Phillip Chbeeb (Erica Perkins)

This is Phillip Chbeeb a "Popper" from Los Angeles. This clip is from "So You Think You Can Dance" last year. Apparently He started of auditioning for the show two years ago. He didn't make the cut and went home and refined his routine. This video is from his second audition. He dances with a crew called Marvelous Motion under the nickname Pacman.

I started watching the show this season when I saw Phillip I was amazed that anyone could move in that fashion. (this was before I started this class.) I know that I will never be as fluid in my motions as he is. However I do hope to learn how to string together moves.

bleeding love

It is one of my favorite videos in the “so you think you can dance” show. Using the hip hop to play the song of “Bleeding love” turns out to be good. Although the dance form might be different from what we usually think of hip hop dancing, it actually combines a lot of movements that we have learned in the class, like popping and locking. Those two dances cooperate wonderfully with each other. Since the dance shows its story, they display excellent rhythms in their parts of the body.
Zhiyu^^

California's B-Boy stars Quest Crew

Quest Crew is a dance crew formed in California in 2005. They placed 1st place in 2009 on the show 'America's Best Dance Crew', and placed 2nd at the kb-boy world masters in Korea. They are comprised of mostly of Asian American Males, although there is a girl that joins them on occasion. The group seems loosly knit with members performing with other groups, or solo at times and coming together for larger competitions. Each member has their own specialty, and brings flair to the group. Quest incorporates their other talents into their routines, music composition, artistry, martial arts, and gymnastics. Some members are in multiple groups. These groups are professional dance crews paid to perform and compete all over the world in various venues and competions. They are fun to watch, and I am amazed at the popularity of hip-hop across the world. They also take time to teach and volunteer at the Quest Learning Center in California, from whom they take some inspriation and their name. While they represent the more comercial aspects of Hip-Hop, I believe it is a sign of the popularity of the dance. There are crews world wide performing and competing. Kids in streets world wide are popping, locking, and tricking. I truly thought that this art form died out and was lost to gansta rap forever. I am really happy to see such talented crews, profesionals, and amitures out there continuing, and evolving the art form.
Sophie :)

Jabbawockeez in Automatic Response Show--By Newton

This performance is presented by JabbaWokeez—a dance crew from Southern California whose members are mostly Asian descents. This background make them unique more or less in the hip hop dance circle of united states. They gained fame by winning the first place in MTV hip hop dance competition series America's Best Dance Crew. As you can tell, their style in this video features typical west coast funk characteristics, including fabulous popping and locking. Actually, their mastery of a wide range of hip hop styles wins them numerous picky fans.
The highlights of this dance are definitely the intricate synchronization and precise timing. Each individual possesses distinctive movement, performing as a component element, and all elements are pleasingly and flawlessly combined, achieving an aesthetic success as a whole. The music choice was , Stat with Blin 182’s The Fallen Interlude, followed by Eagles’ Hotel California, then Clubbed To Death by Rob Dougan, end with Dj Shadow’s Building Steam With A Gran Of Salt. Soft and instrumental melody along with moonlight- like lighting effects, generate indefinable mysterious atmosphere. What I find interesting is that the name of this dance is “State of Emergency”. But their performance seems to be anything but emergent. I think there may be artistic metaphor underlies the contradictory essence, which requires insightfulness to interpret.

Newton :)

Hip Hop Waving Style

This is a great video because it shows a style of hip hop dance that wasn't really covered in the film we watched in class. It mostly shows waving with a bit of popping and locking as well. The influence and pieces of early hip hop dance is evident in this newer style. Waving really focuses on being able to isolate body parts and move them in a fluid-like manner. This style really amazes me because it is important to be clean so the audience can see the intricate movements. I also think it's interesting that one of these guys is able to perform half of this while on rollerskates, demonstrating great control while still being loose.

-Kim

Sade S.- Hip Hop in Review: Part III Dumb down the lyrics

I actually enjoyed watching this video. It took me a while to decide on which video I would post because I got carried away with the debate and controversy that I watched like 20 videos about it. Nevertheless, I agree with a lot that was said in this particular discussion. I believe record companies have are responsible for a good percentage of the negative image hip hop has because of their power, but at the same time they only have the power if the hip hop community continues to support and buy this negative gangsta rap. The money lies in the younger culture because they are the ones growing up in it and if exposed at a early age will more likely follow the music as they get older. I love hip hop...but honestly more for the "beat" or "sound" in the music and not neccesarily the lyrics nowadays. I know that its better artists who represent hip hop in a better image like Lauryn Hill, Queen Latifah, Common or Mos Def, but they are shown out by mainstream artists who make songs and dances simple or easy for even a toddler to understand. For instance, if you you tube songs like soulja boy's first single crank that soulja boy/superman, young b's chicken noodle soup or beyonce's put a ring on it, you'll see people of ALL ages doing those dances INCLUDING TODDLERS! That brings up another issue of the responsiblity of the parents, but I digress on that point.
People either don't know about these positive artists in the background or just choose to not listen to them and because the community overall doesn't show a interest in them...music labels are less likely to promote that positive knowledge. Drugs,money, women and cars are the faces of hip hop now and so many people are being influenced by it thinking that thats the only way to become successful by doing what those artists did. It just shows how people can't or better yet CHOOSE to not to think for themselves. SORRY FOR THE LONG COMMENT- Sade

Hip hop & Christianity

I posted this video because I am a Christian worship dancer. Currently the focus of our dance ministry is liturgical, ballet and jazz. I mentioned using hip hop dance as a means to minister to this generation and I have been met with some opposition. The position of some other Christians has been that the hip hop culture should have no voice in the church. I believe that some are afraid of this style of dance and that it is possible to dance the style without embracing all that the "culture" embodies. In other words,use some of the movements and exclude those that may tend to be seen as suggestive. The other challenge is that when Christians attempt to emulate hip hop or rap, for lack of a better term, it is often Mickey Mouse. The passion is lacking. So, while the lyrics or movements may be in line with scripture, it is written off by those recognizing the ingenuiness of it. I'm not suggesting that the church emulate "the world" but rather we speak the language necessary to reach "the world." I think the Chrisitian dancers in this video do a wonderful job of representing Christ, dancing with passion and good technique without conforming. I would love to hear your comments! Thanks. -Jessica Board