Saturday, April 21, 2012

Video: Joe Larot (JabbaWockeeZ) - "Word Play"

Joe Larot (member of America's Best Dance Crew Season 1 winners JabbaWockeeZ) has a breezy routine dedicated to his daughter - "Word Play" on thewockeez Youtube. Thanks for the tip, Greg!

ABDC Taping Today - let us know if you attend the Madonna Challenge taping!

America's Best Dance Crew Season 7 (aka the Return of the Superstars Season) Episode 3 will be taped today. Each of the 9 crews will perform and one will be elimination decided by the judges. If you attend the tapings, leave a comment and let us know what it was like -- who dances to what songs, the crowd, the crews, the costumes, celebrities, odd non-spoiler moments, etc. . EXTREMELY IMPORTANT -- NO SPOILERS. DO NOT TELL THE RESULTS FROM THE SHOW, INCLUDING WHICH CREWS WERE IN THE BOTTOM OR ELIMINATED! IF YOU IGNORE THIS RULE, MTV COULD PULL OUR ACCESS TO BACKSTAGE INTERVIEWING!!

Videos: 2009 battle between Collizion Crew and Swagger Crew

Collizion Crew is not well known compared to many West Coast dance groups. To help familiarize you, here are videos from a 2009 battle between Collizion Crew and Swagger Crew (America's Best Dance Crew Season 5). From kyss501 Youtube. Who do you think won? Thanks for the tip, Brandon!
Collizion Round:


Swagger Round:

MTV's interviews with all the crews

Better late than never, MTV has interviews with all the crews. Since voting seems to be based both on talent and personality, I suggest you make sure to also check out the ones for crews you might not yet know, like Irratik, Funkdation, Collizion Crew, and Elektrolytes (below). You can see the full set here

Friday, April 20, 2012

Video: Mike Song - "Distorted Love"

A break from ABDC Season 7: here's Mike Song choreographing and dancing (along with Lawrence Kao and Mikey Andaya). The video shows two versions -- an uncut one focused on dancing, and an slicker edited version. Both wonderful. Frommikeosong Youtube. Thanks for the link, Greg!

Video: Beat Freaks and Quest Crew join LMFAO on American Idol

LMFAO performed "Sorry for Party Rocking" on the April 19 American Idol. Both Quest Crew and Beat Freaks joined them onstage toward the end of the song.

Recaps R Us: ABDC Flo Rida Edition

- Daily Princetonian has a detailed and thoughtful analysis of the crews (Mos Wanted #1 for the week)  and the battle, along with dance clips so you can follow along.
- Dancing with Stephanie snarks about kid crews and the fact the crews use funny spelling (FYI -- there's a whole post on Television without Pity about that too!)
- Ology gives Mos Wanted Crew an A and wants to know if Mario Lopez is Benjamin Button.
- Huffington Post really likes Funkdation, though I can't tell if it's mostly because they're the first Mexican crew.
-AV Club thinks the crews are better matched this season and wants regular elimination battles.

Ninjaboi's Review - ABDC's Flo Rida Challenge

Greetings all! So ABDC Season 7 is really in full gear now with all 10 crews having gone, and already a (very sad) elimination taking place. I really think the talent this season is top class level, without a single crew being truly out of place. However, we've gotta have some way of breaking down who did better or worse, so there comes in the numbers. Please note that my rankings are my personal thoughts on the matter and not official BABDC rankings or anything like that. Just my reasoning on why I think these crews are ranked where they are.


Please read my review by clicking below, then come back and comment on what you think. Feel free to agree, disagree, whatever, so long as we all keep it civil and level headed. 


Click here to see my rankings for the crews this week, a breakdown of that most excellent battle, and power rankings for all 9 remaining crews!

Byenyn's Review of ABDC's Flo Rida Challenge

It’s ABDC, Season Seven, Episode 2! Last week, five of the ten crews performed to Britney Spears and Mix’d Elements was placed in the Bottom Two by the judges, where they will fight for their lives (THEIR LIVES!) against one of the five crews performing tonight. This week’s superstar is Flo Rida, who never ever met a club that could handle him. Everywhere he goes is a club! Flo Rida’s house is a club! His bathroom is a club!
 
Anyways, Flo Rida shows up to perform his song, “Wild Ones.” With the exception of RNG, who performed their bit before Flo hits the stage, it’s hard to get a good sense of the different crew’s styles (hey, producers, did you forget this show is a DANCE competition?) because the camera frequently pans to Flo Rida (and his bling’d out microphone) and the audience making random animal gestures. At some point, everyone’s wearing sunglasses indoors so you know this club is super cool. It’s a nice gesture that Mr. Flo Rida is willing to perform on the ABDC stage once again, but I wish it didn’t have to be all about him, once again. To add to that effect, he’s also showing up as a special judge.
Click here to read the rest of the review. Thanks Byenyn!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Announcing new contest - ABDC Season 7 Elimination Challenge - enter now!

We will run two contests during America's Best Dance Crew Season 7 which will extend from now through the finale. Contest #2: The Elimination Challenge: Which crews will be in the bottom 2 each week? Who will be eliminated? Enter each week and the person with the highest cumulative score for Season 7 will win an ABDC crew shirt of their choice and size (up to $35 retail).

To enter: Each week, we'll publish a new post for this contest. When the weekly post is up, leave a comment with the name of the bottom 2, specifying which one is eliminated. For example, in Season 6, a winning entry for the Rihanna Week Challenge would have read: "BOTTOM 2 WEEK 5 -  Phunk Phenomenon, 787 Crew. Eliminated: 787 Crew."  You will be awarded 1 point for each crew you name in the bottom 2 that week, and an extra point for identifying the eliminated crew, for a total of 3 possible points per week.   

This week's entries will be accepted from now until noon (East Coast time) on Saturday April 21, so that nobody can use insider info from the tapings. **IMPORTANT**:

  • Create a user name you will use every week for the entire contest, and make it memorable (not just a common first name or word). NO EMAIL ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED
  • MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE THE WORDS 'BOTTOM 2' in the comment (so I can search for them easily).
Only 1 entry per person per week, please.  Good luck!

MTV Remote Control interview: Mix'd Elements talk after the elimination

Layla Kayleigh interviewed Mix'd Elements just after they were eliminated from America's Best Dance Crew Season 7. They express their understandable disappointment, saying that they have no regrets about their performance and they have much more to show America.

Second round of our ABDC Season 7 Top 4 contest now open

Thanks to all of you who submitted entries on which ABDC 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. Note: there's no penalty for entering each week. If you get it right early, that's the vote that counts!The prize goes to the first person to submit the correct answer, based on which week they submit it. If more than one person gets it right that week, we'll employ a tie-breaker rule.  Click here for contest rules and prizes. ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL NOON (East Coast Time) on SATURDAY APRIL 21.

This will be the first week where you've seen all the crews perform on ABDC, so there will probably be some changes in which crews are favored to win. Of the 110 entries so far, only 23% are eliminated. VOTING IS NOW CLOSED FOR THIS WEEK.

Dance's Review of ABDC's Flo Rida Challenge

BABDC reader Dance reviews America's Best Dance Crew's Flo Rida week:

ABDC is back everyone! This week's episode was way better than last week's episode. I feel like the season has really begun. All of the performances were great from beginning to end. Every crew came with something special and the ending battle was crazy dope! Both Funkdation and Mix'd Elements did their thing and it was a great battle to watch. I wish Mix'd Elements could have stayed after that battle. I do wish Mix'd Elements luck in all of their future endeavors and we'll see great things from them in the future. This is going to be a great season and I can't wait until next week's episode!
Click here to read the rest of her review. Thanks, Dance!

Send some love to Mix'd Elements

In any other season Mix'd Elements probably would have made it much further into the competition. Their range of styles is unmatched by any crew that has appears on America's Best Dance Crew. Their skillful moves and humor were evident, and they wielded a prop (their suspenders) for visual interest and variety as well as the best of the 'novelty' crews of the past. I am very sorry I won't get to see more of their moves and watch them develop over the ABDC season.

This post is only for kind words about Mix'd Elements. If you've got complaints about them or other aspects of ABDC, please take it to the Critics Corner. Any negative comments on this post (about Mix'd Elements or any other crew) will be deleted.
Photocredit: MTV

What was your favorite performance during ABDC's Flo Rida Challenge?

What was your least favorite performance during ABDC's Flo Rida Challenge?

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Vote now for your favorite crew!

The online voting is now open from now until 6:00am Eastern time. If you want to protect your favorite crew, act now! Click here to vote . Performance videos will probably be online after 11:00pm West Coast time, to aid in your choices. If you want to phone or text instead, the numbers are: Phone: 1-855-4CREW + (0 +number): OR Text: 22444 then (number):
* Mos Wanted Crew - 5 (so you would dial 855-4CREW05)
* Collizion - 6 (so you would dial 855-4CREW06)
* RNG - 7 (so you would dial 855-4CREW07)
* Elektrolytes - 8 (so you would dial 855-4CREW08)
* Funkdation - 9 (so you would dial 855-4CREW09)

After you vote, join us back at the party room!  There's a lot to talk about. VOTING IS NOW CLOSED.

The ABDC Flo Rida Challenge Party Room is now open -- join us!

The Party Room/Critics Corner for ABDC 7's Episode 2 -- the Flo Rida Challenge is now open! Join lots of other readers, fans (or not) as they vent on what they love and what they hate. IMPORTANT: If you want to write a long comment, write in in NotePad or Word and then paste it into the comments field. Otherwise, all your work may disappear if someone posts something new while you're in the middle of writing. 

After the show is over: The party has just started, so stick around for more action, reaction, and interaction. How do this week's crews stack up to last weeks? Do you like it or hate it when the superstar performs with the crews and then judges them?  Which crews do you think will improve over the course of the show? This is your party -- snark, humor, recriminations, nostalgia and almost everything else (except obscenity and abject disrespect) are expected and welcome! 

Photocredit: Billboard.com

Live Play-by-Play for ABDC's Flo Rida Challenge is now open - join us!

Del, TBone, Ninjaboi and Nancy will be co-hosts of this live play-by-play of America's Best Dance Crew Season 7's Episode 2 -- the Flo Rida Challenge. Feel free to follow along (particularly if you cannot watch it until later). Please be aware that your comments might not be posted immediately (or at all) as we have to moderate them, watch the show, and type at the same time. If you want to leave longer comments and be sure they're used, go to the Party Room (the post above this one).

Video: JC Chasez interview on Access Hollywood - ABDC & 'N Sync dancing

America's Best Dance Crew judge JC Chasez appeared on Access Hollywood on April 18, 2012. He joked with the hosts, then talked about how hard it is to send a crew home, what he's looking for (creativity, execution, crowd response) when judging, working with Randy Jackson, how he was one of the best dancers in 'N Sync, and moving on after 'N Sync.

Enter the Step X Step & Luke Minx online dance contest!

Step X Step Dance just launched an online dance contest that will run until May 31. Their Facebook link has Luke Minx's song "Uncovered". The challenge - choreograph a freestyle/choreo dance to the song, upload it to the SXS Facebook fanpage, and get people to vote for it. The winner will receive a Step X Step shirt, $50, a shout out from Luke Minx on video, and more! Click here for rules and to download the song. Good luck!

Interview with Jeremy Strong (Collizion Crew) - blending hip hop with funky South

Daily Princetonian has an exclusive interview with Jeremy Strong of  Collizion Crew, taped the day before their first appearance on America's Best Dance Crew.  He talks about the crew auditioning for ABDC; their influences, styles, and background; how they have prepared for the show, and their experience so far. Jeremy also talks about Collizion's  2011 gig at a circus (video below). 

I, for one, am really glad to read more about Collizion Crew, since I think they may be at an initial disadvantage compared to some better known crews.  So, keep an open mind and click here to read the interview.

Join us tonight for Flo Rida week - party room, live play-by-play & more!

 
We've seen the first 5 crews -- what else is in store?. Watch America's Best Dance Crew Flo Rida Week with us tonight! The Party Room/Critics Corner opens at 9:45 ET and stays open as long as you want, so that everyone can comment on anything remotely related to ABDC. Which crews do you like best? How is this season shaping up compared to your previous favorite? 

At 10pm ET, I will be doing live play-by-play while watching the show along with  Del and TBone, so feel free to tune in. Later that night, please vote in our polls on the best and worst performances. Tomorrow we hope to have reviews, a new round of the Top 4 Challenge, another new contest, and who knows what else.   Join us!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Video:Jason Croom (Swagger Crew) | Drake | The Real Her

Jason Croom of Atlanta's Swagger Crew (ABDC5) has released his latest concept video to Drake's "The Real Her." This shows off another side of the choreography Swagger Crew could have brought to ABDC that they didn't get to show, so it's really great that these dancers keep on putting out these videos. Keep up the good work, Croom!

Video: Excerpt of ABDC Group Perfomance for Flo Rida Week

Billboard.com has this week's sneak peek of the opening number for week two. As reported earlier Flo Rida sings throughout it with a totally not compensating, blinged out mic. The five crews for the week Collizion Crew, Elecktrolytes, Funkdation, Mos Wanted Crew and RNG act as window dressing as he performs. Thanks to MSERanMan for the info!

Survey results for ABDC7's Britney Spears Challenge: favorite and least favorite performances

Here are our results for the favorite and least favorite performances during the ABDC Britney Spears Challenge:
  • Favorite performance: 1145 votes were cast. Fanny Pak was far and away the favorite with 36% of the votes, followed by Irratik (21%) and 8 Flavahz (20%).  Click here for the full results
  • Least favorite performance: 835 votes were cast.  Stepboys was the least favorite in our sample (41%) followed by Mix'd Elements (17%). Click here for the full results.

Exclusive videos: Layla Kayleigh on ABDC's evolution, what to look for in Season 7

Chris Trondsen interviewed Layla Kayleigh backstage at the America's Best Dance Crew Season 7 tapings on April 11, 2012. Layla talks about ABDC moving to the set that used to be used for Friends (where she had been an extra), the evolution of crews over ABDC season, how she is excited to see the strong girl crews, Flo Rida in person at the taping (who was also at ABDC Season 1), what to expect from the crews in the Flo Rida show, how ABDC has evolved, about her personal life. And Chris talks about why he loves doing interviewing ABDC crews.

Vlado Footwear: 8 Flavahz

Vlado Footwear has released a new ad video starring 5 of the 8 Flavahz. The ladies show off some group choreo and do a cypher to show the shoes..


Monday, April 16, 2012

Audio: ABDC judge JC Chasez talks about Season 7, feedback, fame, the Mickey Mouse Club ++

KOBFM interviewed America's Best Dance Crew judge JC Chasez. He talks about Randy Jackson, guest judges like Flo Rida, how hard it can be to give feedback to crews, whether it's easier to be on ABDC or on the Mickey Mouse Club, how ABDC brought him back to the dance community, how he feels about touring with 'N SYNC, and advise he'd give Justin Bieber about dealing with fame . Click here to listen.

Videos: Chris Trondsen covers the ICONic Boy tour - punking Chris, fan questions, one-on-ones!

Since America's Best Dance Crew Season 6, Chris Trondsen has been good friends with the members of ICONic Boyz. He flew to Arizona to catch their tour and talk in depth to them for Pacific Rim. The crew kids are charming in these videos, including answering fan questions, talking about their first impressions of each other, and one-on-ones with Thomas Micelli, Mikey Fusco (Part I, Part 2), Nick Mara, Madison Alamia, and Louis "Pitbull" DiPippa. Here, the kids punk Chris:

Exclusive extended Interview with Blueprint Cru members at ABDC7 Taping: in LA to support Irratik!

Chris Trondsen interviewed Blueprint Cru (runners up for ABDC season 5) before the taping of America's Best Dance Crew Season 7's Flo Rida Week.They talk about Irratik (a crew from their studio), how Irratik is coached to balance being both hard-hitting and girly, what it's like for Blueprint members to return to ABDC, what it's like to watch family members compete on shows like ABDC, the work that Blueprint dancers have gotten post-ABDC, what to expect from Irratik the rest of the ABDC7 season, their love for other ABDC7 crews, and Irratik's special signals. And they talk about the new shoe that they are promoting.

Video: IaMmE performances in the Philippines

IaMmE (ABDC6 winners) are touring in the Philippines this week. popograce17 Youtube captured most of two performances at SM City Fairview. Thanks for the tip, PerezOverride!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Threader now selling ABDC7 crew Tshirts and other ABDC merch

Threader has 32 new Tshirts featuring America's Best Dance Crew and the individual crews for Season 7 - 8 Flavahz, Fanny Pak, RNG, Mos Wanted Crew, Stepboys, Funkdation, Collizion Crew, Mix'd Elements, Irratik, and Elektrolytes. The selection includes generic ABDC7 designs in different colors, shirts with the official crew logos, and other eye-catching designs like the RNG sneaker pictured here.  Click here to view all the designs and make your purchase before they sell out! Which is your favorite shirt design?

More news and recaps for ABDC7

- RosevillePT.com has a story about the audition process and dance philosophy for hometown crew Stepboys
- Noho Arts District profiles Mix'd Elements including how they got together and their use of "flotvity"
- Little Blog of Dance recaps the show, issues a plea for quieter ads, and wants to see more Stepboys and Fanny Pak