Blogging Best Dance Crew Information Cloud!

Reader Scarlett S. created two information clouds for BloggingBestDanceCrew -- one for the site and one for my twitterfeed. Later this week, I'll put them on the side so you can check them out whenever you want to see what's hot here. But, I wanted to introduce them front and center. Thanks Scarlett!

The cloud for this website:


The cloud for our tweets:

ABDC Alum news: Parris (ReQuest) choreographing for JLo, FootWorKINGz in documentary;We are Heroes photos

 - Parris Goebel (dancer and choreographer for ABDC6's ReQuest Crew) has a busy summer ahead. According to TE News, She was just hired by Jennifer Lopez to choreograph for J-Lo's upcoming world tour. After that, she will teach workshops in Rome, followed by a return to Hip Hop International.
- We are Heroes (ABDC4 winners) did a new photospread for The Bull Magazine
- Fortune and Bang reports that members of FootworKINGz (ABDC6) are featured in a new documentary called "Underground" about street dancing. Here's the trailer:

Video: JabbaWockeeZ perform at Drake's Birthday Party

JabbaWockeeZ return with a new "Behind the Mask" episode. This time, they dance a new set at Drake's birthday party. Fromthewockeez Youtube. Thanks for the link Greg!

Now for something completely different: Listen to my appearance on NPR's "Ask Me Another"

This has little or nothing to do with ABDC (unless you count Beyonce references). Nevertheless, something to divert you while waiting to hear about this week's taping -- I recently attended a taping of NPR's newest radio show "Ask Me Another" and competed in a contest called "Pen it Like Porter", where audience members were asked to rewrite the words to "You're the Top" to make it contemporary. I was thrilled to have my lyrics performed by Jonathan Coulton (who among MANY other accomplishments wrote the songs for Portal 1 and Portal 2). Listen in below, and click here for the full  funny program. OMG.

Let us know if you attend tonight's taping of ABDC Pitbull challenge!

America's Best Dance Crew Season 7 (aka the Superstar Season) will be taped tonight, with the 5 remaining crews dancing to Pitbull hit songs. If you attend the taping, leave a comment and let us know what it was like -- the dances, the judges, the songs, the crowd, the crews, the costumes, celebrities in the audience, oddities and funny moments, etc.
 
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT -- NO SPOILERS. DO NOT TELL THE RESULTS FROM THE SHOW, INCLUDING WHICH CREWS WERE IN THE BOTTOM OR ELIMINATED! 

Lessons from ABDC Alum

Even if MTV has billed Mos Wanted Crew as the crew of teachers, they by no means have the monopoly on teaching dance. Here are two events for anyone in California featuring ABDC alumni.


Fresh off from their unfortunately early elimination this season, Mix'd Elements will be teaching a Boogiezone series on their signature Flotvity, from May 14th to 17th. Check out the flyer below or on the Mixd Elements Facebook page for details

Also, Instant Noodles will be teaching every Monday at Quest Studios, as part of Instant Noodle Mondays of May! Rob already taught last Monday, but Geo, Mike and Chuck will be teaching in the coming Mondays. Be sure to check out the details below or on the Quest Studio Facebook page.

Recaps galore for ABDC's J-Lo Challenge!

- Daily Princetonian deftly blends reviews with judges' comments, tweets (@chachigonzales: Did I totally meet Pauly D?? YUP! And guess who he did the fist pump with…ME!! Hahaha) and related stuff around the interwebs (someone really reads my play-by-play?!?)
- AV Club gives the episode an A, mostly because they sat in the audience for the taping. They have insights on the editing process, what really happened during the taping, and why Collizion should have stayed.  Tears of joy?
- All Voices summarizes the action and has no photo gallery this week. I'm very disappointed in you!
- Screen Invasion is worried about Fanny Pak's ABDC trajectory and thinks Elektrolytes won the night
- We'll Fix it In catches up on the ABDC Season -- They've got reviews of both JLo week and Drake week. To quote them, "There's always room for J-Lo".
- Ant M. has his weekly Youtube review. I love listening to him. And check out his ABDC Funk Bracket competition

Byeynyn's review of ABDC's JLo Challenge

Last week, seven crews performed routines to Drake. With Fanny Pak and Stepboys as the Bottom Two, both crews put forth their best performances of the season to date, and Stepboys was sent home as D-Trix silently wept. This week, the six crews are to honor Jennifer Lopez- famous singer, dancer, and “actress.” Her choreographer/make-out partner, Casper Smart showed up to work with the six remaining crews to help out but also give them additional challenges.

Much like last season’s Rihanna Week and Season 4’s Bollywood Week, having a seasoned choreographer come over on this show generally improves the quality of dancing for all the crews. That being said, the crews still have a lot of work to do in making sure they meet their specific challenges and do J. Lo’s music justice. Also, blah blah Pauly D something something DJ. I don’t watch Jersey Shore.

Click here to read the full review. Thanks Byeynyn!

Exclusive interview: Layla Kayleigh after ABDC JLo Challenge: Backstage scoop on the crews this week

 Chris Trondsen talks 'on the couch' with Layla Kayleigh after the taping of America's Best Dance Crew's Jennifer Lopez Challenge. She talks about meeting with Pauly D on the show (and why wouldn't he dance?), how the JLo challenges were easier for girls, what it was like for Angel and 8 Flavahz this week (after the death of Angel's mother), why RNG and Fanny Pak might have been in the bottom, what they think will happen next on the show, nd how Collizion handled being eliminated.

Want to change your vote for the ABDC Top 4 Contest? Enter again now!

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 6pm (East Coast Time) on FRIDAY MAY 11.  THIS ROUND IS NOW CLOSED

Time again to predict next week's bottom 2 in our Elimination Challenge contest

Time for the next installment in our ABDC Season 7 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. The person with the highest cumulative score wins, and we'll figure out something if we need a tie-breaker.

This week's entries will be accepted from now until noon (East Coast time) on Friday May 4, 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!   

At this point, Clubtracks, JabbaJake, JX7713, and Pierre are tied with 7 points, but others are just a point or two behind. Go for it! THIS ROUND IS NOW CLOSED

Video Inbox: Tut-orial, Keone Madrid

While ABDC7 goes on, the rest of the dance world does not stop. To prove it, here are three videos that you definitely have to watch
First, we have Keone Madrid dancing to David Guetta's "Without You." (I wonder if whichever crew gets that song this season, if any do, will do as well). Chris Martin (BreakEFX ABDC5) and Vinh Nguyen (SGBM) back him up.
 


In contrast --  this may not be a routine set, but Can of Poreotics has a tutorial for tutting (a tut-orial if you will).

Send some love to Collizion Crew!

I was excited to learn that Collizion Crew was picked for America's Best Dance Crew Season 7. They were relatively new to the national dance scene, but gave performances that belied their newness. They had a regional style, but it adapted beautifully to the different musical challenges they faced. Their moves are sharp, fresh, and fierce. This season, every elimination is painful because of the high caliber of all the crews. I hope Collizion Crew will keep a strong presence both on-stage and on video -- I want to see more of them! 

Watch their exit interview with Layla Kayleigh:

Get More: America's Best Dance Crew (Season 7), Full Episodes

This post is only for positive comments about Collizion. If you want to say anything else, please post it on our Party Room/Critics Corner.
Photocredit: MTV

Survey: What was your favorite performance during ABDC's J-Lo Challenge?

poll by twiigs.com

Survey: What was your least favorite performance during ABDC's J-Lo Challenge?

poll by twiigs.com

Vote now to save your favorite ABDC crews -- here's the MTV voting info!

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 online at MTV.com. 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):
*  8 Flavahz- 1 (so you would dial 855-4CREW01)
*  Mos Wanted Crew-  2 (so you would dial 855-4CREW02)
*  Elektrolytes- 3 (so you would dial 855-4CREW03)
*  RNG- 4 (so you would dial 855-4CREW04)
*  Fanny Pak- 5 (so you would dial 855-4CREW05)

After you vote (or while you're obsessively voting all night long), join us back at the party room!  
VOTING IS NOW CLOSED

The ABDC J-Lo Challenge Party Room/Critics Corner is now open -- Come on in!

The Party Room/Critics Corner for ABDC 7's Episode 5 -- the Jennifer Lopez Challenge -- is now open! Join lots of other readers and fans as they reflect on the dance battle arena and who makes it out alive. 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, love and hate.  Are the right crews left? What are your predictions for the endgame? If you could bring back one crew from this season, who would it be? This is your party -- snark, humor, recriminations, nostalgia and almost everything else (except obscenity and abject disrespect) are expected and welcome!

Join us now - Live Play-by-Play blogging of ABDC J-Lo Challenge

Del, TBone, Ninjaboi, NamesAreOverrated, Mike, and Nancy will be co-hosts of this live play-by-play of America's Best Dance Crew Season 7's Episode 5 -- the J-Lo 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).

787 crew to appear on America's Got Talent, Cirque du Soleil audition, HHI dreams

787 Crew (America's Best Dance Crew Season 6) is busy. Judging from this teaser for the new season of America's Got Talent, they will appear on the show and may be one of the most legitimate acts:

In addition, they were invited to audition in New York for the Michael Jackson Cirque Du Soleil Immortal show. No news yet on whether they've been chosen. And at last but not least: they are trying to raise money to bring members of the GOP Dance Company to Hip Hop International 2012, and are holding a "GOP - Meet The Company" in Puerto Rico on June 3, 2012.  For more information and to help them, visit GOPDance.com

Video: Anthony Lee (Kinjas) ft members of Poreotics, Kaba Modern, Quest -"Somebody that I used to Know"

The latest video choreographed and danced by Anthony Lee of Kinjaz features Law and Charles from Poreotics & Lawrence and Josh from Kaba Modern, with a cameo from Quest's Victor Kim. The song: "Somebody that I used to Know" by Gotye. In the description, Lee mentions that he had the song stuck in his head; it's now my earworm of the day too. From anflowny Youtube. Thanks for the tip, Greg!

Join us tonight for ABDC J-Lo Challenge - Live Play-by-Play, party room, MTV voting info & more

Watch America's Best Dance Crew Madonna Challenge 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.

At 10pm ET, I will be doing live play-by-play while watching the show along with  Del, NamesAreOverrated, Michael, and TBone (and maybe Ninjaboi), so feel free to tune in. As soon as the show is over, we'll post the information for you to vote to keep your favorite crews alive online at MTV, by phone or by text.  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 and Elimination Challenge contests, and other coverage.   Join us!

Video: Sneak peek at Elektrolyte's performance in ABDC's J-Lo Challenge

MTV posted a clip of Elektrolytes performance in the America's Best Dance Crew Jennifer Lopez challenge. What do you think? Thanks for the tip, Ares and Richard!

MTV Shows

Video: ABDC Behind The Mastermix: Drake

"Ay yo, it's District 78!"  The guys are back with another episode of ABDC Behind The Mastermix: Drake Edition.  In this episode, they go in depth of the homemade orchestra section for Fanny Pak's master mix, the sound effects for Collizion and RNG's mixes, and the rest of the great tracks from the last show.



Also, In Case U Missed It, here's the Madonna episode from two weeks ago.

Spikey Mikey and Chris talk to ABDC & HHI Creator 'Howie' Schwartz - "We'll be back at HHI!, the Olympics of Dance"

 Spikey Mikey Fusco (ICONic Boyz) and Chris Trondsen interviewed America's Best Dance Crew Creator and Co-producer (and Hip Hop International creator) Howard 'Howie' Schwartz before the taping of ABDC's Drake Challenge. Mikey talks about his experience at Hip Hop International and how it's one of the best places for young dancers., and Howard talks about how HHI can be a life-changing experience and what's in store for 2012 (including workshops with Chachi, Matt Cady, Brian Puspos; and competitors like 8 Flavahz and Elektrolytes), and how to find out more about HHI.

Video: The Chinatown adventures of Jet Li (Poreotics)

World of Dance has a new video of Jet Li Valles (Poreotics) soloing at locations in Los Angeles Chinatown. Thanks for the tip, Greg!

Survey results for ABDC Drake Challenge: Fanny Pak was the favorite!

Results are in for our surveys rating performances for America's Best Dance Crew Drake Challenge. Click here for the details on the favorite performances and here for the least favorite.  The voting was polarized, with one of the favorites among some being the least favorite among others. Highlights:

• With almost 1600 votes cast, Fanny Pak was the favorite (32%) followed by RNG (25%)
• Out of 1252 votes, the least favorite for the week was RNG (25%) followed by Collizion Crew (19%) and 8 Flavahz (18%)

We'll have our surveys on the J-Lo Challenge posted shortly after ABDC airs on the West Coast.

Candid photos of the ABDC crews off-stage and around Los Angeles!

Twitter has a wealth of wonderful candids of the crews having some downtime. My favorite sources this week are our own Chris Trondsen, Sthanlee Mirador (Pacific Rim) as well as the crews themselves. For example, here's a photo of RNG having a zen moment -- probably one of the few calm times they get all week! 

Click here to see many more photos, including 8 Flavahz, Mos Wanted Crew, Elektrolytes, RNG, Collizion Crew, Fanny Pak, Stepboys, Chachi, and more!

Spikey Mikey (ICONic Boyz) at ABDC taping answers fan questions & calls a fan!

Chris Trondsen interviews Spikey Mikey Fusco from the ICONic Boyz, backstage at the taping of America's Best Dance Crew's Drake Challenge. This week, Mikey was our guest interviewer. He answers fan questions including what it's like to be back at ABDC, what he wanted to ask the other kid crews (who weren't available for backstage interviews this week), talks about his single swag, how he feels about Justin Bieber, favorite foods, and what he wants to tell the world. And, they call a fan who wants to talk to Mikey.

Video: Jay Battle (Southern Movement) & Tyrone Foster (Royal Flush) collabo and tour

Jay Battle (Southern Movement Season 4) & Tyrone "Neyon" Foster (Royal Flush Season 5) are touring the country with the UniverSoul Circus, check them out in a city near you at universoulcircus.com.  Here is the most recent project we've worked on while  in  Washington DC

Wings reviews ABDC's Drake Challenge - everything but the dancing!

Note- The following words, sentences, and other hieroglyphics should be read as 100% intended sarcasm .
~~~~~~
Each week I read enough reviews of each crew’s performances that I have begun to wonder if anyone truly understands dance anymore. Some of the topics that the crews are evaluated off of in these reviews are, “difficulty, challenge, and moments”. Seriously? How do those topics even moderately represent a crew? Hopefully this review will set the other reviews straight and explain exactly what people should look for each week. No longer will excuses such as “choreography is important” be tolerated. Take a step back and open up your mind; I am about to explain how true dance crews should be rated.

As most other reviewers do, I have categories that each crew will be judged off of. There are five categories and each section has a scoring range of 0-10. A perfect performance will score 50 points and anything less is mortal. The categories are: Stunts, Cuteness, Clothes, Music, and Who they remind me of.

Click here to read more about the categories and Wings' deep analysis. Thanks Wings -- I've never seen anything quite like this!

Reminder to readers - No spoilers here or anywhere else please!

It's been called to my attention that one frequent BBDC commenter has tweeted ABDC spoilers. This is an extremely serious violation of the policy of this website and could easily result in our losing the ability to work with MTV. While this spoiler did NOT appear here, the tweet could create the perception that we are publishing spoilers. If you are the person responsible for this tweet, please remove it immediately and don't do it again. 

To make things totally clear: if you want to be part of our community, DO NOT POST SPOILERS HERE OR ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE INTERNET!! Don't spoil our fun for everyone else!

Electrolytes pre-ABDC J-Lo Challenge - watch for some sexy stuff!

Chris Trondsen and Spikey Mikey Fusco (ICONic Boyz) interviewed 3 of the Electrolytes before the taping of America's Best Dance Crew's Jennifer Lopez Challenge. They talk about how Elektrolytes got together and how they'll get more votes. 

Exclusive interview: Collizion Crew before ABDC J-Lo Challenge: we're the rawest!

Spikey Mikey Fusco (ICONic Boyz) and Chris Trondsen interviewed Collizion Crew before the taping of America's Best Dance Crew's J-Lo Challenge. They talk about what they'll do to win over the audience, how they're different from the other crews by being the rawest this season and how it felt being in the bottom 3.

ABDC J-Lo Superstar week - Playlist and challenges

Based on reports from several people who attended the America's Best Dance Crew Jennifer Lopez challenge, here's the songlist and challenges for the crews. Note: the crews are listed in alphabetical order, not in the order they performed. Thanks for the tips and updates, Freeze, lookingout4u, Sassy, tricky, Tyreek,  and others!

- 8 Flavahz - Song: "Let's Get Loud". Challenge: bring a Miami flavor. Note: Angel didn't perform that night because of her mother's death but was in the audience during the taping.  

- Collizion Crew - Song: "Jenny from the Block".  Challenge: incorporate b-boy moves.

- Elektrolytez -  Song: "Get Right". Challenge: build a subway and use canes 

- Fanny Pak - Song: "Waiting for Tonight". Challenge: change clothes during routine. They also got the crowd to chant their name
- Mos Wanted Crew - Song: "On the Floor". Challenge: do choreo on the floor like lying down and get the audience to dance a part of their routine along with them 
- Rated Next Generation (RNG) - Song: "Feelin' So Good".   Challenge: do 90s dance crazes.

Ant M's video review of ABDC Drake Challenge

Reader Ant M. has been reviewing this season's ABDC episodes via Youtube. Click here to watch this week's installment