More free tickets to ABDC Live in San Diego

This just arrived in my mailbox: "The first 10 people to send their first and last names will win a free ticket to the ABDC Live event in San Diego. Names will be given to will call and tickets will have to be picked up there. Compliments of AEG and Armory Survival Gear. Please email IamCROS1@aol.com" UPDATE: The 10 winners have now been chosen; this contest is closed.

Fanny Pak talks to Ask A Ninja

Just before the VMAs (not to be confused with the VNAs -- the Violent Ninja Awards), Matt and Meg from Fanny Pak were interviewed by Askaninja.com. They covered topics that I've always wanted to understand -- why Fanny Pak members are actually Zombies and the best way to kill someone using dance. You know, that would make a great challenge for America's Best Dance Crew Season 3... Here's the interview:

Review and Interview with Knucklehead Zoo in "Rewind" -- SEE IT!

Knucklehead Zoo, winners of the 20008 Hip-Hop International World Battle Championship and stars of "Planet B-Boy" are appearing in "Rewind" at the New Victory Theater in New York through October 19. If you enjoyed ABDC and want to see some of the best live b-boying around, don't miss it! There are only 5 shows left. Click here to buy tickets.

Though it's staged in a theater that runs shows for kids, "Rewind" is not at all watered down - It's for anyone who loves to watch great hiphop. As crew member Steve puts it "this is street dancing taken to the next level."The 9-man crew pulls out some amazing moves while paying tribute to the evolution and future of breakdance. Lead choreographer is credited as Ben from Super Cr3w (who doesn't appear in "Rewind", but this is show goes way beyond anything you saw on America's Best Dance Crew by spotlighting the talents of all the Knucklehead Zoo members and integrating traditional b-boy moves with gun booting, jazz, and other dance forms.

After the show, we met up with fan and aspiring hiphop dancer Jeni to talk to KZ members Steve, Leo, and Yust. Listen here as they talk about stage dancing vs. street dancing, their influences, their answer to hiphop purists who look down on shows like Rewind or ABDC, their favorite crews, and how b-boying is different in the United States vs countries like Korea.

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And, here's the in-show introduction of all the crew members and their guest beatboxer and dancers:

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Interview with Break Sk8's Diamond Walker

Seattle Heraldnet.com spoke to Break Sk8's Diamond Walker about the the crew and upcoming ABDC live concert in Everett Washington. Diamond talked about why the show and his crew are so popular: ""People have said we are an inspiration and that's it, the kids really look up to us...And I've seen adults too be inspired and how now everybody wants to put on a pair of skates."

Read the whole article here. And if you go to the Everett concert, email us or post about it!

Photocredit: MTV

ABDC Live Reports & Reviews from Denver and Oakland

Denver Westword writes a detailed review of the America's Best Dance Crew Live Tour, from the Energy Man mascot to the dances to the entire audience being invited onstage to meet the dancers. "This wasn't just a TV-show tie-in. It was the mainstreaming of classic street art -- and fortunately, much of what's great about it survived the process."

Tinalio (a fan writing on Live Journal) describes the scene at Oakland, including meeting JabbaWockeeZ at their tourbus. Alas, Supreme Soul didn't appear as guests, but were replaced by E-40.

San Francisco Gate reviewed the Oakland show and loved it. They also have some great quotes -- Phil Tayag (JabbaWockeeZ) told them "We want you to see what's invisible." And according to ABDC choreographer Rosero McCoy, "It is the best time in the world for dance right now."

Kaba Modern Performance at the Really Awards

For those of us who don't receive Fox Reality TV, here's the video of Kaba Modern's performance at this year's awards. Thanks to Michael Tran for sending us the link!

Video - Xtreme Dance Force Performance in ABDC Live Tour

Xtreme Dance Force was the surprise guest at the America's Best Dance Crew Live tour show in Chicago. Fan rlnClumsyme taped their performance and posted it on Youtube:

JBWKZ Mailbox: TV tonight!, Contest, JabbaTV

Tonight (October 11), at 8pm ET, NBC airs the Macy's Passport Celebrity Catwalk Challenge, featuring JabbaWockeeZ.

Contest: JBWKZ will give one winner an autographed JBWKZ Roadie Tee. Just become a friend of the Official JBWKZ Clothing Myspace and POSE wearing your favorite JBWKZ tee in your profile pic.

JabbaTV.com is now live and will load dozens of new videos over the next few weeks.

More Performance News: SoReal Cru, Kaba, JabbaWockeeZ, Super Cr3w, Supreme Soul

SoReal Cru: October 14, Texas Union Ballroom, Austin TX. Click here for details.

Kaba Modern and JabbaWockeeZ (presumably the members not on the ABDC tour): October 18, Harrison Opera House, Norfolk VA. Part of an all day event hosted by Filipinos for Obama. Contact str08hiphop@gmail.com for details.

Super Cr3w and Supreme Soul: Tickets for their November 1 show in Hawaii are NOW on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets. The show is called The Movement; click here for Ticketmaster link for this event.

Upcoming appearances: Kaba Modern, Fysh 'n Chicks, Super Cr3w, Supreme Soul

• Kaba Modern: October 10 - Kiss Charlotte, Charlotte NC; October 11 - Carsons, Dallas, TX; October 17 - charity event for A3M, Los Angeles (click here for details)
  
• Fysh 'n Chicks: October 16 - Boulevard 3, Hollywood CA. This is a benefit for Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness. (click here for details).
• Supreme Soul: October 23 - Kelly's Mission Rock, San Francisco, CA
• Super Cr3w and Supreme Soul: November 1 - Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall, Honolulu HI

Sightings: Kaba Modern, Shane Sparks

Photocredit: Newscom.com

Shane Sparks attended the Fox Reality Channel's Really Awards this weekend. Judging from this photo, he won a Breakout Reality Star Award. America's Best Dance Crew is also in the running for another award. The Lil Mama/Boogie Bots kerfuffle is up for "Awkward Moment of the Year." Kaba Modern also attended the show and the red carpet. The show airs October 11 at 10pm.

Photocredit: Newscom.com

Second KM Spotting: Kaba Modern performed at University of California Irvine’s largest annual fundraising event, “A Celebration of Stars – The Medal Awards” on October 4. The event raised more than $2million, to benefit campus programs. Here's a video of Kaba's performance:

America's Best Dance Crew Casting Director Interview: Advice for Auditioning Crews

I spoke to Michelle, the casting director for America's Best Dance Crew Season 3. She offers advice to auditioning crews: Winning crews are memorable, individual, entertaining, and dynamic. This means:

• Make yourself identifiable. It definitely helps if you can 'brand' yourself for people not already in the dance community. JabbaWockeeZ did it with their masks. Fanny Pak did it with their 80's costumes and styles.
  
• Don't just copy other crews that have already appeared on ABDC. "We've already had Kaba Modern on the show; we don't need another Kaba Modern." Instead, know who you are as a crew and don't try to be something else
• Show something original. While B-boying has figured prominently on the show, hip hop is all about the beat and the rhythm. So don't be afraid to show some other styles that fit. What about jazz, tap, Bollywood, African styles? Incorporate your unique culture into your dance.
• Don't hold back. When the casting directors watch you, they are trying to imagine you n the large ABDC stage. So, come with all you've got.

Other words of advice:

• Call the Priority sign-up number! If you call 877-833-CREW, you can schedule a priority audition or at least make sure you are on the audition list
• Sign-in runs from 9am-6pm at each location. Locations are listed at the top of this post(click on it to enlarge). Any crew that shows up during those times WILL be seen.
  
• Bring water and snacks. You might be waiting for a long time.
• Be considerate! The auditions are being held in dance studios, so be considerate of others there. And, pick up after yourself!
• Good luck!
  

Boogie Bots Performance for Gawad Kalinga

This past weekend, Boogie Bots performed at George Mason University for Gawad Kalinga Benefit show at George Mason University. LBurgos17 captured their act:

America's 8th Best Product Placement?

You may have been watching America's Best Dance Crew for the moves, but odds are you saw a lot more than that. According to Nielsen Company, ABDC ranked 8th for cable shows in the number of product placements shown from January-June 2008, with almost 4900 total placements. About 40% of the placements were for clothing; the rest were mostly food and drink. In comparison, American Idol had 4,636 product placements during the same time period.

But to put it in perspective -- American Chopper had more than 5 times as many placements, with a grand total of 26,794 placements. That's a lot of motorcycles, son.

Did you remember these placements during the show? I noticed the Dunkin Donuts and Vitamin Energy bottles, but they didn't bother me. Just made me a little hungry and thirsty.

Q&A with JabbaWockeeZ Kid Rainen

Denver's Westword posts a long interview with JabbaWockeeZ Kid Rainen. Click here to read all about it, including:

• his early influences;
  
• the various injuries he’s sustained, including a painful meniscus tear in his knee that he’s decided to ignore for the time being
• the way YouTube videos helped spread their reputation
• their initial disinterest in a Dance Crew offer by everyone except Gary Kendell
• why the dancing at the upcoming showcase will be more exciting than it was on TV.

Photocredit: photobucket.com

Mailbox: ABDC/So you think you can dance crossover, JC Chasez

Zap2It reports that a crew with Dominic and Hok from So You Think You Can Dance will be auditioning for ABDC Season 3. Further googling shows their crew is called QUEST (pictured above). Sounds like formidable competition!

More Bigger JC Chasez: The Hollywood Reporter writes that Chasez will portray a squadron pilots in Kerosene Cowboys, an action-thriller about a Navy attack squadron that has to deal with an international crisis at 40,000 feet. There's no release date yet.

DJ Virman with ASIID, Fanny Pak and Break Sk8

DJ Virman is the official DJ for America's Best Dance Crew Live tour. Here are two chat sessions from the road with guests ASIID, Fanny Pak and Break Sk8. Thanks to Honey with Sole for pointing out these chats!

MTV2 - Dance Lessons for ABDC Auditioners

For those of you auditioning for Season 3 (or just wishing you could): check out MTV2's videos breaking down the best moves from crews that tried out for Seasons 1 and 2. Click here for Season 1 lessons -- including signature and power moves -- introduced by the casting director for all 3 seasons of America's Best Dance Crew. Click here for the Season 2 dance lessons. Yeah, we know many of these crews didn't get into the show, but 1. this gives you an idea of what it takes and 2. you might learn something!

JabbaWockeeZ Limited edition tour Tshirt, Halloween Costume now available

As announced earlier, JBWKZ.com is now selling two exclusive items:

• A $25 Roadie Tshirt (shown here ) that will only be sold on their website and only during the America's Best Dance Crew Live Tour. Click here to buy the women's shirt, and click here for the men's shirt
• A $50 Halloween costume consisting of JBWKZ shirt, hat, mask and gloves. They list it as a $75 value. It comes in 4 adult sizes. Click here to buy.
  

Win tickets to ABDC Live in San Diego

Urban Empire is offering a chance to win free tickets to the America's Best Dance Crew Live Tour show in San Diego on October 18. To enter the contest, sign up here for a username. Then email your first name, last name and user name to info@urbanemptire.tv. The deadline is October 14. Good luck!