If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again? Damn right.
Two dance crews recently took the above mantra to heart at ABDC’s NYC casting call for Season Four — auditioning for their second and third times — and Remote Control will be following their progress closely as the August 9 premiere approaches.
So, can either Seattle’s Massive Monkees and/or Jersey’s Fr3sh make the final cut and prove that persistence pays off? Beats us, but we can say one thing fo sure: both of these hopeful (and hungry!) crews sweat their asses off trying.
Check out their grueling, all-day audition process:
All week long Remote Control will be posting reactions to Michael Jackson’s death from select ABDCrews. Check out Rino from Beat Freaks’s stunned response below…
I’m still in denial about what happened to Michael. I don’t even know how to begin expressing my thoughts since he’s been the biggest inspiration to me, ever. He really influenced who I am today. All I can do is pray for his soul and his family, friends and all the Michael fans that have been effected by this news.
On Thursday afternoon, Maryss and I were teaching class and playing Michael’s songs as our warm up because there was a slight chance of us going to check out his rehearsal later that night. After our class, the rest of Beat Freaks gave us the news.
We couldn’t believe it, didn’t feel it. I thought it was another bad rumor, yet all my friends kept texting and calling me about the news. We had to do something, so we went to his parents’ house to show some love, respect and support. When I got home, the media was forcing me to face the fact that he was gone. I couldn’t sleep. I just kept watching Michael’s videos on MTV. I was very emotional and kept thinking about how he’s been there all my life. Read more…
All week Remote Control will be posting reactions to Michael Jackson’s death from select ABDCrews. Check out Hok from Quest Crew’s emotional note below…
At first I didn’t believe the news of Michael Jackson’s death, especially because of all the nonsensical gossip that constantly goes around nowadays. Even after the news channels were reporting it, I didn’t want to accept that he’d died.
Michael Jackson’s death will have the biggest impact on the world ever caused by an individual of our generation. His music and dance shows will live on forever, no matter what. They are true art, and Michael’s art is the truth and incomparable to the trends that just come and go in the modern age. I think we all had taken his existence for granted, thinking that his music would be accessible for a while — and now we realize it’s over.
Michael proved that true music is loved by everyone around the world, no matter what race, what generation and which religion you belong to. True art is like a beautiful landscape. No matter how old you are and where you are from, what is beautiful is beautiful. Thank you so much Michael Jackson … you have inspired myself and many others around the world.
But what about the regular Joes — the fans like you and us — who have also been extremely affected by his passing? How will we celebrate his life and remember his legacy? We couldn’t think of anyone better to answer that question than some of the members of America’s Best Dance Crews from seasons past. First up: Supreme Soul’s Bionic.
“Michael’s effect [on the music industry] has been historical. He is a pop icon and paved the way for many pop artists. If it wasn’t for Michael, dance, pop music and performance would be so much less extraordinary.
Michael gave a new feeling to performance and dance. He chose the best dancers to represent alongside him. I remember as a kid wanting to be one of those dancers. My teachers (The ELECTRIC BOOGALOOS) were his teachers, and it’s an honor to say I got the same popping training that he did. All I ever wanted to do is be a great performer like him.
Michael made his performances EPIC. He would outdo anyone on the performance tip. His music was high energy and expressed pure emotion. When you danced, you felt what he was singing about.
I remember hearing “Beat It” for the first time … That was the song. Watching all the poppers in it was crazy.
The reason why Michael was a POP ICON is because he hit the masses. He was on a GLOBAL SCALE. That’s pure artistry… He transcended barriers.”
Jonathan “BIONIC” Bayani
SUPREME SOUL ABDC Season 2
If you’d have told us way back at the Season One finale of ABDC that its winning crew would one day soon be sharing a national stage with New Kids on the Block, we’d have laughed (really hard). In the beginning of ‘08, JabbaWockeeZ didn’t boast anything close to a mainstream following … and NKOTB were but a distant memory to grown women who once wore gummy bracelets and Aqua Net hairspray.
Well, times they have a changed, and not only are both groups now hailed as entertainment superstars, they’ve teamed up for a tour of the U.S., which kicked off this morning on the Today show! Check out pics of their performance together and watch the video below for MTV News‘ interview and rehearsal footage.
Ringmasters got bit hard by the Hollywood bug during their time on ABDC and have since packed up their bags and started the big move from New York to Cali.
When I spoke with Nugget about this new development, he told me that “Back in Brooklyn, it was cool to be recognized on the streets, but that’s not what we care about. We want to keep performing and dancing — we want to entertain.”
So what are all these guys planning to do about room and board? “We’re gonna be staying with Beat Freaks for a little until we figure things out,” Reggie confided in me at the wrap party Thursday night. Proof positive that the love between these crews is quite real!
What’s more, Lindsey Blaufarb a.k.a. Outthere (Beat Freaks) called in a favor and got the boys an audition for Step Up 3, which will be filming in New York. “We know where they come from and we want them to be extremely successful,” she told me.
We wish both Ringmasters and Beat Freaks the same continued success and hope to see some bone-breakin’ in the upcoming dance film!
In past seasons of ABDC, there’s been high drama surrounding the final two crews — but there’s a first for everything, and fans seemed to be in agreement this time around that the best dancers squared off in the end. (Phew!)
Last night, as Quest Crew and Beat Freaksdelivered their final dance together, everyone in the audience appeared to be thinking the same thing: “Just get to the gawd damn results already!” You could feel a collective heart-pound from both squads as Mario Lopez teased us with his long, drawn-out announcement. Of course, both crews wanted it so badly, but it was Quest who ultimately stole the glory, as well as the $100,000 prize money and official title of ‘America’s Best Dance Crew.’ What an exciting night!
So … we wanna know: Did America get it right, or will there be another wave of haters who say the show was rigged? (That excuse is really getting old BTW.)
This here video roundup of ABDC’s third season was created by us — the bloggers — to fill a gap in last night’s finale in case they ran a little short on time. Turns out they went a couple minutes over … but the show’s loss is your gain! Check it out:
I don’t necessarily wanna gloat about going to the NIKE-sponsored ABDC after party — but I’m gonna do it anyway! The feeling in the air was electric as everyone let their hair down and ripped up the dance floor (again!), including Lil Mama, who seriously might have been having the best time of all.
One of the highlights of the evening was when Quest Crew, Beat Freaks and the other dancers watched themselves on the finale. They huddled around a TV in the lobby of the club and soaked in the amazing event all over again.
It was a great season — as you all know — and hopefully we won’t have to wait long to hear that a fourth one is in the works! Let’s all pray together on this one…
On Making The Band, we were all wondering if Danity Ka… aww man, who cares? Let’s be honest! IT’S THE ABDC FINALEEE!!!! WEE!!!!
The ABDC Finale is one of MTV’s biggest events — and that’s why Detox had its biggest guests ever stop by the shoot! All of the fan favorites were here: DJ Rasheeda, JC Chasez and of course, Lil Mama! (Sorry Shane Sparks and Mario Lopez, but come on, you’re not that interesting. I was more interested in Team Millennia. Who? Exactly.)
Seriously though, thanks so much to viral video sensation John Roberts (of The Tree, Jackie vids fame) for coming by to play a hilarious JC Chasez, and another special thanks to Britney Houston for reprising her role of Lil Mama! They are extremely talented and hilarious — so Google them to laugh until you cry. As for DJ Rasheeda … I wonder what she was doing here on Detox anyway? Didn’t she know that ABDC was being shot live?!
Congrats Quest Crew! We loved you on So You Think You Can Dance? And we loved you on Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew — so it’s time to make an appearance on Detox, fools!
Be sure to watch DUDE NIGHT on Sunday and then check your Detox at MTV.com right after!
