.  Everyone was on point and they worked outside their comfort zone to make a great performance. 10 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? They delivered another routine that just kept getting better and better, from the march up to the chairs and revealing the ladies to powerful ending. 10 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Another knockout blow for this episode.  The look and the attitude was there and in the dancing as well. 10 pts
What were the highlights? The ending. One year later and I am still creeped out by it.
Total points- 30 pts
Note- JC announced: "That was the best performance of Season Five." JC --  Don't you think it is still just a bit early to say that?  I admit this is a great routine and one I would expect as a Last Chance Challenge or end-of-season routine.  Let's wait a few more weeks before we start saying things like that.

Jungle Boogie dancing to "Video Phone" by Beyoncé featuring Lady Gaga
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Eck!  That was not clean (in more ways then one :P).  Everyone was either lost or screwed up something in this routine.  From the chairs and the handstand to floor work, something was off.  I can tell they put thought in this and they really did try but it is what it is. 5 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? It was well thought out but boring.  Nothing really jumped out to me as exciting. 6 pts
How well did they do the challenge? They did okay here since they had to do both Gaga and Beyonce (BeGaga!) and Raqi worked her butt off to pull that off.  Besides her and the wardrobe, nothing really stood out as Gagaesque. 6 pts
What were the highlights? The ending was delightfully nasty.
What, if anything, took away from the performance? the chair screw ups
Total points- 17 pts

Heavy Impact dancing to "LoveGame" by Lady Gaga
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? It was clean for the most part, but it felt like they were off on their moves throughout this set. I can't really pinpoint anything wrong with how they danced; it's more of a gut feeling. 6 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? Come on, once we saw them on the poles in the package you knew this was going to some kind of special. 7 pts
How well did they do the challenge? They handled this part okay.  They delivered some moves of Gaga and brought the spirit of her to the stage.7 pts
What were the highlights? THE POLEDANCING!!!!!  OMGBESTTHINGEVER!!!11!!!1!
What, if anything, took away from the performance? weak stunts
Total points- 20 pts
Note- this was like Vogue Evolution's Week Three routine.  I love the hell out this routine and that may have colored my ability to judge it fairly and they may have gotten too high a score.

Hype 5-0 dancing to "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Despite the rocky start, this was a clean routine that highlighted that they can do more then just power choreo and big moves. Moves were handled well, with no glaring mistakes.  The ladies stepped up their game from the previous week as well. 8 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? Besides the opening, they thought this one through.  Great formations and transitions helped this performance get better the more it went on. 8 pts
How well did they do the challenge? They did okay here.  Besides the opening nothing really felt like Gaga to me. 5 pts
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The living mannequin opening.
Total points- 21 pts

Poreotix dancing to "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? It was clean, it was boring, and it had no energy to it whatsoever.  There were moments I thought they were gonna pick it up but that too fell flat.  The moves were nowhere near as exciting as they have shown in the past few weeks. 3 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? I could somewhat tell where they were going with this, but nothing in it made much sense at all. The transitions just seemed to be the same thing over and over again.  The use of the cruthches was poor.  Yes I do realize it was a tribute section to the other crews, but they could have done much more with them. 4 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Poorly.  The jokester crew is finally given the keys to the kingdom to go absolutely insane with thier ideas, and they bring nothing to the table except a gay joke.  Really?  That is all you could think of?  Fail. 1 pts
What were the highlights? That it was over
Total points- 8 pts
Note- I already can hear the complaints of me not getting this crew or that they were limited by such a short time.  Blah, Blah, Blah.  Don't make excuses for them.  They sucked this week, plain and simple.

Saltare dancing to "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga featuring Colby O'Donis
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? And they're back, ladies and gentleman!  Good set that was mostly together.  The actual dancing and non rope tricks were clean and together.  It was the rope work this week that was a bit off sync, most noticeably toward the end before they do the sitting butt jumps. (8)pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? It was a good routine that built on itself, and the only real problem I had was their song. Yes, they started out dancing and it would have loved to see just a bit more of it. 8 pts
How well did they do the challenge? They may not have captured the physical look 100%, but they did capture Gaga's spirit with their attitudes. Nice job. 8 pts
What were the highlights? The butt jumping
Total points- 24 pts

Did the judges give the free pass to the right crew? I wanna say yes, but I wanna say no.  Hhands down, Blueprint Cru did the best this night score-wise.  Static Noyze also really killed it.  In the end I was glad it went to one of those crews.

Which three crews should be in the bottom for next episode and why? Based on tonight's performances, I would like to see Jungle Boogie, Heavy Impact and Poreotix in the bottom next week.  They gave poor performances and all three could use a kick in the butt to wake up for this competition, especially Poreotix.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Tonights Rankings (based on tonight's score)
1. Blueprint Cru 30 pts
2. Static Noyze 29 pts
3. Saltare 24 pts
4. Hype 5-0 21 pts
5. Heavy Impact 20 pts
6. Jungle Boogie 17 pts
7. Poreotix 8 pts

Power rankings (based on placement average)
1. Static Noyze (8)
2. Bluprint Cru (6.7) granted immunity this week
2. Hype 5-0 (6.7)
4. Royal Flush (5.7) 8th place
5. Jungle boogie (5.3)
6. Saltare (4.7)
7. Poreotix (4)
8. Heavy Impact (3)
9. Swagger Crew (1) 9th place

Thoughts on the episode as a whole- It was an okay episode.  I wanted this episode to happen for so long, but I feel only two crews really understood the singer and delivered on it.   
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks Teldon!

Teldon's ABDC Rewatch Review: Season 5 Episode 5 - Music Video Challenge

Tonight's Judging guideline for the challenge is: How well did they match the video?
 

SAFE CREWS: 

Poreotix dancing to "Umbrella" by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? First half of the routine was pure magic.  They did their trademark isos and added to them like the judges wanted them to by using more of the stage and a bit of waving.  Good job.  Second half of the routine fell apart completely.  At least one person was early with his moves and they were out of formation the entire time.  Throw in some timing errors in the part where they had to match up to the video, and you get an OK routine. 5 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? Despite the errors, this routine was well thought out.  They showed careful planning in putting it together from beginning to end.  Great transitions and decent prop work also helped. 7 pts
How well did they do the challenge? I know they tried to stick to their stage personas at all times, but they really needed to loosen up to truly match up to Rihanna's style.  A for effort, C for execution. 5 pts
What were the highlights? Hands down, first half of the routine
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The second half of the routine
Total points- 17 pts

Jungle Boogie dancing to "Give It Up to Me" by Shakira featuring Lil Wayne
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? For the most part it was clean.  While there was no glaring errors in this, the members did seem a bit off. The moves and visuals were done well, but I didn't get a sense of difficulty from it. 7 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? They did really good here.  They took the time to set up their visuals to match the video and make them stand out.  Only problem I had was somewhat weak transitions. 7 pts
How well did they do the challenge? They did well here.  They matched the moves on-screen well, and threw in the stepping section and made it work for them. 8 pts
What were the highlights? The various visuals
Total points- 22 pts

Static Noyze dancing to "New in Town" by Little Boots
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Other than a slight formation error in the beginning, it was clean.  The props both helped and hurt in the challenge department. While they added to the difficulty, they also took away from what they really could do. 7 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? Another well-thought-out routine that told somewhat of a story.  Transitions were good and I liked how they handled the one section of the video by having Peter go backwards instead of walking forward when the video was playing. 8 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Another great job here.  This was the first time that night where it felt like I was watching the video come to life. 10 pts
What were the highlights? the opening
Total points- 25 pts

Saltare dancing to "Shake It" by Metro Station
NOTE: YAY product placement is back!!!
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? We all knew this was going to happen eventually.  When such a fluid prop is used, the potential for an epic fail is always there.  Well the screws up definitely were an epic fail.  I will give them props on adding more varied dancing to the routine and the stunts they did pull off were nice, but it just fell apart because of that one mistake. 1 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? You could see where they were going with this one, and if they pulled it off it would have been amazing.  Despite all the good they did with it, the mistake killed everything. 4 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Mistake aside, they did match things up almost perfectly to the video screen and the video. 6 pts
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The fight scene mistake.
Total points- 11 pts
Note- I did think the judges let them off a bit too easy.

Heavy Impact dancing to "What You Got" by Colby O'Donis
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? That felt sloppy the entire time.  At no time in this one did they really feel like they were together at all.  Numerous formation and timing errors were visible from beginning to end. 2 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? I really couldn't tell what was going on.  This had no real beginning, middle, or end.  It just felt like one bad free-style section from beginning to end.  Nothing they did really made sense. 3 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Their style was apparently too different to sync up to what was done on the screen.  Not only did I not get sense of individuality from them -- I got nothing of the singer as well. 2 pts
Total points- 7 pts

Hype 5-0 dancing to "3" by Britney Spears
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? The well-controlled energy was there again.  Only problem was the girls.  They were out of sync with each other and the rest of the crew. 7 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? They really took their time with this routine and made it look good.  So far they have been stepping it up week by week and making each transition work for them and they added in some visual flair as well.  In addition, they finally got rid of doing a corny ending. 10 pts
How well did they do the challenge? They not only made the video's moves and routine their own, they brought it to life and made it look better than the original. 10 pts
What were the highlights? The bar illusion came out of nowhere and was done well.
What, if anything, took away from the performance? the girls
Total points- 27 pts
----------------------------------------------------
BOTTOM TWO

Did America get it right? WTF, no seriously WTF.  I can kinda see Royal Flush in the bottom depending if a massive amount of America's water supply got laced with something.  But Blueprint Cru in the bottom?  Really.  And people wonder why I lost faith in the viewers' ability to vote well.

Royal Flush dancing to "Evacuate the Dance floor" by Cascada featuring Carlprit
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Extremely clean throughout the routine, with some minor timing issues on the floor work.  They infused a great deal of power in all their moves. 8 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? So many good moments were added into this routine.  Great formations as well. The end kinda took too long to set up and hurt them a bit. 8 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Like Hype 5-0,  they made it their own and and even improved on it. 10 pts
Total points- 26 pts

Blueprint Cru dancing to "I Get It In" by Omarion featuring Gucci Mane
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Nowhere near as clean as their last two performances.  Apparently the sloppy monster decided to come and pay these guys a visit, because they were off sync the whole time.  If that was not bad enough, at least two crew members fell out of their routine towards the end. 1 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? It was okay but not great.  They had decent to passable transitions throughout the routine.  The only good thing is they nailed the feel of the song. 5 pts
How well did they do the challenge? It was okay for the most part. They got the feel of the song down but didn't sync up to the video at all. Really did not feel like them out there on the dance floor. 4 pts
What, if anything, took away from the performance? Besides the song --  the handstand fail
Total points- 10 pts

Did the judges get it right? WTF!!! Blueprint Cru may be my chosen crew at the beginning of this season, but there was no way in hell that their routine was better then Royal Flush's dance. I think they only reason Blueprint Cru was were saved is that MTV wanted the foreign crew to stay longer.  Still a bull**** call.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thoughts on the eliminated crew- Royal Flush --You guys got screwed twice over.  First by America, second by the judges.  You all did an great job for your short time on the show.  Such is the price for fantardation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Tonight's Rankings (based on tonight's score)
1. Hype 5-0 27 pts
2. Royal Flush 26 pts
3. Static Noyze 25 pts
4. Jungle Boogie 22 pts
5. Poreotix 17 pts
6. Saltare 11 pts
7. Blueprint Cru 10 pts
8. Heavy Impact 7 pts

Power rankings (based on placement average)
1. Static Noyze (8)
2. Royal Flush (7.5) eliminated
3. Hype 5-0 (7)
4. Jungle Boogie (6)
5. Blueprint Cru (5.5)
6. Poreotix (4.5)
7. Saltare (3.5)
8. Heavy Impact (2)
9. Swagger Crew (1) 9th place

Thoughts on the episode as a whole- Nowhere near as good as Season's One and Two on this type of challenge.  Only three crews really nailed it, with most of the others just phoning it in or missing the point.  Really hope it gets better from here.
---------------------------------------------------
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks Teldon and sorry we're making you relive unfond memories!

Teldon's ABDC Rewatch Review: Season 5, Episode 4 - Chart Topper Challenge

The main guideline I am using for this challenge: Did the routine bring the song to life?

WEST COAST

Hype 5-0 dancing to "Imma Be" by Black Eyed Peas
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Much cleaner and on point than their audition set.  The power levels were still there; they were just more evened out this time around.  Stunts were set up nicely, framed well and done just enough to add spice to the routine to where they did not take away from it. Only thing that got them was Jonathan was bit too slow in getting back into formation. 9 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? Againm they did really well here.  They set up their formations up nicely and each one set up the next part of the routine.  Adding in big moves to the added sound effects helped things to stand out.  Only thing that truly hurt them was the cheesy ending.  It had no real place in the routine and took away from the great performance they just did. 8 pts
How well did they do the challenge? All in all I got a free spirit vibe from this routine which matched the song well.  It was a tough song but they did manage to make it work.  Nice job. 9 pts
What were the highlights? The wind-up toss
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The ending
Total points- 26 pts

Note- Please dear God quit letting Omarion speak.  Honestly I feel like I was watching a different routine then what the judges were watching.  I am getting the feeling this season is ot going to be fair at all.

Heavy Impact dancing to "Say Aah" by Trey Songz featuring Fabolous
Note-good lord just shut up about being big already.  We get it.  Artistry in Motion gave us the same spiel last season.  Plus I liked their name better as Heavy Hitters.  Just saying is all.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? No, it was not.  Most of the routine someone was either hitting a move too soon or too late.  Also, someone was out of formation at all times.  They were much better than this last week.  Not sure if it is nerves or what, but the whole thing looked
liked a routine the junior dance squad would do. 4 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? I could see where they were going in this one but just about everything in it looked the same, just in a different place on the stage.  There was no passion in this set at all. 3 pts
How well did they do the challenge? I think they were going for slow, sensual, and seductive.  It worked to a degree like in the song but when you focus just on one aspect of your performance like that it takes away from the rest. 6 pts
Total points- 13 pts
note- again can I please have a drag off what the judges are smoking?  I mean this is what two weeks in a row where Lil Mama is making the most sense.

Poreotix dancing to "Day 'n' Nite" by Kid Cudi
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Not quite as clean and together as last week's routine. There were a few formation errors in the transistion up to the middle section and at the end.  Like last week, they were on point and together. 8 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? They made a decent routine with this.  The beginning was superb, but the middle part with the twinkle toes and the shirt lifting didn't work for me.  The finger tutting was together, but over all it was weak. 7 pts
How well did they do the challenge? I can see what they were going for with this and the alarm clock reference was a smart move on the part of the crew. 9 pts
What were the highlights? the opening formation and the ending formation.
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The finger tutting.
Total points- 24 pts
Note- The judges nailed it on the head with their critique of them. SSDD (same s*** different day)

Did the judges get it right? Seriously, they put Hype 5-0 in the bottom again?  I can see Poreo being safe, but Heavy Impact needs a kick in the ass to get better on this show.
--------------------------------------------------------
THE SOUTH

Swagger Crew dancing to "Hard" by Rihanna featuring Young Jeezy
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? I need a moment. That was just, just, just....bad.  It was sloppy, no one was together, and it was simple. 2 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? I honestly thought they were gonna save the routine when they went to the middle of the routine, until Liz broke out some of the wackest finger tutting ever done on the show.  Nothing was linked well into the routine. 2 pts
How well did they do the challenge? There was nothing hard about this routine.  Nothing that did the song any justice. 2 pts
What were the highlights? that it was over
Total points- 6 pts

Jungle Boogie dancing to "How Low" by Ludacris featuring Shawnna
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Really good, this crew seems to have borrowed Hype's energy and improved on it.  Only problem here were formation errors that happened almost throughout the entire routine. 8 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? This was the first truly well-executed routine of the night.  The most energy seemed to be put into their transistions and I have never seen that before on the show.  Some of the stunts could have been handled a bit better, but it was very nice. 9 pts
How well did they do the challenge? They kept true to themselves and to the spirit of the song.  They got low in every formation and transition in the routine. 10 pts
What were the highlights? When Raqi was on the other guys legs in formation when they went low.
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The first two stunts were not as strong as the ones did in the auditions and looked hella weak compared to the third one. 
Total points- 27 pts

Royal Flush dancing to "Down" by Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Much better than their audition round, though they were off in the first few seconds of the routine and out of formation almost the whole routine.  With that said, they were more together this time around.  8 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? You can tell they did not sit on their butts during the two weeks after their audition show.  They may not have known what song they were going to do, but you can see how well they thought everything through in this routine from the little things like the duo back flip at "I'll fly away" and the threading at "great escape".  Also I noticed that in each routine they let everyone have a few seconds to be the center of attention. 10 pts
How well did they do the challenge? This is another crew that understood thier song.  They brought thier personality into it and made the song seem like an extension of themselves. 10 pts
What were the highlights? The dup flip followed with the threading
What, if anything, took away from the performance? the first few seconds of the routine.
Total points- 28 pts

Did the judges get it right? This was a no brainer.  You have Jungle Boogie wake everyone up and then you have Royal Flush do a 180 and redeem themselves.  Sorry that you landed in the bottom. Swagger Crew.
------------------------------------------------------------------
EAST COAST

Saltare dancing to "Hotel Room Service" by Pitbull
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? This was  better than the first time we saw them.  They added in more dancing that was a touch more difficult and that worked with their style.  The only thing that hurt them was poor floor work. 6 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? Very well thought out.  When this crew is going well on the stage, they are very fluid with their movement into formation, lines and partner work. Each section (except the floor section) was stronger then the last one. 8 pts
How well did they do the challenge? I really did not get a feel for what they were really trying to do with this song.  It looked nice but even a year later I am confused. 7 pts
What were the highlights? the partner work
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The floor work
Total points- 21 pts

Static Noyze dancing to "Whatcha Say" by Jason Derülo
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Wonderful routine!  For a low key routine, every move had an amazing amount of power and passion put into it. The formations were good, the lines were great, the levels amazing. (10)pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? More than any other routine tonight, you knew they thought this planned out.  There was a clear story from beginning to end that was easy to follow and relate to. 10 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Again, simply flawless storytelling made the routine and the song stand out.  The still frame at the beginning and how they got back to it at the end was one of the best things ever done on that stage. 10 pts
What were the highlights? The whole thing
Total points- 30 pts

Blueprint Cru dancing to "That's Not My Name" by The Ting Tings
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Difficult and hard hitting -- yes.  A touch sloppy in some parts toward the end. 9 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? This was really well thought out.  You have to watch it many, many times just to get all the things, big and small, they threw at you out of the blue.  Great formations and transistion as well. 10 pts
How well did they do the challenge? They definitely made everything pop out for this routine.  Each beat seemed like it was getting something special. 10 pts
What were the highlights? EVerytime they threw out a surprise move.
Total points- 29 pts

Did the judges get it right?  Only reason I can agree with this is I do remember the first time I saw that Saltare routine and was blown away. Yes, it may not have been perfect but it was exciting the first time.
-----------------------------------------------------
SUDDEN DEATH:
Hype 5-0, Swagger Crew, Static Noyze dancing to "TiK ToK" by Kesha

Hype 5-0 - errr that was just sloppy work all around.  This was nothing like the last two routines they showed us or their last battle routine. Sure, the car was creative but you really had to look twice to even make out that that was what they were going for.
 
Swagger Crew- While it was clean and together, it was also boring.  There was no one moment in their battle section that stuck with me.

Static Noyze- Holy crap!  How do they keep managing to give us battle routines that damn good?  All four times they have danced now they have murdered it and this was no exception.

Who should win and why- It should be obvious who will be saved first.

Did the judges make the right choice?  Yes they did, though I think Hype 5-0 just barely survived this battle.  If Swagger would have been a bit harder in it,  they would have been saved.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Thoughts on the eliminated crew- I know you guys had to change most of your routine at the last second and you had nothing ready for the show.  That is no excuse for this mess.  I respect the hell out you guys and know you work your butts off.  But let this be a lesson to the ten crews coming to the show for season six. Have a back-up routine ready to go at a moment's notice and if you feel like you are not going to be that strong on a Sudden Death, then put all your energy in the Sudden Death routine.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Rankings (based on tonight's performances)
1. Static Noyze 30 pts
2. Blueprint Cru 29 pts
3. Royal Flush 28 pts
4. Jungle Boogie 27 pts
5. Hype 5-0 26 pts
6. Poreotix 24 pts
7. Saltare 21 pts
8. Heavy Impact 16 pts
9. Swagger Crew 6 pts
--------------------------------------------------------------
Thought on the episode as a whole- I just want some of what the judges are smoking.  Most of their comments were coming out of left field tonight and itsent mixed signals to the crew.  Overall, a great Week One.  I consider any routine over 20 points to be good and anything over 25 points to be very good. We had a night where over half the crews were very good.  Not a bad way to start things off.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments.

Performance videos from Urban Street Jam: Congratulations Choreo Cookies, Villains, Jungle Boogie!

Here are the winning performances from Academy of Villains and Jungle Boogie at 2011 Urban Street Jam:

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

Teldon's ABDC Rewatch review: Season 5, Episode 3: The West

Hype 5-0 dancing to "Drop It Low" by Ester Dean featuring Chris Brown
First Impressions- for such a little crew (as in height wise. What!? I am 6'6, and everyone looks small), these kids seem big with the attitude and swag they got.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Clean for the most part, with some timing issues towards the middle transition.  They hit their marks like pros and gave the most powerful energy I have seen from a crew in five seasons. 9 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? Okay. First off I know you want to give a shout out to where you are from, but doing that puts you in the same dangerous waters that G.O.P. Dance and Afroborike swam.  Thankfully it was over with quickly.  It did take them a bit to get started but once they did, everything flowed nicely and made sense Still, a bit more work could have gone into the set as a whole 8 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Immediately, comparisons between SoReal Cru and Hype 5-0 arise.  I mean, they are both all Asian crews and have five males and two females in them.
Unlike SoReal Cru, they came out with more swag and power to their set.  It made me think that -- if this is their first routine -- I can't wait to see more. 10 pts
What were the highlights? The group knee drop
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The ending felt a bit half-hearted.
Total points- 27 pts

Heavy Impact dancing to    "Raindrops" by Jeremih
First Impressions- The gentle giants.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? This was a good, clean routine for the most part.  The moves were done well and in sync with each other, but they must watch out on their formations. 8 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? They killed the first half of the routine.  It had energy and you could tell they planned everything out.  It was the second half of the routine that things felt off to me.  It was a bit to much of a change of pace from the first half with no evening out of the transition. 6 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Another crew that knew what to do to make us want more.  It may not have been that exciting but you could tell they were holding back. 8 pts
What were the highlights? The first half of the routine.
What, if anything, took away from the performance? the second half of the routine.
Total points- 22 pts

The Blended Projekt dancing to "Get Involved" by Ginuwine featuring Missy Elliott & Timbaland
First Impressions- More cloggers, with the largest number of people in a crew on stage to date.  This will be interesting.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Not so much. For cloggers, they really were off-formation throughout the entire performance.  In addition, they were not hitting moves as hard as they should be.  It seemed very basic and timid. 2 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? I really did not get a sense of theme from this and nothing really connected each part of the routine.  Frankly, there was just too many people on stage to really follow what was going on, and the one guy in the group kept drawing
the eye towards him and away from the crew. 2 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Not well at all.  Valerie is a great leader and she has a ton of heart.  This crew has grown by leaps and bounds since their appearance on the show but they simply were not ready at this time. 1 pt
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The group timidity and there were too many people on the stage.
Total points- 5 pts

BreakEFX dancing to "All Eyes on Me" by Clipse featuring Keri Hilson
First Impressions- The first co-ed B-boy crew. This should be great.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Pretty clean overall.  Good formation work with strong and well framed stunts and choreo, though at times it did feel a bit basic. 8 pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? This was a really clever routine.  Nothing was out of place and everything built up nicely.  Could have used a touch more energy. 8 pts
How well did they do the challenge? Another crew with a great first impression.  They showed us not only what they can do, but gave a glimpse at what they could bring to the show. 10 pts
Note- here's my beef with the judges:  They bitched and bitched and bitched to Super Cr3w and Massive Monkees  for not having good choreo in their routines. We finally get a fusion crew that bridges the two styles, and the judges bitch and bitch and bitch that it was not more b-boy or more choreo based.  If you  want a pure b-boy group say so.  It is rare to get a group this good at both.
Total points- 26 pts

Poreotix dancing to "Love Story" by Taylor Swift
First Impressions- Not gonna lie here folks.  I loathe this crew.  Loathed them before the show, loathed them on the show and loathe them more after the show.  All I can promise is I will try my best to be fair.  Now that you have your ammunition, please commence with the great Guest nerd raging about me not being instantly in love with your favoritest crew ever.  Your whining fills my belly.
Was it clean/Was it Difficult? Extremely minor timing issues aside, this is the Rhythm City of the season when it comes to clean and difficult routines. Everyone was together and for such a controlled style, you really felt the energy they had in each of their moves.  - pts
Was it well thought out/How well did they handle the theme? After four seconds I had to mute it.  What I saw was good and built up up to form a good whole.  - pts
How well did they do the challenge? I don't know how to score this.  The entire time it just felt like I was watching an extremely low key Quest routine that didn't have any spark to it. I mean if I want to watch Quest, I will watch Quest.  I don't want to see a tribute crew for them.  For the sake of fairness, I will give them max points for this routine. -pts 
What were the highlights? Overall it was good.
What, if anything, took away from the performance? The music selection and the already dead joke at the end.
Total points- 30 pts

Did the judges pick the right two? No.  While Poreotix was a no-brainer choice, Hype 5-0 or BreakEFX should have been the other one saved.  I mean Heavy Impact was okay,  but BreakEFX and Hype 5-0 were more exciting and entertaining.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUDDEN DEATH:
The Blended Projekt, Hype 5-0, BreakEFX dancing to "Showdown" by Black Eyed Peas

The Blended Projekt- They took the judges' advice to heart, and came out harder then they did before.  Sadly, they were still out of formation and off sync throughout the routine.  Big props on starting the dancing when the music started instead of waiting for the announcer,  and for stepping it up.

Hype 5-0- The first 3 seconds was a bit sloppy and they almost lost me, but they went right into the hard hitting style and kept up a good energy level. They completely lost me once they got to the canoe section.  It took too long to set up and just was not needed.

BreakEFX- This was another crew that listened.  They were cleaner and they brought a bit more energy to the routine.  Very nice formation work and well framed stunts helped as well.

Who should win and why? It really too close between Hype and BreakEFX to call.  Both did really good but I would put my money on BreakEFX.

Did the judges pick the right one? I'm still of two minds on this.  I think we could have gotten a lot more out of BreakEFX in the long run, but if that would have happened Hype 5-0 would not have been able to shine like they grew to do later in the season.  I really think they made a mistake overall by putting Heavy Impact ahead of both these crews.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Regional Rankings
1. Poreotix 30 pts
2. Hype 5-0 27 pts
3. BreakEFX 26 pts
4. Heavy Impact 22 pts
5. The Blended Projekt 5 pts

Thoughts on this episode as a whole- Not gonna lie folks.  The first time I watched this episode,  I did not mind the judges' choices so much.  Now coming back to it, that old Season Two anger is coming back.  This was the first major BS call of the show and there is only more to come.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Click here to return to the first page and to leave comments. Thanks Teldon for telling it like you see it!