LA Report -- ABDC Crew sighting!

I'm trying to see a little of LA during our trip for the America's Best Dance Crew finale. Things haven't all worked as planned. BUT -- a crew sighting (and not the ones you'd think, given we're staying in the same hotel as the Season 4 crews). We happened to be at the location of a Nike-thon, and JabbaWockeeZ performed! Best thing all day!

Reminder: Last Day for the Elimination Challenge Contest

If you've been playing our Elimination Challenge contest all season, make sure you get in your last entry. Otherwise someone else might steal your prize! This week, you need to answer both the final order and 2 tie-breaker questions (described here). Click here for the rules and here to leave your submission. And good luck!

We Are Heroes interview: Is there pressure for girl crew to win?

LA Times spoke to Hiro of We are Heroes during Finale Week on America's Best Dance Crew Season 4. Highlights:

• The judge they were most concerned about was JC Chasez since his comments often contradicted the other judges
• Hiro auditioned for every season. She almost was picked in earlier seasons but had visa problems
• If they won, Ali and Nichelle plan to use some of the money to shop.
• On the pressure for a girl crew to win: "Winning "America's Best Dance Crew" would be amazing as it is, but on top of that would be twice as amazing cause we would set a whole new record [as women] and it would almost be like a whole new start to "America's Best Dance Crew."
  

Video: The Hype's Michael Jackson Tribute

The Hype auditioned for America's Best Dance Crew Season 4. Though they didn't make it on the show that season, they captured the attention of a lot of our readers. So, here's a recent video of them, rehearsing a Michael Jackson tribute that they performed at the Dance Supremacy event.

Shane Sparks interview - WAH will win, Vogue Evolution peaked & more views

Rickey.org interviewed Shane Sparks by phone during Finale Week for ABDC 4, and there are several interesting opinions about the crews. He thinks:

• We are Heroes will win and had picked them to win from the start
• Rhythm City deserved to stay on the show longer than they did
• Vogue Evolution peaked on the show and Leiomy would have hurt herself if she had lasted longer
• All of his favorite moments came from Afroborike performances
• Beat Freaks would have won Season 3 if Quest had not given the performance of their lives in the next to last show

Survey Results -- We are Heroes will and should win ABDC4!

With over 1000 votes cast in each survey, our readers told us that We Are Heroes will win America's Best Dance Crew Season 4 and that they deserve to win. Click here for details on the WILL Win survey and here for details on SHOULD win. Highlights:

• While 44% thought We are Heroes should win, the next most popular crews were Rhythm City (31%) and Massive Monkees (10%)
• 89% said that We Are Heroes will win over Afroborike.
  

Video: Vogue Evolution's UStream

Several of our readers participated in this Ustream conversation earlier today. Thanks for the tip, JonnyJ! P.S. I am now on my way to the airport, going from NY to Los Angeles, so email me if you have messages and I'll check them in about 10 hours!

Video: Vogue Evolution interview at Christopher Street Pier Ball

The Luna shows talks to Vogue Evolution members -- three of the America's Best Dance Crew members (Pony, Deshaun, and Prince) as well as several of the members who didn't appear on ABDC. They talk about the history of the crew, some of their favorite experiences in Los Angeles (including late night jacuzzis at the hotel), why Leiomy was upset on the show, what they got out of the show, and more. The end of the video features VE dancing, so stay for all of it! Thanks to Greeneyeznoenvy for the tip!

Mailbox: Corseted Mario, Travis Wong interview

• Mario Lopez is back on Nip/Tuck, outrageous as ever. The show's opener on October 14 features Mario in corset, garters, and stockings. Work it, boy!
• Conducive Magazine interviewed Travis Wong, the martial arts expert who worked with the crews during the America's Best Dance Crew Martial Arts Challenge. He talks about his experience on the show, impressions of the different crews, and what it takes for a dancer to succeed.

Photocredit: Popbytes

Massive Monkees Interview on ABDC, Rhythm City, and their elimination

LA Times interviewed Massive Monkees about their background and America's Best Dance Crew experience. Highlights:

• Their biggest issues with ABDC was that the short format didn't allow them to display their individuality
• The crews they were closest to were Vogue Evolution, We are Heroes and Afroborike
• They thought Rhythm City was going to be in the finals
• "When they announced that we were eliminated, we all felt a little insulted, but we're a group, a crew that's been together for a long time. It was more like 'Hey, we put it all out there.' It is what it is and we should be happy. There's no regrets." UPDATE: Jerome stated that the article misquoted them and that they were UPSET, not insulted."
  

Layla Kayleigh on Rhythm City's elimination: "Don't get mad at the judges!"

In Part III of our interview with Layla Kayleigh at the taping of the semifinal episode of ABDC4, Layla continued on her charming and outstpoken streak. Here, she talks about her sadness at Rhythm City's elimination and her thoughts about Rhythm City's post-elimination interviews. And, she gives our interviewer Chris Trondsen a hard time for standing a little too close to Shane during the interviews! Layla -- we love you!

Videos: Learn signature moves from Massive Monkees, We Are Heroes, Afroborike!

Fanscape got the top three ABDC 4 crews to demonstrate their signature moves. Click here for Massive Monkees, here for We Are Heroes, and here's the lesson from Afroborike:

Podcast with Afroborike: Their name, their style, their fans' planned party!

I spoke by phone with Afroborike's Veronica Collazo during a break in rehearsals for America's Best Dance Crew's Season 4 finale. She talks about the crew's name, how they decided to audition, what Finale Week is like, what they'll do with the money, plans, and how she feels about their sexy reputation. Listen in!

Congratulations to Massive Monkees' Tim -- new father!

According to MTV Remote Control, Massive Monkees member Tim Soriano will miss the finale, but for a wonderful reason. His girlfriend just gave birth to a baby girl Lina Ann! Congratulations to the whole family!

Video: Shane and Layla defend Lil Mama's VMA Stage Invasion

In Part II of our backstage interview with Layla Kayleigh and Shane Sparks, the two defend Lil Mama jumping up onstage with Jay Z during the VMAs. They compare her to Lady Gaga, saying "you want people to love you or hate you. And Shane predicts that "one day Lil Mama is going to be called one of the biggest stars on Earth." Part III of our interview tomorrow!

JBWKZ.com contest - win autographed prizes

JBWKZ.com -- the official JabbaWockeeZ website -- is running a contest. Enter the song you would like to see the Jabbawockeez dance to. The crew will select one song for an exclusive online performance. Enter and you could win an autographed prize pack from the guys!

Videos: JabbaWockeeZ at Dance Supremacy

Redsugar808's Youtube Channel has three upclose videos from JabbaWockeeZ recent performances in Hawaii at Dance Supremacy 09. Here's Part I; click for Part II and for their Hana Hou performance.

Round One on 106th & Park & and as ABDC "Gonna Bes"

Round One caught our eye during the America's Best Dance Crew Season 3 and Season 4 auditions. They will appear on BET's 106th and Park on September 25. And, as shown in this video, you can be sure they are coming out for Season 5. And, thanks for the shout-out guys -- I'd like you even without it!

Upcoming Events - Week of 9/24 with video shoutout from JabbawockeeZ B-tek)

• September 25: Supreme Soul will be performing and signing autographs at The Vibe, 670 Shell Blvd. Foster City, CA at 6pm. $5 for admission and BBQ. For details, call 650-286-3254
• Sept 24-27: Groovaloo featuring several Beat Freaks members in NY.
• Sept 27: Quest at Harvest Moon Festival in Los Angeles
  
• Kaba Modern's Mike Song and Tony Tran: Sept. 25- at Play at Bubble in Melbourne (check out the promo below featuring JabbaWockeeZ' B-tek) September 28-29 - teaching workshops in Melbourne Australia

Podcast with We Are Heroes: Finale Week, sexy clothes, ABDC tour? and more!

I spoke by phone with members of We are Heroes on today (Sept. 23) before they began their finale rehearsals. Listen in as they answer reader questions about injuries, how they're preparing for the finale, how they feel about their sexy costumes, how Afroborike has influenced their performances, touring (including what they know now about plans for an America's Best Dance Crew Live tour - they've heard that there will EITHER be an upcoming tour with Seasons 3 & 4 crews, or the producers will wait and have a tour with crews from Seasons 3, 4 AND 5), and more.

Video: Semifinals cypher with Lil Mama's VMA 'tribute'

From MTV Remote Control, the cypher at the end of America's Best Dance Crew's Decades of Dance/Last Chance Challenge, with Lil Mama satirizing herself.

Finale groupings and songs

MTV Remote Control announced the song choices and groupings for the finale:

• Shane Sparks' group - Beat Ya Feet Kings, Massive Monkees, Southern Movement, dancing to "I Do (Represent)" Lil Jon ft. Swizz Beatz & Snoop Dogg
• Lil Mama's group - Artistry In Motion, Vogue Evolution, We Are Heroes dancing to"Girls On The Dance Floor" Far East Movement
• JC Chasez's group - AfroBorike, Fr3sh, Rhythm City dancing to"Fire Burning" Sean Kingston
  

Video: Fanny Pak and Lost Kids members at Choreographers Carnival

Here's a fierce performance video choreographed by Fanny Pak's Beau Fournier for the Choreographer's Carnival. Thanks for the tip, ABDC!

Backstage with Layla & Shane: "I think he's full of crap" & more on Rhythm City/Massive Monkees Decision!

Shane Sparks and Layla Kayleigh banter and let the fur fly when our interviewers talked to them about choosing between Massive Monkees and Rhythm City. They also talk about the differences between what the judges see vs. what's shown on TV, and Layla gives Shane a hard time for wearing his sunglasses during the interview. If ABDC featured more on-camera banter like this, the ratings would soar! This is part I of III in our interviews with Layla and Shane; come back tomorrow for more!

Video: Talk of Fame takes Bboy lessons from Massive Monkees

Albert Lawrence of Talk of Fame gets in touch with his inner bboy, talking to Massive Monkees about coming up with new moves, dealing with injuries, a tongue-in-cheek steroids accusation, AND the dance lesson. Albert -- don't try that at home!

Breaking With 'ABDC's Massive Monkees from Talk of Fame on Vimeo.

Video - Fly Khicks Behind-the-scenes and dance performance

Here's America's Best Dance Crew Season 3' Fly Khicks doing a dance performance at Future Classic Festival in Miami on September 12, 2009. There are others at Liniapolis' Youtube Channel. Thanks for the tip, Po Po and time to Fly to the Cheese!

What were the best ABDC4 performances?

While we await for the finale, let's talk about the highlights of America's Best Dance Crew Season 4. What were the best individual and group performances? Please use the Comments to nominate your favorite routines (e.g., Smooth Criminal, We Are Heroes Last Chance Challenge). I'll try to find legal videos of the favorites, as well as posting a survey to choose the best of the best (adding in any highlights from the finale, of course!).

Master mixes available for ABDC's Semifinals episode

District 78 posted the master mixes America's Best Dance Crew 4's Decades of Dance and Last Chance Challenges, including the music for the Massive Monkees performance we didn't get to watch.

What have been your favorite master mixes for the 4 seasons of ABDC? If I get enough responses on this, I'll put together the results and make a survey for reader votes.

JabbaWockeeZ on 106th And Park

JabbaFanatix7 Youtube Channel has videos from JabbaWockeeZ' appearance on BET's 106th and Park on September 21, 2009. On the show, they did an and 2 performances. Thanks for the tip, Jacob! UPDATE: The performances are no longer on-line. If and when they become available again (the 106th and Park website is slow to update their videos), we'll repost it.

Recaps R Us - The Semi Finals Edition

• You Love to Watch LOVED to watch We are Heroes on America's Best Dance Crew this week, gets technical with the dance description, asks to retire the phrase "left it all on the floor", and observes, "OOOOOOOHH, fire. Highly underutilized in the dance world except at raves and luaus."
• We'll Fix it In saves their best snark for Afroborike, saying "A hyperspeed Pee Wee Herman dance is not the same thing as James Brown" and that they looked like "extras from a Polynesian resort's dinner theater." Ooh, remind me never to cross Howard and LeKeith!
• Spoil the Ending thinks that We Are Heroes smashed their competition in both ABDC routines
• Angry Asian Man wants to cast negative votes for one crew
• Too Interesting for Twitter in their weekly video notes that the ABDC team saved from the bottom 2 during the semifinals episode has ALWAYs won the season and hopes that fact continues
  
• No videos from LA Times thought it was ballsy that WAH "blew a huge fire ball and danced around a wooden stage that had been topped with some sort of gas-fire contraption"
  

Video: Afroborike - Why we deserve to be in the Top 2

Afroborike spoke to our reporters after the taping of America's Best Dance Crew Season 4's semifinals. They talk about how they are the only crew on ABDC that has ever done all dance styles, preparing 2 routines in 2 days, how they came up with the purple feather costumes, their favorite drinks, loving their haters as well as their fans, and how they are getting votes not only from the US but from South America.

Video: Rhythm City at Semifinals taping -- We're NOT haters!

Rhythm City returned to the America's Best Dance Crew backstage a week after they were eliminated, and met with our reporters Chris Trondsen and Fanny Pak's Glenda Morales. They address the fan complaints that they disrespected Massive Monkees and were sore losers. They also described what they've been doing with their week of free time and who they will vote for for the ABDC finale.

The End is Here! - Enter our Elimination Challenge NOW!

Time to enter your votes for The Elimination Challenge for the last 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).

Fired Up is in the lead with 11 points, but there are 3 people who are just one point behind and could still tie. And, this is the about only place you can let your friends know how this ABDC season will play out. So even if you're not in the running for the prize, please vote and let us know what you think! Post your votes now, and remember to include your email address in the appropriate field. Here's the rules. Voting closes midnight Saturday September 26 at midnight.

And, include your answers to the following tie-breaker questions, ESPECIALLY if you think you have a chance of winning or tie-ing for high score: 1. how many votes were cast in the last week of ABDC4? 2. How many votes were cast during the whole ABDC 4season? I don't know whic stat will be announced by MTV, so please answer both!

We Are Heroes dish about Food, Clothes and Challenges

Our reporters Chris Trondsen and Fanny Pak's talk to We Are Heroes during the crew's dinner, before the taping of the America's Best Dance Crew 4 semi-finals. Among the topics: how they can't keep the costumes they wear on the show, even when they have their names on them. Doesn't seem fair, somehow.

Glenda and Chris recap the semi-finals!

Our reporters Chris Trondsen and Fanny Pak's Glenda Morales discuss their feelings about the America's Best Dance Crew Season 4 Last Chance Challenge, and eat some cupcakes.

VogueEvolution.com up and running - All about VE

Vogue Evolution just came out with a new website that fans must visit: VogueEvolution.com (what else would it be?). It is chock-a-block with photos, videos, information about the voguing movement, crew members, and the evolution of the crew. And, it's a nifty interface. befitting the crew!
UPDATE: There's some confusion about the website. It was created by a freelance design company called Born Ready Enterprises (the logo at the lower right corner of the VE homepage), NOT by MTV.

Video: Massive Monkees - Boxers or Briefs and other hot questions

Our interviewers Chris Trondsen and Fanny Pak's Glenda Morales talked to Massive Monkees before the Decades of Dance and Last Chance Challenge were taped. The exhausted crew doesn't take off their shirts for us, but talk about being in the bottom 2 with Rhythm City, Lil Lazy's recent marriage, how to understand bboy moves, their favorite boy band, and -- boxers vs. briefs.

Zatzz's recap: ABDC Week 7

"The season seems to have passed by so fast, the show already at its 7th episode. It seemed like just yesterday that those 9 new, diverse, different crews stood on stage, all fighting to prove they could change the game. For me, as well as the majority of ABDC viewers, I would never have thought that We Are Heroes and AfroBorike would be fighting for the title. This week, they have left it all on the dance floor, and it seems like the heat was too much to Massive Monkees who, to my devastation, saw their banner drop to the ground.

Read on to see how the final three crews traveled through time, gave it their all, spit fire, was awarded the first standing ovation of the season, and of course, go all out sexy on us." Thanks Zatzz!
Photocredit: MTV

Video: Quest performance on Emmys

Credit to Rickey.Org for this video:

Send some love to Massive Monkees

As soon as I saw Massive Monkees in the New York America's Best Dance Crew auditions, I knew I wanted to see them on the show. Over the first three seasons of ABDC, viewers came to expect a lot from the b-boy crews, and Massive Monkees always delivered. They made jaw-dropping tricks look effortless and incorporated them into their routines with humor and finesse.

This post is only for positive comments on Massive Monkees. If you have anything negative to say about the crew or anything else, please take it to the Party Room/Critics Corner.
Photocredit: MTV

Which crew do you think SHOULD have won ABDC4?

Now that you've seen the entire competitive season of America's Best Dance Crew: who do you think SHOULD have won ABDC4? Base this primarily on what the crews did during the episodes, but you might also want to consider how you think they might have handled challenges they didn't get to do. For example, would Vogue Evolution have killed it in the VMA Challenge and gone all the way from there?
UPDATE: Sorry for the typo on the survey. It should read ABDC4 -- I guess I am already thinking about next season!

poll by twiigs.com

Which crew do you think WILL win ABDC4?

poll by twiigs.com

Who should win ABDC4? VOTE NOW!!

The voting is now open for America's Best Dance Crew Week 7 from now until 5:00 AM on Monday September 21. This is IT -- vote for which crew should win America's Best Dance Crew Season 4. Performance videos will probably be online by 11pm West Coast time, to aid in your choices. Cast your vote here, now and often!

Then, please come back to our Party Room/Critic's Corner! We want YOU!

Party Room/Critics Corner now open - Join in!

The Party room/Critics Corner for America's Best Dance Crew Week 7 is now open! Share your predictions, impressions, frustrations, hates and loves. What do you wish you'd seen this season? Who do you want to see teamed up during the finale? Do you think there will be record numbers of votes cast for the finale? Did they finally show enough skin this week?

After the show is over: 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 as long as you like. Let it out.

Live Play-by-Play Blogging for ABDC's Last Chance Challenge open now!

This is live play-by-play for tonight's America's Best Dance Crew Season 4's Decades of Dance/Last Chance Challenges, moderated this week by NancyT. 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 comments at the Party Room/Critics Corner post above this post!

Preview from the Pressbox: - Chris Trondsen on the Last Chance Challenge

Chris Trondsen files his report on the ABDC Week 7 taping:
"I remember last season when most people thought The Beat Freaks were going to win the season. And it was the week before the finale that Quest came out strong with their performance titled an “OrQUESTra” where they finished by having Steve T. do a back flip and they pushed him in the air over another member and he landed it, that really had the tides turn and people came out voting strong and they became the crew that won the season.

One of the crews that made it to the finale has a performance like that tonight. Not only did the entire crowd and press get to their feet to give them a standing ovation and chant their crew name, but the judges, ALL three of them (yes, including the hard to impress JC Chasez) gave this crew a standing ovation for their final performance. If the winner of season 4 is based on their final performance, the crew that the judges saved and brought to the final two will win this season. The entire crowd, press, and judges made it clear which of the final two crews is the stronger of the two."

Click here to read the rest of Chris' preview. Thanks Chris!

Videos: Vogue Evolution at Global Warming Ball

Vogue Evolution (minus Leiomy and Malechy, plus Kristina Tsunami and Joselo Milan) performed at the Global Warming Ball on September 19, 2009. From Dancing4ever's Youtube Channel, here's the performance in two parts. Thanks for the tip, Erica Nicole!

JabbaWockeeZ on 106th and Park Sept. 21

According to their Twitter, JabbaWockeeZ will perform on BET's 106th and Park this Monday, September 21. Thanks for the tip, Jacob!

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

Join us tonight before, during, and after the Decades and Last Chance Challenges on America's Best Dance Crew. ABDC is on at its regular time tonightt (9PM ET/PT). The Party Room/Critics Corner opens at 8:30pm ET and stays open until everyone has staggered out in a stage of delirium from what they've seen on ABDC and its impact on world peace. Talk about the final 2, what you want to see on ABDC Season 5, what you'd like to see on the finale, whatever.

At 9pm ET, Nancy will 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. Early tomorrow, please vote in our polls on the best and worst performances for Week 7. And, we'll have recaps, the next round of our contests, backstage videos (with Chris Trondsen and Fanny Pak's Glenda Morales), and more!

Video: Quest tries out some new stunts

Video: Massive Monkees Reflections on Battling Rhythm City

At the taping of America's Best Dance Crew's Last Chance Challenge, Koifysh.com talked to Afroborike and Massive Monkees. Both crews seem nervous and a little low-energy in their interviews. I thought that MM's words on winning over Rhythm City were well chosen and show the respect and friendship developed over their weeks in Burbank.