Inspiring Show: Groovaloo (2003 Edition)

Our new series this week will revolve around inspiring street dance showcases and choreographed pieces that have touched our souls. To kick it off, we're going back to 2003 when the Groovaloos unveiled the first public rendition of their Groovaloo show at the North Hollywood El Portal Theatre. The hip hop troupe has released updated versions of the show since then with the most recent show touring to NY and soon to other cities. But this 2003 first edition stands out as a fond memory and inspiring showcase that bared its hip hop soul with heartbreak and triumph. (Photo above is from the Groovaloos website for the recent show.)

You can go to their website here: http://groovaloo.com.

And you can see a video promo of their show here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8ZzRxdPxow&

Looking back, this show was a series of personal testimonies told by Groovaloos members. And it was very personal. It was rousing, crowd-pleasing, and very energetic in its delivery. While there were routines, there were also plenty of freestyle sets that dazzled the crowd. On top of that, they even had spoken word pieces woven into the show. Some critics have compared the show to A Chorus Line for touching on many life experiences as told by the cast. But Groovaloo had a heart of its own, which was uncompromising and raw in its delivery. Street styles were heavily featured from locking pieces led by Lock N Key and bboying routines powered by Steelo, Kid Rainen, and Poe One among others. The Groovaloos used these styles to express their deepest emotions and struggles. Lady Jules performed a solo bgirl set to a spoken word soundtrack revealing her struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. A group of bboys broke out of their everyday, mundane life at a box factory and started breaking with and around cardboard boxes. And one of the closing pieces revealed the inner thoughts of several Groovaloo members when they heard their fellow dancer Steven "Boogieman" Stanton was shot. You could feel the love and affection that this troupe has for each other in the best and worst of times. What Groovaloo proved was that personal stories told in honest ways are always compelling. And when these stories are of street dancers, it only humanizes them in ways that make them relatable to all audiences.

The year 2003 was a different time for street dance in Los Angeles, even for the Groovaloos. The troupe was started in 1999 by Bradley "Shooz" Rapier and many of its currently high profile members were still unknown to mainstream American audiences. Lady Jules and Teresa Espinosa would later be known as members of the Beat Freaks on America's Best Dance Crew. Kid Rainen would also be seen on the same show as part of the JabbaWockeeZ. And other members would later gain recognition from being on NBC's Superstars of Dance. Street dance had not gone viral through online videos. And we were just starting to see elements of it appear in Hollywood films like You Got Served. Morolandis Dance Studios had just become Millenium Dance Complex on Lankershim Boulevard. Imagine going back to that time. Even though it was just six years ago, it seems like a lot has happened since then. Suddenly, there are more opportunities for street dancers to perform professionally in mainstream media. They can develop fan followings and become Internet celebrities as devotees follow their Twitter and Youtube channels. But despite all the buzz, our hope is that the power of the Groovaloo show is never lost.

Perhaps more of America will now see these personal Groovaloo stories as the show continues to tour through the country. That would be a major step forward for broadening awareness of the hip hop and street dance movement. Over the years, the Groovaloos have had time to refine their show as the tastes of a public audience change. But the heart and soul of our movement will never change. It's universal and it's based in our need for love, community, and freedom. As freestylers, many of the Groovaloo members are living embodiments of those qualities. Maybe there will be kids in middle America who will get inspired by this show. They'll realize that there's a whole world out there - a whole art form which they can use to embrace the trials and tribulations of life. They'll get a glimpse of what it means to be a Groovaloo. And just maybe they'll find an avenue to be free.

Listen In: Ladyhawke's "Back of the Van" (Remix)

To make up for last week, here's an early Listen In feature for another mind-bending song. It's "Back of the Van" (Van She Tech Turbo Fire Engine Mix) by Ladyhawke. She's a New Zealand-born musician who's multi-talented with singing and songwriting chops. Critics have described her as being influenced by the 1980s rock sound. This remix is hard-hitting, fast-paced and can get you hyped into another plane of existence. (Photo above is from the Wikipedia entry for the original song, not the remix mentioned here.)

You can see her official website here:

http://www.ladyhawkemusic.com/

And you can see her myspace site here:

http://www.myspace.com/ladyhawkerock

If you check her myspace, you can see that she's currently touring in Australia through November 2009. She's definitely one worth listening to.

Spotlight On: U-Min

To conclude our week-long spotlight feature on international crews, we're closing with a look at U-Min from Japan. They've become known for their intricately detailed performances using animation, strobbing, and robot concepts drawn from the popping world. Mainstream America has seen them in Missy Elliott's music video "Ching-a-Ling." But any Youtube search for this crew will call up additional clips of their varied yet entertaining performances. (Photo above is from their facebook page.)

You can visit their facebook page here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/U-Min/25862333798

And you can see an older clip of one of their performances here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeyhtiK0fRI

In a national culture that celebrates street dance, U-Min stands out among other Japanese dancers for their highly-executed performances and penchant for creating beguiling illusions. Whether it's being playful with slow-motion movement or experimenting with dimestopping techniques that are at the heart of robot and animation styles, this crew paces out their performances carefully. They draw us into their world beat by beat. Each one is a building block to a larger structured performance that gradually envelops our imagination. The scale of U-Min's work is in striking contrast to what many of our mainstream U.S. audiences have become accustomed to in high profile reality TV dance shows - ie, the broader focus on acrobatic tricks that are labeled as eye-catching. U-Min focuses on small movements and carefully timed routines that are less about explosive acrobatics and more about eye-pleasing, magical illusions. And that's refreshing. Already there seems to be a growing trend among U.S. mainstream TV audiences who are getting tired of seeing acrobatic tricks over and over. Wasn't this a criticism for America's Best Dance Crew through seasons two, three, and four? Don't American audiences want to see something different? It remains to be seen if mainstream television will show greater awareness of the variety within street dance culture by allowing other types of crews to showcase.

Another great aspect of U-Min is their paying homage to the showmanship that was characteristic of the original popping generation. Performing on streets, shows, and concerts were part of the lifestyle for poppers in the 1970s and 1980s. U-Min is contributing their own interpretations for the current generation. They've shown that audiences will pay attention and can be mesmerized by popping showcases with clever costumes, illusionary movements, and a nod to our wild imaginations. Whether it's mimicking mechanical toys or loose-limbed puppets, U-Min's body of work suggests the importance for street dancers to continue to develop showcase pieces. Performing for an audience is a crucial training experience as it can teach you how to present your ideas and story execution to others who are seeing the show for the first time. Presentation is key. While you can be technically skilled popper; you will find it hard to connect with an audience if you can't present your moves, character, and execution well. Whether it's performing for an outdoor audience or in a packed night club, performance experience should be part of every street dancer's journey if they choose to expand that part of their craft.

Finally, fans of U-Min can celebrate their use of dimestopping techniques in a popping culture where the boogaloo style, as defined by the Electric Boogaloos, often dominates as the preferred style among a new generation. Isn't it fascinating to see a human being move in slow motion? Or to witness a group of individuals wielding their bodies like mechanical toys? It should be noted that U-Min's dancers are clearly skilled in other styles as well. Although there are predecessors who have pioneered these dimestopping techniques, U-Min and others who employ similar styles show us that the human body holds many possibilities for movement. The fine muscle control needed to create the sudden "stop" in dimestopping techniques isn't easily learned. It often takes as much practice as other highly muscular movements. In the end, we can celebrate U-Min for their exploration of the human body in its smallest details as they continue to dazzle us with their work.

Spotlight On: Prepix Crew

For a second time this week, we return to South Korea but for a different kind of crew in our spotlight feature. Today, it's Prepix Crew, who have been holding it down since 2001. They've traveled all over Asia and Europe making an impression with their trademark "Prepix" style. For those of us in the U.S., they represent a unique blend of different street elements plus their own personal aesthetics that have helped them to stand out. (Photo above is from their website but it should be noted that the team also has female members.)

You can see their website and contact info here:

http://www.prepixstyle.com

And you can see one of their most recent promotional videos here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-9fgPAoZ8A

And here's an older clip from 2005 using masks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHUrfSbPDFY

So how does one describe Prepix? They're smooth, very musical, and well-rounded in using multiple levels, clean executions, and their whole body to dance. What's great about them is that they don't rely too heavily on using street dance foundation in their choreography but they shows signs of training in those styles and understanding their differences. For the past few years, we've seen a lot of bboying, popping, locking, and waacking foundation or moves inspired by these styles in routines from southern California hip hop choreo teams. Prepix avoids this comparison by staying light on their feet and moving in ways that don't lock them down into one specific style. They can easily claim their own "Prepix" style because they're confident, clean in their executions, and influential in their teaching workshops and performances. If they can break down their own style and teach the specific elements and concepts to students, then they have grounds for arguing for their own style.

Watch their footwork - how they shift their weight at different moments, how they create various angles and lines, and how they take advantage of little hops and skips that keep them moving. Too often, we're seeing other U.S. hip hop choreo teams that seem land-locked and flat-footed. Or we see the same leg lines repeated over and over. This is especially true when we see tutting routines used in team choreography. Can we see a little more dynamic play with these concepts? Prepix seems to have embraced dancing with their upper AND their lower bodies in their choreography. And it brings out much more of their personality and flavor in their dance. As dancers, we can choose to use specific parts of our bodies and limbs when we isolate, but we shouldn't forget to embrace our whole body. We have to remember that each part can have a unique purpose in the overall presentation. Knowing our own anatomy and taking advantage of it will only open up more potential doors to creativity.

Prepix also represents an interesting debate that is going on right now in southern California, in terms of terminology. This doesn't directly involve the team, but the debate in question revolves around what we should call choreography that doesn't directly use foundation and techniques from original hip hop street dances like bboying, popping, locking, and waacking. Yes, one can argue that popping and locking appeared before bboying and hip hop, but these styles have become embraced in the larger umbrella of this culture. So if it's not any of these styles, then do we call it "urban choreography"? That term has been floating around. Other terms include "West Coast hip hop," "LA hip hop," "new style," etc. What we're talking about here is a plethora of personal flavors and styles informed by the choreographer behind the piece. And with every person, we draw from many influences. Will "urban choreography" be a term that is only embraced in the U.S., possibly in southern California? Will the rest of the world be hip to it? All of this remains to be seen. But in the meantime, we can enjoy what Prepix is doing as they forge their own identity in the performance world.

Spotlight On: Expression Crew

We're heading over to South Korea for today's spotlight feature. And this time, it's on Expression Crew. After winning Battle of the Year 2002 in Germany, this bboy crew has been seen as the first public face of the Korean bboy movement by the rest of the world. Although they have predecessors, Expression continues to command the public's imagination as they continue to innovate. (Photo above is from a Google Image search.)

You can see a clip of Expression performing their Wizard piece here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqBr_LHNQQI

The early 2000s had a huge fan reaction towards the arrival of Korean bboys on the international scene. As documented partially in the film Planet BBoy, bboys and bgirls around the world were amazed by the innovative power moves, combinations, and commando routines that Expression displayed in their competitive rounds. In southern California, there might have been a revival in street dance partially due to the public exposure that Expression and other Korean bboys were receiving after 2002. If everyone else was pulling off two to three combinations, Korean bboys were doing five to six times more combos. They appeared superhuman in their athleticism, balance control, and sheer technical execution of power moves. While Expression has seen a constantly rotating roster since the early 2000s, many of their original members continue to innovate in other Korean crews including Drifterz, Gamblerz, and Maximum Crew. Although Expression won many fans, there were also naysayers who criticized these Korean bboys for forsaking footwork, toprock, and style for their power moves. Some of these critics were documented on online forums (such as freestylesession.com) and videos, expressing their concern that the true essence of bboying would be lost if athletic tricks were all that future generations worked on.

But Expression seems to have had other plans. Even after their 2002 win, the crew was seen performing in South Korea on theatrical stages and with classic symphony orchestras. The venues that these bboys performed in were rarely occupied by their U.S. counterparts. Take a look at Expression's Marionette or Wizard shows. They brought pantomime, theatricality, and stage magic to these choreographed performances. More than technical routines, these shows brought humor, high drama, and a mystery that usually is reserved for performance theater or Cirque Du Soleil. Expression should be credited for making the most out of their bboy skills by using their foundation to create great concepts on stage. Even to this day, it seems that bboying and street dancing is more widely accepted in public theatrical venues and commercial media formats in South Korea than in the U.S. Yes, there have been examples of U.S. hip hop Broadway musicals like Jam on the Groove, the legendary Graffiti Rock show, and the recent Groovaloo show. But for most American street dancers, it's still hard to file that as their primary occupation on their tax returns.

Where will Expression take us next? Will they venture into taking bboying into performance venues that we've never seen before? What if we saw a collaboration with a U.S. bboy crew? Whatever the future holds, Expression Crew has already left a vivid legacy that has inspired young bboys and bgirls in their country as well as all over the world. Within the framework of Korean society, they've carved a respectable niche for themselves. And for many aspiring bboys, they represent a dream that is still being shaped today.

Spotlight On: Philippine Allstars

Our spotlight feature today is on a hip hop crew that has always impressed when they visited the U.S. They're the Philippine Allstars. Created in 2005 by twelve friends from the Philippines underground hip hop scene, the Allstars made their biggest impression in 2006 when they won the World Title at Hip Hop Internationals. They've won many titles beforehand and afterwards. Loved by many fans, they've become spokesmodels for products and dance icons among a young generation. (Photo above is from their myspace site.)

You can see their myspace site here: http://www.myspace.com/philippineallstars.

And you can see a video of them here from the 2008 Hip Hop Internationals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS9xdDbOaq4

Seeing them perform is a treat. As a crew; they're athletic, smooth, precise, and very imaginative with the pictures they create on stage. They've shown a well-roundedness in their hip hop and street styles by embracing elements of bboying, krumping, popping, and locking. By taking some of these street elements and tailoring them to a group performance, the Allstars know how to play to the strengths of each of their members. They draw the best from each style and combine it together into a group performance which is planned out like a well-written story. As you watch them, you find yourselves cheering at one moment, gasping the next, and then you feel your jaw drop as the plot twists continue. They surprise, seduce, and thrill all within one performance. Needless to say, the Allstars are seasoned entertainers.

While it's hard to see details on stage, the Allstars are very fashionable and photogenic in their photos, videos, and online presence. No wonder they're sought after by promoters and sponsors in the Philippines. Being a co-ed group also helps as their crew can showcase the strengths of their female and male members. Fashion has always been an important part of the hip hop lifestyle. It's no surprise that the Allstars pay tribute to the original look of first generation hip hop culture, but they also venture into creating new images for themselves. They're a reminder of how vibrant hip hop dance culture has become worldwide. We're seeing different crews of varying nationalities interpret the culture in their own ways. For the Allstars, they can be classy, elegant, sexy, rugged, and trendsetting whenever they choose to be.

Finally, their work with the U.S. Embassy Outreach programs and their involvement with political voting campaigns in the Philippines underscores how they've become role models to the youth. Dancers can be motivational agents for change as they can speak to a generation that may not be reached by politicians. Are the Allstars setting an example that our U.S. dancers could emulate? When was the last time you saw a hip hop or street dancer campaign visibly for social and political change in an election? It seems that in the U.S, musicians are usually taking that role. But that shouldn't discourage dancers as we become increasingly more recognized by a mainstream audience. It's awesome to see when hip hop and street dance is elevated into the political and social change arena. As we fight for more opportunities to be seen and heard, it may open up doors for other members of a young generation to have a voice. The Philippine Allstars's influence may just be the tip of the iceberg for what we can do to create change.

Spotlight On: Stylize Crew

We're bringing back the Spotlight On features for this week, focusing on individual crews each day with some insights. This time, we're looking at international crews that have graced the stages in the U.S. and who have been making an impression on the LA scene. Today, our spotlight is on Stylize Crew from Switzerland. They had a double standing ovation during the second half of the 10th Anniversary Culture Shock showcase this past Saturday, Oct 24 at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido. (Photo above is from their entry on the showcase website.)

You can see a video of their performance at the UDS Most Wanted competition here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouaOiQvk4mk&

Wow. That's all one can say after seeing Stylize perform at this showcase. They left the biggest impression of any team that performed in the second half. And why you might ask? Well, first of all, they had an entertaining fusion of tap and bboying that had the crowd on their feet. One of their routines in the middle of their performance involved a tap dancer providing the beat and motivating the movements of accompanying bboys on stage. It was as an inspiring juxtaposition of the two styles. They also had one member who mixed contemporary dance with his bboying. You could hear all the ladies in the audience going wild. As a group, these bboys executed their choreography well and choose moves that were technically difficult enough to be impressive when done in sync as a team. But it was their creative choices in fusing other dance styles that won over the audience.

Also, Stylize is adept at pacing their performance. They allow us to step into their world. And it can become an emotional rollercoaster. Currently, it seems that several hip hop choreo teams in southern California have loud wall-to-wall music from beginning to end in their performances. That leaves no room for the quiet moments to seduce an audience. Stylize knows how to bring in the crowd by creating high energy moments mixed with quieter ones that let us reflect before taking us on another creative turn. Their tap and bboying routine effectively used quiet moments to set up each section. And their contemplative opening and closing, while using an onstage box with their crew name on it, drew us in while setting themselves apart from the other teams. It's nice to see a team that doesn't need to be in your face and over the top all the time during a performance.

Perhaps being from another culture informs their sensibilities as well as their aesthetic tastes. Whatever their influences may be, Stylize Crew displayed a well-rounded performance that embraced carefully paced staging, crowd-pleasing moments, and daring creativity in their willing to fuse different movement ideas. Here's hoping that we see more from them on the world stage in the future.