We are Heroes on ABDC: "I feel this is a crazy hell/heaven"

Rafu Shimpo, a Los Angeles Japanese newspaper, published an in-depth profile of We Are Heroes, including information on each of the members. Best quotes:

• Hero: “I feel like this is a crazy hell/heaven,” Hero said, her voice rising with excitement. “Because 24/7, each single second, I’m thinking about the choreograph, the routine.”
• We Are Heroes came together as if by fate, having never met each other before rehearsals. “We just got together for this show, but I feel like we’ve been together for a long time,” Mami said.
• “What Beat Freaks started,” Ali said, “we’re going to try and finish out."

Lil Mama Interview: 'Just like the Female Pinocchio - I'm a real girl!'

After the taping of America's Best Dance Crew Week 2, Chris Trondsen and ASIID's Della Hamby talked to Lil Mama about her style , the diversity of this season's crews, how women's images are tied to their outfits, her surprise at some of the results, and whether it matters if a crew (or a person) is gay, and her upcoming plans (including her birthday party). Favorite quote: when talking about why she's not wearing a hat, Lil Mama replied, "Just like the Female Pinochio - I'm a real girl."

More reports from the tapings

• From ZLenox: 'I was there yesterday it was really upsetting....the bottom 2 was one of the best battles I've ever seen one of the best performances in the history of ABDC and the best two performances of the night and the crew that left should have stayed in the competition. None of the crews that were safe stepped it up"
• From MTV Remote Control- JC Chasez loses his ability to form a sentence after one crew's cat-like performance, Shane Sparks calls out the crews, and Lil Mama claims to have a yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Tomorrow, I'll post the preview from our field reporter Chris Trondsen, giving you a non-spoiler teaser focusing on one of the judges.

Shane Sparks Interview: "I say what I feel"

Chris Trondsen and ASIID's Della (Dellalicious) Hamby interviewed Shane Sparks at the taping of the America's Best Dance Crew 4 Beyonce Challenge. Watch and learn which crew Shane would hire to work with him, if he has any regrets as a judge, where he gets his clothes, and why ABDC is legit.

Week 2 Surveys Say - Best: We are Heroes; Worst: Beat Ya Feet Kings

Our Week 2 ( Beyonce Challenge) surveys are now closed. Results, with almost 900 votes apiece. Click to see details for the best performance and worst performance. Highlights:

• We are Heroes had the most votes for the Best Performance (29%), followed by Vogue Evolution (20%), Massive Monkees (16%), Afroborike (15%)
• Beat Ya Feet Kings had the most votes for Worst Performance (30%), followed by Southern Movement (16%), Rhythm City (15%), and Massive Monkees (11%)
  

Monday 8/23 in LA: Super Cr3w, Kaba Modern, Fanny Pak, Lydia Paek, DoKnock!

Monday August 24 is America's Best Dance Crew alumni night at Los Angeles' Level 3 Club. Among the entertainers are Super Cr3w, Kaba Modern, Fanny Pak, Lydia Paek, Super Cr3w's Do Knock performing his single "Indian Giver", Kaba Modern Legacy, Super Cr3w's Ben on the soundboard, and much more. Before that event, there is also a private party to celebrate the birthdays of DoKnock, Fanny Pak's Tiffani, and Kaba Modern's Cindy. Click here (and enlarge the poster) for more details.

We hope to have some coverage of the event, but if you go -- let us know!

Video: Dtrix Workshop at Quest Learning Center

Members of Quest teach hip hop workshops at the Quest Learning Center in Cerritos, CA each Wednesday. From Victor Kim's Youtube Channel, here's a video of Dominic (Dtrix) Sandoval teaching at a recent workshop.

First Pacific Rim Videos: Southern Movement, Vogue Evolution

As usual, Pacific Rim beats everyone to the punch in posting videos from the Episode 3 tapings at America's Best Dance Crew 4. At this point, they have a talk with Leiomy from Vogue Evolution and this talk with Southern Movement, where their guest interview is Boxcuttuhz' Rocko:

Photos: Super Cr3w with AGT's U4ria

Check out pictures of U4ria (currently on NBC's America's Got Talent) dancing it up with members of Super Cr3w (MTV's America's Best Dance Crew 2) and RJ KoolRaul from Supreme Soul with DJ Ben (B'Boy from Super Cr3w)!

What HAPPENED at ABDC Week 3?

I have been without an internet connection and am just now catching up. But it sounds like The Martial Arts Challenge taping was upsetting. I still want this to be spoiler free here, but I am now nervous about watching this week! Here's my first reports:

Time to Fly to the Cheese: At first I tried to keep an optimistic view of this season considering I love Heroes, Vogue Evolution, and Rhythm City. But in my honest opinion, this was the worst episode of America's Best Dance Crew I have ever seen. Im not sure if its the combination of the pointless and stupid challenges, the voting results, and the less than impressive routines from the rest of the crews, or just the fact that every week so far, a crew has gone home that doesn't deserve to go home. They may not be the best but some crews that are saved ARE NOT as entertaining as the bottom 2 crews. This is the first time where almost every crew had more negative commentary than positive commentary. I really wish ABDC would adopt the elimination format of SYTYCD so it can be fair. The crews that perform the worse that night go home. I actually found myself quite bored during half of the performances. I even heard hints of regret from the judges concerning previous eliminations. I've even thought of not attending these tapings anymore. America better start voting correctly or this will DEFINITELY be the worst season of Americas Best Dance Crew past and/or future.

Czar: Ok, just got back from the taping and i'm happy it was better than last week!! The show started off slow but near the end it brought everybody to their feet. All the crews had a good performance but there was one crew that killed it, and got everybody hyped up. The bottom two crews were once again, unexpected! The judges said that the bottom two crews had the best performances of the night. I agreed with the judges decision. Overall it was a great week and I had fun!! I got to sit in back of Quest!!! . . .ABDC alumni that attended: Quest/ Artistry in Motion/ Matt, Meagan, and Glenda from Fanny Pak/ Rocco of Boxcuttuhz/ some Ringmasters/ Taeko and two others from Beast Mode.

Massive Monkees: "Bboying is Like Walking. I can't live without it"

Hip Hop Lives Blog retrieved a 1997 interview with Massive Monkees that was originally published in Oneso Magazine. This one is for the die-hard Massive Monkees fan, going into how they formed from two crews (Untouchable Style Monkees and Massive), their years on the bboy scene, the problems, with travelling, and what they'd be doing if they weren't dancing.

In the article, they deride You Got Served” and “Kicking It Old School" and other current mainstream bboy depictions since it "makes b-boying out to be a joke. They’re definitely trying to make it like another fad, like this is just another fad that’s gonna go out the door." Their conclusion: "B-boying’s more than just tricks, more than shows and competition. It’s a whole lifestyle."

Shane Sparks Part I: his roots in Cincinnati ghetto hip hop

Cincinnati Hip Hop Music Examiner goes back with Shane Sparks to his roots in the Cincinnati hip hop scene. He describes the local style as "'ghetto'--large groups of dancers, sweaty but synchronized who don't, as he puts it, "dance pretty." Instead, the Cincinnati style comes across as raw, tribal and energetic."

The article nails his early dance experience and exposure. Favorite quote: "That’s why I think I’m so successful in the choreography world, because I come from a world of, '(battling) is all you did.' We battled in a group point of view. We’d call out five or six routines in one battle and people would be done! After the second or third routine, people were like,’ Oh, my God! They can’t come no more! ' And we’d keep coming. Then we started freestyling and would come with another routine. So I think that’s kind of the edge that I have over a lot of choreographers out here because I think from a ‘choreography-battling routine-group’ point of view.'”

Video: Brand New ABDC Promo!

Hot off the editing machine: a new promotional video for America's Best Dance Crew Season 4, using clips from the first two weeks.

ABDC's 2nd Martial Arts Challenge: Match the crew to the footwear

MTV Remote Control has a guessing game today: match the crew to their footwear for the Martial Arts Challenge. I think they're taking a lesson from Manolo's Shoe Blog. Any guesses from my astute readers?

Let us know if you attend tonight's taping!

The Martial Arts on America's Best Dance Crew tapes tonight -- August 20. If you are lucky enough to attend, please leave a comment or email us at BloggingBestDanceCrew@gmail.com about your experiences! We'd love to hear what it was like! BUT PLEASE NO SPOILERS ABOUT WHO WAS IN THE BOTTOM AND WHO WENT HOME! Thanks! If you feel a need to leave a spoiler -- GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO DO IT!

Exclusive Vogue Evolution interview - "Beyonce is my Idol"

Chris Trondsen and ASIID's Della Hamby (aka Dellalicious) had fun interviewing Vogue Evolution backstage at the taping of the Beyonce Challenge. Leiomy describes why Beyonce is her idol, they teach our interviewer the Vogue 101 terminology, describe the ball scene, and talk about how there was some improvisation going on during their Week 1 performance. Thanks to Dancetag for collaborating with BloggingBestDanceCrew.com this season on the America's Best Dance Crew backstage tapings!

Exclusive Interview: Afroborike - Happy They're Hot

Chris Trondsen and ASIID's Della Hamby (aka Dellalicious) interviewed Afroborike after the taping of the Beyonce Challenge, Week 2 of ABDC4. Listen in as they talk about how they feel being labelled the 'sexy' crew, how they thought their style would fit on ABDC, whether there's any romantic relationships among crew members, and watch the quick lesson on how to do a split cartwheel. Thanks to Dancetag for collaborating with BloggingBestDanceCrew.com on this season's ABDC backstage interviews.

Exclusive Interview: Rhythm City - dealing with pressure and Youtube feedback

Chris Trondsen and ASIID's Della Hamby (aka Dellalicious) interviewed Rhythm City at the taping of the Beyonce Challenge, Week 2 of ABDC4. Among other things, they talk about dealing with the performance pressure after their great Week 1 feedback, what it's like to watch themselves on TV, and whether they read the comments about them on blogs and Youtube. Thanks to Dancetag for collaborating with BloggingBestDanceCrew.com on this season's ABDC backstage interviews.

This week's events - Lydia Paek (Boxcuttuhz/Quest), Fanny Pak, Fr3sh

• August 21 - Lydia Paek (who dances both with Boxcuttuhz and Quest) is the headliner at Music 101 in Chula Vista, CA.
  
• August 22 - Fr3sh Company auditions in Matawan, NJ
  
• August 24 - Fanny Pak at KIIS-FM Dance Crew Summer Challenge Finals in Universal City, CA
• August 27 - Fanny Pak's Matt Cady and Megan Lawson teaching workshops in Edmonton, Alberta
  

Song links for ABDC Week 3 - Martial Arts Challenge

PureTVNet has the Itunes links up for the songs in the Martial Arts challenge. These are the originals and not master mixes.

Congrats to our Twitter Contest winners!

Thanks to all of you who entered our Twitter contest last week. The winners (drawn at random): Stephanie Casas -$150 Amazon gift card; Schell1023- sweatshirt; AntotoNEE - Tshirt. And thanks to MTV for donating the prizes!

I hope to run another Twitter contest in the next 1-2 weeks. Any suggestions for a different contest question? Obviously, both the question and the answer have to be short and sweet.

Reminder: Week 3 Elimination Challenge contest ends today!

A reminder: you have until midnight tonight to get in your votes for the Week 3 Elimination Challenge. It's still anybody's game. Here's this week's contest post and here are the rules. Good luck!

Beat Ya Feet Kings Interview and a dance lesson!

ASIID's Dellalicious and Dancetag's Chris Trondsen met backstage before the Beyonce Challenge with Beat Ya Feet Kings. They talk to Porche about what it's like to be the only girl in the crew, what they needed to change to get out of the bottom 2 week 1 and their reaction to the week's challenge. And, they give our interviewers a dance lesson, so follow along!

Exclusive interview: Massive Monkees at Week 2 taping

Our interview team of ASIID's Dellalicious and Dancetag's Chris Trondsen talked to Massive Monkees before the taping of the Beyonce Challenge. Among the topics -- whether it's an advantage or a disadvantage to be a bboy in ABDC4, how much nerve it takes to wear those short shorts, the dating status of the guys, and whether they vote for themselves. And, for those fans clamoring to see more of Massive Monkees -- there's even some almost bare-chestedness.

Review and numeric ratings of ABDC's Week 2

Reader AM Pond was inspired by America's Best Dance Crew 4 Week 2's events to write a review, complete with numeric ratings:

This was a sad week in the world of America's Best Dance Crew. Not because of anything of the likes of death or illness, but just because I think that, if they hadn't before, everybody realized just how poor the talent truly is this season. In week 1, there seemed to have been an established top 3 crews; We Are Heroes, Massive Monkees, and my personal favorite, Rhythm City. This week, while these three crews didn't perform poorly in any way whatsoever, none of the three really blew me away. Unfortunately, this week wasn't a story of "who performed best", it was a story of "who didn't perform the worst", and I have to say, I think the judges made the wrong decision.

Click here to read the full review. Thanks AM Pond!

Audition to join Fr3sh Dance Troupe!

Now that you've seen that Fr3sh is 1. immensely talented, 2. fun to be around, and 3. working on fresh approaches to choreography -- why not join them? They are holding auditions in their Matawan, NJ Studio. Schedule: Fr3sh Company (18+) - Aug. 22; Fr3sh Juniors - Aug. 29; Freestyle singles - Aug. 30. Click here to get all the details!

BGirl Movie coming out soon

BGirls, starring Beat Freak's Lady Jules, will be released very shortly in the U.S. Visit bgirlmovie.com for details and to sign up for updates.

Song List for Episode 3 - Martial Arts Challenge

MTV has announced the song choices and specific challenges for the Martial Arts Challenge during ABDC Week 3:

AFROBORIKE: "I Know You Want Me" (Pitbull) - Capoiera
BEAT YA FEET KINGS: "Chillin" (Wale) - Tae Kwon Do
MASSIVE MONKEES: "Bounce" (Masterkraft ft. N.O.R.E) - Extreme Martial Arts
RHYTHM CITY: "LaLaLa" (LMFAO) - Muay Thai
SOUTHERN MOVEMENT: "Ugly" (Bubba Sparxxx) - Kali
VOGUE EVOLUTION: "Work" (Ciara) - Shaolin Kung Foo
WE ARE HEROES: "Starstruck" (3OH!3) - Karate

Exclusive video: We Are Heroes talk at HHI US Finals

Heroes Crew (most of the We Are Heroes crew on America's Best Dance Crew 4) competed at the Hip Hop International US Finals and received the highest scores of the evening on performance. Here's their performance at HHI. In the video below, they talk to the emcee and describe their goals.

Third Chance to win our Top 4 contest!

Thanks to all of you who submitted entries on which crews will be in the top 4 at the end of this season, in the order of their elimination. If you want to change your vote, here's your weekly chance.

At the end of the season, I'll post who won, and who else got the right combination (and in which week). So, even if your choice has already been taken, you can enter a new one now and get some bragging rights. And, there are still some combinations that haven't been picked, if you want to place a bet on some dark horses.

Click here for contest rules and prize. Good luck!

Artistry in Motion - plans and contacts

You can't keep good women down! Artistry in Motion is already planning their next appearances. First up will be a set of master classes to be taught in Arizona. They are not yet ready to give out the details on-line. But you can personally contact them at britarleton@gmail.com for the information, and to request that they appear in your city and studio. And, their Facebook fan page is active with messages and pictures -- join in!

Backstage with Yuri and Taeko: We are Heroes posing and strutting

Koifysh.com also went backstage for the America's Best Dance Crew Beyonce Challenge taping. My favorite video of the week from Yuri and Taeko is shows them with We Are Heroes both before the show taping (where the crew struts in the costumes and heels, talks about the choreography and poses provocatively) and after the taping (where they describe how they couldn't hear Mario tell them that they were safe this week).

Field report: Week 2 from the Press Room

Our interviewer Chris Trondsen shares his impressions from watching Week 2 at the tapings, including some details you couldn't see from your TV set. Thanks Chris!

"The stage lights came up, the music started to play loudly, Mario Lopez walked out on stage and with that the second episode of Season 4 of ABDC began. Week 2 of this season was a must see! For any fan of the show, this is the episode that makes it feel like the show is BACK! Whether it was having Beyonce as this episode's 'mentor' or the judges' lackluster enthusiasm for most crews' during week one, each group came out stronger and harder this week, showing what their crews were really made of."

Click here to read the rest, including the highlight that wasn't shown on TV and the list of standing ovations. Thanks Chris!

More Beyonce recaps, reviews, and critiques

• LA Times focuses on the impact of the challenges and the props
• Buddy TV thinks that Artistry in Motion was robbed
  
• Scream Mary gives the facts and her favorites and also wishes that AIM had stayed on.
• NY Daily News is uncomfortable about Mario Lopez' dimples and finds the crews' names
  'lamentable'.
  
• NY Post lists their favorite moves: We are Heroes' ending formation, Vogue Evolution's triple spin drop, and Afroborike's 'propeller blade'
  

Pacific Rim covers ABDC 2 tapings

As ever, Pacific Rim came out in force at the Week 2 tapings. They cover so many things on the West Coast that it's sometimes difficult to find all of them easily on their Youtube Channel. So, here's this week's gold:

• Rhythm City before show taping (with Boogie Bots Bryan)
• Rhythm City after show was taped
  
• Beat Ya Feet Kings pre-taping (with Boogie Bots Bryan and Ryan)
• Vogue Evolution on history of voguing (with Boogie Bots Bryan and Ryan)
• Rhythm City's Dominique sings
  
• Week 2 review by Beat Freaks Lady Jules and Teresa
• My favorites: Beat Freaks with Vogue Evolution:

• Massive Monkees strip for Beat Freaks:

Beyonce Challenge: First recaps

Here are 2 detailed recaps of ABDC 4's second week -- the Beyonce challenge. Though they are long, they both bear reading by fans and anyone associated with the show -- they express a common dissatisfactions with Season 4 that might be addressed in upcoming challenges. Plus, both are funny as hell!

• You Love to Watch didn't love to watch this week. Pet peeves included lack of a break-out outstanding performance, generally sloppiness or lack of energy, hoochy outfits, and uneven distribution in the difficulty of challenges
• Zatzz: "I for one, and this seems to be the opinion of a lot of ABDC viewers, was extremely underwhelmed by this episode. Some crews I didn't like so much kind of stepped it up, while one of my early favorites fell flat. But overall it was still an enjoyable episode, filled with sexy moves, Beyonce wannabes and BARE LEGS (from both men and women). Click here to read her full recap, filled with amusing and probably controversial takes on the action.
  

Elimination Contest Week 3 - Enter Now!

Time to enter your votes for The Elimination Challenge for next week: Which crews will be in the bottom 2? Who will be eliminated? Enter each week and the person with the highest cumulative score for Season 4 will win an ABDC crew shirt of their choice and size (up to $35 retail). In case of a tie, we will have a tie-breaker question, to be posted the last week of the contest.

As of now, the leaders are Diggy Digs and Jumpp4Me with 4 points total. But the game is young and everybody has a chance to win. So, post your votes now, and remember to include your email address in the appropriate field. Here's the rules. Voting closes midnight Wednesday August 19. UPDATE: This week's challenge is now closed for votes.

Send some love to Artistry in Motion!

Artistry in Motion worked hard to show that hip hop can assimilate modern dance, jazz and other choreographic forms. We loved their idiosyncratic style and pride at the LA auditions for ABDc 4, in their two weeks on the show, and in our Week 1 conversation with them. Despite injuries, they competed hard and gave a particularly outstanding performance in the Beyonce Challenge. They had been successful long before ABDC in teaching and performing,and we hope to see much more of them in the future!

Please leave your positive comments about Artistry in Motion here. If you have negative comments about Artistry in Motion or anything else about America's Best Dance Crew, please post them in the Party Room/Critics Corner.

Survey: Worst Performance in ABDC's Beyonce Challenge

poll by twiigs.com

Survey: Best performance in ABDC's Beyonce Challenge

poll by twiigs.com

VOTE NOW for your favorite Week 2 Crew!

The voting is now open for Week 2: The Beyonce Challenge, from now until 5 am Eastern time. If you want to protect your favorite crew, act now! You can click here to vote. Performance videos will probably be online by 11pm West Coast time, to aid in your choices.

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

Party Room/Critics Corner now open - Join in!

The party room for America's Best Dance Crew Week 2 (the Beyonce Challenge) is now open! TBone will moderate for us tonight. Share your predictions, impressions, frustrations, hates and loves. Did they assign the songs right? What crews really stand out? Is Season 4 the best or worst ever? After the show is over: Give us your reactions. To infinity and beyond!
Photocredit: NBC/Saturday Night Live

Live Play-by-Play Blogging for ABDC's Beyonce Week open now!

This is live play-by-play for tonight's America's Best Dance Crew Season 4 Beyonce Challenge, moderated this week by Nancy. Follow along or keep up with the show if you can't watch it immediately. It's not easy to simultaneously watch the show, write about it, AND monitor the comments, so please leave most of your coments at the Party Room/Critics Corner post above this post!

Who were the judges watching for in the Beyonce Challenge?

MTV Remote Control has stepped up their game, using Supreme Soul interviewer Kool Raul to ask the judges who they were especially looking forward to watching in the Beyonce Challenge. He also gets a dance lesson from Vogue Evolution.

MTV - Music Videos - MTV Shows - Celebrity News

Video: Quest and Beat Freaks at the Monster Show

Both Quest Crew and Beat Freaks performed at the Monster Show (the theater event for Monsters of Hip Hop). Here's the finale featuring both ABDC 3 crews, courtesy FreaktheFashion's Youtube channel. Visit QuestCrewFusion.com for more pictures and videos from the event.

Join us tonight for Live Blogging, the Critics Corner/party room, and more!

Ready for some Sasha Fierce interpretations? Join us tonight for the Beyonce Challenge! The Party Room (aka Critics Corner) opens at 8:30pm (East Coast time) and stays open until whenever for everyone who wants to comment about America's Best Dance Crew Season 4 Episode 2 (or any other related topic). After the show, let us know what you thought --Did the right crew go home? Have you changed your opinions about some of the crews? Is Western society going to the dogs? Sarcasm and emotional outbursts are always welcome!

At 9pm, I'll be doing live play-by-play for those of you on the West Coast or have other reasons you can't or won't watch at that time. And, early tomorrow morning, please vote in our polls on the best and worst performances of the evening. And, we'll have recaps, week 3 of our challenges, some backstage videos, etc. Join us!
Photo credit: MTV

Things to watch for in ABDC's Beyonce Challenge

MTV's Remote Control lists several things to watch for in ABDC's Beyonce Challenge:

• Potential performance problems for Artistry in Motion and Afroborike due to rehearsal injuries
• Cool moves including an homage to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and a dancer tossed 15 feet into the air
• Unusual costume choices including a male crew wearing extremely short shorts and a crew impersonating policement
  
• Shane Sparks telling one crew they are "the sexiest females to ever grace the stage"
  

JC Chasez: "It's going to be a tough season to judge"

JC Chasez talked to Futon Critic about Season 4 and the possibility of a new America's Best Dance Crew Live Tour. Interview highlights:

• What it takes to get on ABDC: "It has to be athletic, it has to be charismatic, it has to be together, it has to be technical but still very grounded and so it's going to take a little bit of everything"
• "In the first show there's three or four groups out of the nine that I've got my eye on. But that could change next week. I try to be as objective as possible."
• Regarding an official ABDC tour: "Wouldn't it be great to partner up with one of the other shows?"

Photocredit: Charlie Gallay/ Getty Images