Comments software fixed! We want comments!

The software for leaving comments is working again after a 13 hour outage. If you were closed out yesterday, much apologies, and please revisit some of the recent comment-worthy posts (e.g., 'will there be a season 4', the auto-click issue). Thanks!

Exclusive Week 7 Backstage interview with Quest

Our field reporter Noah Reich prowls backstage before the Week 7 taping of America's Best Dance Crew Season 3. He talks at length with Quest, gets Shane to reveal his current favorite crew, talks to Layla Kayleigh about the importance of this week's challenge, and poses with the remaining crews. Best part: Quest teaches him some super special dance moves to bring to the clubs. You won't want to miss it.

MTV airs Red Bull BC One today

The video of this year's Red Bull BC One will air on MTV today (February 28) at 11pm ET/PT. The event is an annual international breakdancing series featuring individual b-boy competitors, with the main event featuring 16 of the best dancers competing in one-on-one battles. Here's a short promo; for more information, visit bcone.mtv.com or redbullbcone.com

UPDATE: DON'T stuff the MTV ballot box - lessons from Beat Freaks site

Reader Absy sent me a link from a Beat Freaks fan site (NOT the official Beat Freaks site) showing how to set up an autoclicker in order to vote often for their favorite America's Best Dance Crew group. UPDATE: The information has been removed from this site.

IMPORTANT: Using Autoclick is against MTV policy and can lead to all your votes being thrown out. From the rules: "Use of any device to automate a vote is prohibited, including but not limited to software-generated, robotic, programmed, script, macro or other automated votes. MTVN reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual (and remove any votes from that individual) it suspects or finds: (i) to have used a software-generated, robotic, programmed, script, macro or other automated online or text message entry; (ii) to have tampered with the voting process; (iii) to be acting in violation of these Voting Rules; or (iv) to be acting in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person. MTVN reserves the right to remove votes at its sole discretion." Thanks for the info, Alycia!

Kollaboration IX Field Report Part II: Fanny Pak's surprise

Here's more on Kollaboration IX from Angela and Annie Kim:
During Kollaboration IX, Paul 'PK' Kim, the show's host, announced that the show was sold out and that there were people still waiting in line, stuck outside, trying to get tickets to get in. So you can imagine how it was at the Shrine Auditorium (capacity: 6300)! The first half of the show closed with a guest performance by Fanny Pak.

During intermission, my sister Annie and I frantically ran around to find FP! We were lucky enough to get an interview with Fanny Pak's Megan Lawson. She was very talkative, super friendly and funny. We found out that Fanny Pak has their own line of fanny packs (haha, well of course!), clothing and shoes. They are even creating some music, mostly of beats that they can dance to. She revealed that there is a surprise in store for fans. We really tried to find out what the secret was, but Meg didn't budge. She gave us a hint, "We're doing dance on films. Some old stuff, but recreated...I would love to tell you more, but then I would have to kill you." Wonder what it is! We can't wait! Here's the interview with Meg:

Click here to read the rest of the report, watch a party video with all of Fanny Pak, and watch Fanny Pak's performance from 2 different angles!

Week 7 Recaps -- battling conclusions

• LA Times is happy with the final 2. Their advice: vote for Quest if you are voting for Week 7, vote for Beat Freaks if you're voting based on the entire Season 3.
• Water Cooler Convo says that Quest THREW IT DOWN.
• Game Show Kingdom thinks that the final dances were too short
• Zap2It notes that Beat Freaks is all about finesse and Quest is about power moves, then weighs the two crews weaknesses
• Celebrity Cafe says that Quest's spin on the piano was 'the deal breaker'
  

Watch Quest's Week 7 Performance again

I've been watching Quest's performance in the America's Best Dance Crew Decathlon Challenge again. It is definitely one of the Season 3 highlights for me. Click here to watch it again.

The other Decathlon performances: Click here for Beat Freaks, and here for Fly Khicks

Could this be the last season for ABDC?

Chrissy at Yahoo! TV asks if America's Best Dance Crew will be cancelled after Season 3. She bases her fears on the fact that there has been no announcement about a Season 4. And, she gives three reasons that MTV might cancel the show: 1. High production costs, 2. possible lack of qualified crews, 3. waning viewer interest.

What do you think? Can this show be saved?

Exclusive : Podcast with Fly Khicks

I had the privilege of speaking with Fly Khicks on Wednesday February 25, after they were eliminated from America's Best Dance Crew Season 3. They were ebullient and funny in describing their experience of hearing they made the show, how it felt to make it to the top 3, how they dealt with frustration and injuries (singing and shopping!), their relationship with Beat Freaks, their favorite challenge (the Hip Hop Decathlon!), what's next for them, and much more. The thing they'd change about ABDC: they think it would benefit from more guest choreographers. (In the picture: our field reporter Noah Reich with Fly Khicks at the Week 7 taping). Listen in:

Last chance to win our Elimination challenge contest!

This is the final week in our Elimination Challenge contest. Enter your votes to predict next week's results: Which crews will win America's Best Dance Crew Season 3 and which will be the runner up? Enter this week; the person with the highest cumulative score for Season 3 will win an ABDC crew shirt of their choice and size (up to $35 retail).

The current contest leader is Eddie, but 4 other people could still come from behind and win. And, enter if you want a better score in the final rankings, which I'll post sometime after the finale. Enter NOW -- here are the rules and details. Entries for this week will be accepted until midnight, Tuesday March 4.

IMPORTANT TIE-BREAKER QUESTION: in your comment, please guess how many votes were cast during this last week. (I'm hoping MTV will announce this info, as they've done for the last two seasons). If there's a tie, the person with the closest answer wins. If there's a tie and you don't answer, you're out!!

Send some love to Fly Khicks!

Congratulations to Fly Khicks for making it to America's Best Dance Crew Season 3 Top 3! You showed us the sexy side of hip hop choreography. Your skills and fan base grew each week, as you were not afraid to add new styles and tough tricks to the mix. You were always fun to watch both on-stage and off-stage. I trust we'll be seeing Fly Khicks in the next few years!

This post is only for positive comments about Fly Khicks. For negative comments or discussion on other topics, please visit our Week 7 Critics Corner.
Photocredit: Chris Polk/MTV

Survey: Which remaining crew gave the best performances over the whole Season 3?

Survey: Which ABDC Crew gave the Best Week 7 Performance?

poll by twiigs.com

Who should win ABDC? VOTE NOW!

The voting is now open for Week 7 from now until 1 AM onn March 5. This is IT -- vote for which crew should win America's Best Dance Crew Season 3. Performance videos will probably be online by 11pm West Coast time, to aid in your choices. Cast your vote here.

Then, please come back to our Critic's Corner! We need you!

Cartoon credit: Cosmo Cat from Cartoon Snap

The Critics Corner is NOW OPEN -- What did you think of this week's show?

The Critics Corner for America's Best Dance Crew Week 7 is now open! Share your impressions, frustrations, hates and loves. Did the crews master the hip hop moves? Is there a clear winner? Are the judge whack? Give us your reactions to Week 7 and to the season in general. We'll leave this post open and prominent, so you can comment all the way through to the finale!
Photocredit: MTV

Live play-by-play blogging of ABDC's Week 7

At 10pm, I'll be watching America's Best Dance Crew and live blogging the facts as I see them. So tune in at 10 and feel free to read along!

Even though this software gives readers the option of sending me comments, please post most of them on the separate Party Room post instead (unless you REALLY want me to see your message real-time). Reason: with this software, reader comments must be manually inserted by me and I'll be busy enough between the TV and the keyboard.

Preview videos for the Main Event, including Boogie Bots, Lost Kids

Who says the East Coast can't bring it? Watch this promo video from The Main Event, which is a dance competition featuring 14 East Coast teams, along with exhibitions and workshops from great U.S. Crews including Boogie Bots, Lost Kids, Funkanometry SF, Fr3sh, and Project Em. Maybe Season 4 will be owned by the East Coast. (written as a frustrated NYer!).

Click here to watch Main Event video of the Lost Kids. And if you're on the East Coast, plan to attend!

Week 7 Sneak peak: backstage and onstage

Noah Reich covered Tuesday's taping of America's Best Dance Crew's Week 7 for us, and files this preview:

I've been attending the show over the past three seasons now and have gotten to know many of the crews really well. That be said, I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart that the three remaining crews this season are some of the most genuinely nice people I've ever met. During season 2 when it came down to the final few crews, there was a tension in the air. This season every crew is just there to have fun and even though this was the last week before the finals, everyone was joking around and holding their heads up high.

I don't want to give too much away about the performances but what I can say is that there is one performance tonight that will leave you speechless. Everyone in the green room had their jaws to floor and I literally got the chills from it. Oh, did I mention that the performance got a standing ovation from every single person in the audience as well as the judges? Just to get you guys even more pumped, I can say that this performance was by far one of my favorite ABDC performances out of all the seasons.

Click here to read more about tonight's show and the crews' reactions to the challenges. We'll post Noah's crew video soon -- you WON'T want to miss them (a Macarena lesson from Quest??)

Got ABDC questions? Tell me what I should ask at the finale!

I'll be attending the America's Best Dance Crew Season 3 finale next week. I hope to interview as many of the crews and ABDC personalities as I can. But what should we ask them? We got some great questions last time we asked for your input, and used many of them in our interviews and podcasts. I WANT MORE!!

Submit your questions in the comments section. Guidelines:

• Give me questions for anybody, not only the crews. What do you want to ask the judges, Layla Kayleigh, Mario Lopez, DJ Rashida, ABDC alums, winners, nonwinners, you name it.
  
• Keep it simple -- something that can be answered in 30 seconds or less
• Original is good -- there have been so many interviews that I'd love some fresh material!
  
• This is video, so questions that require visual responses are cool
  
• Deadline: Tuesday March 5, Midnight West Coast time

Wk. 6 Survey results: Quest on Top, Fly Khicks on Bottom

Here's the results of our surveys on the best and worst performances for America's Best Dance Crew Week 6: Battle of the Sexes:
- Quest won your votes for the best performance, followed by Beat Freaks

- Fly Khicks was voted to have the weakest performance, followed closely by Strikers.

As a reminder, here's a clip of Quest's performance:

T0NIGHT: Join us for live blogging,The Critics Corner, and more

Thank God it's Thursday! Watch America's Best Dance Crew and the Battle of the Sexes Challenge with us tonight! The Week 7 Critics Corner opens at 9:30 ET and stays open as long as you want, so that everyone can comment on anything remotely related to ABDC. Did you like the challenge? Did the crews rise to the skill level of their ABDC alum teachers? What about the last chance performances? Who is going to win this thing, anyway?

At 10pm ET, I'll be doing live play-by-play while watching the show, so feel free to tune in and make fun of me or get a sneak preview of the action (for those of you from the West Coast/Canada/India or other ABDC-deprived zones).

Tomorrow morning, please vote in our polls on the best and worst performances. Plus, the final week of our Elimination Contest and Top 4 Contest will be on-line, so get in on the action. Join us!

Video: JabbaWockeeZ on Ellen Degeneres

JabbaWockeeZ appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show on February 25, 2009. The show's website runs an exclusive extended video of their performance (sorry, it can't be embedded, but here's a screenshot).

New Merchandise available for every Season 3 Crew!

MTV's online store is now selling Tshirts with the colors and logos for each of the nine crews. The shirts were released last night and many are already sold out!
Thanks for the tip, LetRyGuyIn!
UPDATE: conspiracy theory of the day in our comments section -- the page is set up with Beat Freaks shirt on top and by itself. Below it, the shirts for Fly Khicks and Quest, and below THAT, the last 6 shirts are placed in the order of the crews' elimination. Nice way to fan the flames (or flame the fans) , MTV!

Kollaboration IX Field Report Part I: Kaba Modern, Team Millennia

Angela and Annie Kim (aka 'AK' sisters) covered Kollaboration IX this weekend, focusing on America's Best Dance Crew alums. Here's Part I of their amazing report:
"Let's play a game. Seven years ago, a 14-year old boy competed right before the infamous Youtube dancer David Elsewhere during the free-style Dance competition at Kollaboration, an annual talent show dedicated to promoting a strong Asia Pacific Islander presence by empowerment through entertainment. The performances drove the crowd wild with cheers, applause, and "I love you!s" as crews executed and delivered their routines flawlessly. Can you guess who this 14-year old boy could be?

Give up? That boy just happens to be (that's right!) Kaba Modern's very own Mike Song. Here's what he said, looking back on this first appearance at Kollaboration: "David Elsewhere came out after me. And then he ripped it," laughed Mike. "It was cool, because it kind of served as a really humbling experience. So it stayed with me in a good way. So now that's where my roots are so that's why I feel I owe a lot to Kollaboration, too." Here's the full interview: Click here for the rest of the Part I report, including an interview with Kaba Modern's Yuri Tag and videos of the Kaba and Team Millennia performances at Kollaboration IX. We'll post Part II of the report (featuring in-depth interviews and performance videos with Fanny Pak) very soon. Thanks Angela and Annie!

Kaba Modern in ad for Yeo's Green Tea

Kaba Modern Legacy (featuring many of the crew members who appeared on America's Best Dance Crew Season 1) are the stars of this new commercial for Yeo's Green Tea.

Reminder: Empower event this weekend with Supreme Soul and ASIID

There are still some tickets available for the Empower program on February 28 and March 1 in Alameda, California. The event will feature performances by dance crews, musicians, poets, and djs, featuring Supreme Soul and ASIID. There will also be a special autograph signing session with the two America's Best Dance Crew alum groups.This event will benefit Soulciety's Bridge program, which provides education and arts workshops to underprivileged youth overseas.
Get your tickets here.

Does Quest have an unfair advantage on ABDC?

TV Squad asks if Quest has an unfair advantage on ABDC. "Three of their performers are former finalists of So You Think You Can Dance. Hell, even judge Shane Sparks choreographed and judged on SYTYCD before beginning his stint on America's Best Dance Crew...The question is whether or not its unfair that so much of America has already become familiar with and fallen in love with the dynamic style of Hok Konishi, Ryan Conferido and Dominic "D-Trix" Sandoval of Quest Crew. Where do you draw the line, or is there any need to?"

The writer concludes that Quest has been strong enough that the advantage was not unfair since the judges have not mentioned the SYTYCD connection. But he concludes with the question: "Should performers from one reality show be allowed to compete in a different one?"

Now that this season is almost over, it's a good time to ask whether relatively unknown crews can effectively compete against groups with established reputations (either through TV exposure or other professional work). What do you think?

Mailbox: Lil Mama, Quest, Kaba Modern, SoReal Cru

• San Francisco Examiner continues its Lil Mama fashion watch
• Speaking of fashion, there's a new Quest Tshirt available to get the Quest vote out.
  
• Kaba Modern's Yuri Tag will teach 2 dance workshops in Toronto on March 1. Thanks to LetRyGuyIn for this news (and the Quest Tshirt item too!)
• TKofthewildboyz has great pictures of the SoReal Cru visit to San Diego
  

Super Cr3w, Fanny Pak, Kaba Modern at Feel the Beat

On Friday February 20, America's Best Dance Crew alums Super Cr3w, Fanny Pak, and Kaba Modern performed at Feel the Beat, to benefit the Childrens' Hospital of Orange County. OMGIt'sGordon filmed all three performances. Here's Super Cr3w showing their individual B-boy prowess then working as a crew on a new routine.

Video: ABDC alum coaches prepare for Wk7 challenge

MTV Insider taped America's Best Dance Crew alums Taeko (Fysh N Chicks), Mike (Kaba Modern), Ronnie B (Super Cr3w), Kevin (JabbaWockeeZ) and Frost (Supreme Soul) at RD Fantasy Factory, as they demonstrate the moves they'll be teaching Quest, Beat Freaks, and Fly Chicks for this week's hip hop pentathlon. Thanks for the tip, LetRyGuyIn!

Week 7 description and playlist

According to MTV, during America's Best Dance Crew Week 7, the remaining 3 crews will compete on two separate challenges:a hip-hop pentathlon (that's what you call half a decathlon MTV!!) where each crew will dance to the same five songs:
--"Closer” by Ne-Yo
--“Love Lockdown” by Kanye West
--“Poker Face” by Lady Gaga
--“I’m in LA (Miami) Trick” by LMFAO
-- “Get Up” by 50 Cent

Afterwards, they will create their own mix and choreography for a last chance challenge.

JabbaWockeeZ on Ellen Degeneres show Wed. February 25

Yet more JabbaWockeeZ news! America's Best Dance Crew's masked men will appear on the Ellen Degeneres show this Wednesday, February 25.
Check your local listings or www.ellentv.com for more information.

New Quest Fansite with bios, pix, videos

There's a new Quest fansite called Quest Crew Mania (www.questcrew01.webs.com). It is already loaded with Quest bios, a photo gallery and videos from their America's Best Dance Crew performances. There are links to be used for a forum and blog. Here's a sample of the content - 1 of 2 assorted "tripe" -- video clips from 2005 and 2006 of Quest and its crew members (including Boxcuttuhz Lydia Paek).

JabbaWockeeZ Performing All over the place with New Kids on the Block

JabbaWockeeZ will be joining New Kids on the Block for most of their tour in March and April. Click here to see the full schedule.

Predict ABDC winner and win prizes!

Reality-TV-Online is giving away a $75 Rhapsody.com certificate and America's Best Dance Crew T shirts. Just click for the details and vote on who will win Season 3. Good luck!

Video: unmasked JabbaWockeeZ dance off against NBA Stars

MissionG.com presents a new, fun JabbaWockeeZ video. In it, the unmasked JabbaWockeeZ dance off against NBA stars Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Garrett, and some fans at the NBA All-stars game. Watch it here.

If you haven't checked out MissionG.com, you should. If you have checked it out, you should check it out again. They are continually updating with more coverage of the All-Stars game, more JabbaWockeeZ and other hip hop dancing. And, Gatorade donates $1 to charity for each visit to their site -- everybody wins on this one.

Exclusive: Backstage interviews with Beat Freaks, Super Cr3w

BloggingBestDanceCrew.com reporter/UCLA student Salima Koroma got close with Beat Freaks and and REALLY close with Super Cr3w members Do Knock and Vex at last week's America's Best Dance Crew taping. They also share their favorite moves with her. Here's the Beat Freaks interview, thanking Super Cr3w for its support, asking for your vote, talking about their pre-performance routine, and showing how to tick.
Click here to watch the amusing session with Super Cr3w, where they reveal which Season 3 crew they support, talk about how they spent their $100,000 winnings from Season 2, and show off their best "moves".

Next Saturday: The Main Event -- East Coast's Hip Hop Competition!

The East Coast finally has a dance competition of its own! On February 28, Fr3sh Dance Troupe will present The Main Event Dance Competition at the Bergen Performing Art Center in Englewood, NJ. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 201-227-1030 or online at www.bergenpac.org.

The Main Event is a first of its kind: an annual hip-hop dance competition featuring talent from the East Coast as well as some of the best crews in America. Over 20 crews will perform, including Project Em, Fr3sh, Funkanometry SF, and the Lost Kids with a special performance from America's Best Dance Crew Season 2 crew Boogie Bots. Other ABDC alumni are expected to appear including Boxcuttuhz' Rocko Luciano, SoReal Cru's Brian Puspos, and ICONic's Geo Hubela.

On March 1, Fr3sh will sponsor dance workshops with master classes taught by Kyle Hanagami and Ellen Kim (The Lost Kids), Mariel Martin (former artistic director of Funkanometry SF), Keone Madrid (Choreo Cookies), and Brian Puspos (SoReal Cru)

Strikers -- stepping lesson, how Tallie broke a tooth in rehearsals

Albert at Talk of Fame visited Strikers All-Stars after their elimination. He talks to them about the slip-up in their Battle of the Sexes performance and exactly how Tallie Brinson broke his tooth during the rehearsal for the group dance. And, Albert adds stepping to his many skills, courtesy of a dance lesson from Strikers. Hey Albert -- you're almost ready for Season 4 of America's Best Dance Crew!

Week 6 recaps - Second Batch

• 

• Celebrity Cafe summarizes the America's Best Dance Crew Battle of the Sexes choreography and thought the group dance looked "crowded"
• Buddy TV says that the judges got it right this week
• LA Times thinks that Strikers and Fly Khicks were the best 2 crews in the group dance, and reports that Fanny Pak, ASIID, Super Cr3w, Fysh N Chicks and Twilight star Justin Chon and Michael Clark Duncan attended this week's taping
• Mia at Ningin thinks Beat Freaks and Quest were the best 2 crews in the group dance, and thought that Fly Khicks stepped up this week
• Tiffanie at Ningin loves Quest's lighthearted fresh style and Beat Freaks' ability to merge "7 super heroes" into something "new and unstoppable"
  

Photocredit: MTV