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I had an epiphany watching this week's challenge.. and that epiphany was that LADY GAGA is a goddess! With that said this week's episode was monumental. I feel as though by the crews being able to utilize Lady GaGa's unique personality through her music, it really gave them carte blanche to be over the top. The overall feel of the remaining crews with the exception of Poreotix (yawn) is very jazz funk/hip-hop , so it's only fitting that they bring it for this week's challenge.

STATIK NOYZE was first up... AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!  Not only did this crew have fierce choreography, but that had a full on DRAG QUEEN!!!. It was like watching RuPaul's drag race with choreography!!! . This crew always has amazing theatrics and this week was no exception. They had to utilize a huge table in their performance , and did it without error. So many level changes , although I feel their energy is always at an 7 instead of a 10 . RED BULL maybe ? :)


BLUEPRINT CREW... I mean what else is their to say. From the moment the boys entered the stage you knew this performance was going to be earth shattering… but honestly it wasn't. This crew always has amazing choreography and such stage presence. This week their performance was a little messy and all over the place. It was like they were trying to do to many things at once. What was impressive though was their musicality. This crew can hit beats that aren't even there!! Anyway they did a fabulous job recreating "Bad Romance". I feel like this crew is going to take the title. Some people feel that they shouldn't be on the show since they are from Canada, but that's a whole other story. This crew also gained immunity. So they will not be eliminated from next week's show when two crews will be sent home due to some voting error on MTV 's part.


JUNGLE BOOGIE was given "Video Phone" which technically is a Beyoncé song but whatever. Anyway this crew (lol) kinda looked out of place with this song. I felt that I was watching a bad Ludacris video… you know the ones with the big booty girls doing those big booty dances... except there was only one big booty girl, and a bunch of skinny boys. The choreography was lackluster in the beginning due to the fact that this crew is high energy and normally dances to full out songs. "Video Phone" is not a full out song. Towards the end of the song they kicked up the heat and got back to basics. A solid performance. Could have been better.

HEAVY IMPACT gave new meaning to the word PLUS SIZE dancer. This crew always knows how to put on a show. I do think that some of their movement get lost in their size . This week they performed to "LoveGame". Isaac was the the lead character in this weeks performance and he did a great job. The choreography was good. Nothing over the top, but very clean. I did see they had poles on stage and it was supposed to symbolize them recreating the bus scene in the video… so I clicked when they ended on the poles. For a second there I was like what's up with the poles? lol great showing from this crew.


HYPE 5-0 is that one crew that is always consistent. This week was more of the same from them. They didn't have any props or anything to really set them apart form the crews that went before them. Nuff said. ok performance... sorry :(


POREOTIX... ummmm yay… they are creative. They never do anything that is like WOW. This week they had a stellar song to work with ("Paparazzi") and they did what they always do, a whole lot of comedy. I know I never really give a great review of this crew, but it's only because I feel they don't give me any intensity. They look like a bunch of little kids just making fun. Yes they are supremely talented. I don't deny that, but I wish for something more explosive from them. Hasn't happened yet. This week's performance was not a stand out.


SALTARE… Well the curtain is closing for this crew. It's like they are a fish out of water when you remove the ropes from their hands. They looked odd, like cheerleaders who are trying to be smooth and do hip hop. I feel like the gimmick is done, guys just stick to jump roping… cuz when you do that you are amazing. so all in all the performance was great. But their ship has sailed.

I'm looking forward to seeing what crews remain… I have a feeling the cream is going to rise to the top (Blueprint Cru) and the final showdown is going to be epic...

Until next time... Stay plugged in

J.
Jason Carter

The DancePlug Dish, your weekly news-flash channel on all things dance.

Wheeldon drops his own company, Glee goes to the White House, and Mikhail Baryshnikov and Kate Moss pair up.


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The DancePlug Team

Hello kiddies!!!!  Yes, I am back and we have much to talk about!!!  Last week was an intense one for the crews. Hype 5-0, BluePrint Cru and Royal Flush were all feeling the heat as they were all in the bottom . Honestly, I feel as if those are the best crews competing anyway this season. So it' s quite perplexing to see this happening. But when you leave it up to "America" to vote that is what you get. Also, I really don't buy into what the judges say sometimes. They are just giving their opinion, and we all know that saying about opinions...

The huge tragedy this week would have to be ROYAL FLUSH. This crew has been the underdog. Yes, they got off to a rocky start, but they pulled up famously and really showed that they have something to offer. This week all the crews re-created popular music videos as their challenge. I would personally like to bitch slap the music coordinator for the show for picking some of these songs the crews had to dance to. I consider myself a slick music aficinado... but even some of the songs they danced to I have never heard of!!!! Back to Royal Flush... They had awesome choreography. It was clean, and tight and concise. Talking to them backstage I could soooooooo sense and feel the intensity that were going to bring... It was almost like they did not even want to talk because they were so focused. They had some simple tricks but mainly just straight forward choreo, and it was stellar. They just danced.  Their video of choice was CASCADA "Evacuate the Dance Floor" ( I love that song hehe). This crew made me proud. They were sent packing though.. :( I felt they were wrongly removed but ya know... that's Hollywood. RIP Royal Flush... besos.

Normally I am not really into this crew but POREOTIXS handled bizzzz this week. They had to recreate Rihanna's "Umbrella" video and they did a smashing job. They had to use umbrellas and they didn't miss a beat. What i appreciate about this crew is that they are funny and have so much showmanship. This week the choreography was genius and they really did without all the ticking and popping, FINALLY!!!!! These boys showed America they CAN actually dance and do more than the expected. Almost a fan. But the talent is indeniable.

STATIK NOYZE... Poor things they were handed some *@#* song from an artist I'm sure that 75% of America had no clue existed. I mean with all the banging music out today they could have at least given them like JANET or my personal fave MARIAH... LMAO just kidding... But the song was not a winner: "New in Town" by Little Boots. The crew on the other had was stellar... Shopping carts were the prop of choice and the dancers really made it work for them. The choreo wans't full out but it was very artistic and funky. This crew knows their strong points and makes sure they highlight them. I really enjoy their level of theatrics. It's like watching a musical. Very well done. One of my faves.

I definitely feel JUNGLE BOOGIE had a little bit of a lackluster performance this week. Naturally the video they were given was "Give it Up To Me" by Shakira. In this video she goes all hood and has stepping and kinda of hip hop choreo. When I saw the video I was like um...ok is she channeling Aaliyah or something? LOL anyway the crew did an ok job. I felt as if they weren't into it. The stepping was not clean at all and their trademark energy was not @ a 10. I do like how they gave Rocky (the girl) a weave!!! haha get it... so-so performance from an A+ crew

HEAVY IMPACT every week brings an entertaining perfomance quality to the show. This week they were given Colby O'Donis' "What You Got" for their challenge. This crew, for some reason doesn't give me that something special like other crews. I feel as though since they are big they limit their movements. They are certainly capable of being more full out but they tend to play it safe. This week the choreo was fast clean and moved well. The guy who played Colby in the performance was definitley great. Like i said this crew has it .. just need MORE of what ever IT is.

Oh BLUEPRINT CRU how do I love thee... Let me count the ways LMAO!! This week the crew form Canada was given Omarion's "I Get It In". Now, Omarion is know for having some pretty techinical moves in his videos. This crew totally rose up to the challenge. Every week I'm blown away by how artistic and just downright talented this crew is. You can clearly tell that they are severely disciplined and work very, very hard on their craft. They did a smashing job recreating the video. However during the most important trick from the video... the lead member (or at least that's what I call her) fell out of it and it was clearly obvious... but that's a small price to pay for how on point this crew always is. They were up against Royal Flush in the bottom and were not eliminated PRAISE GOD!!! Cuz I would have died a thousand deaths.

SALTARE... My predictions were right. Take the ropes out of the hands and disaster ensues. This crew had a hell of a time reinterpreting their music video challenge. "Shake It" by Metro Station was their video and all I have to say is that this crew deserved a do over :( It was like they couldn't get it together as far and the choreo went. They look severely awkward when they ACTUALLY had choreography to execute. It was like a bad train wreck happening before my eyes... At one point the girls of the crew looked like they were so over it. Very bad showing for this crew. But like we said, this is a dance competition. You must dance first and foremost.

Lastly, HYPE 5-0... one word... SICKENING. This crew was given Britney Spears "3" as thier challenge and did us proud. They have been in the bottom 3 every week and when I spoke with them last week I felt as if they were down on their liuck. One thing this crew has that always makes me proud is that their are resilient and positive. This week they murdered the challenge. What was simply mind blowing was when one of the crew members did a full on horizontal split to insuate the bar Britney hangs from in the video. Pure genius. The rest of the performance was spot on. They have so much energy and charisma. They were safe this week and out of the bottom. Good job. Aloha. You guys are my other fave.

All in all, this week was an 8. Royal Flush didn't deserve to be eliminated. I would have rather seen the other crew with the ropes gone. But like I said... America has no clue.

until next time... stay plugged in :)

J.
Jason Carter

The DancePlug Dish, your weekly news-flash channel on all things dance.

Burlesque invades London's West End, Elton John gets his own ballet, and Rio's Carnival still bedazzles!


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The DancePlug Team

The DancePlug Team spend the whole day, yesterday, and I mean the WHOLE day, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium where the Pasadena Dance Festival was taking place.

The festival was created by Lineage Dance in 2008, and has been running every year since. Yesterday proved to be another success with a day full of classes, from modern to tango, jazz to bollywood, swing dance to hip hop, and even hula! This is an excellent opportunity for students and teachers to discover dance styles they never tried before. Throughout the day, there also were three 20-minute performances by schools and studios, and the evening presented a full length show with 9 well-respected L.A.-based companies (Capoiera Batuque, KIN Dance Company Lineage Dance, Luminario Ballet, Lux Aeterna, Revelations Dance, Terri Best Dance, Yogen’s Bollywood Step, Crazy Kujo) and featured guest Chicago's Hubbard Street 2!

DancePlug's Glyn Gray was there filming the event, Adam Parson was manning the booth, and Anh Dillon was performing in faculty member Terri Best's number "Through the Desert".


Another busy day for the trio...

The DancePlug Team

Sup :) ... Yes kiddies the games have begun!!!! ABDC is now underway and all the crews have sealed their spot in the national competition. Now, from watching previous performances first hand by all the crews, I can safely say this season should be eventful and exciting.

So this week the crews had to perform to songs that are big on the charts. Like anyone cares or even listens to the radio any more. ABDC loses ten points for originality lol... Anywho first up was...

Hype 5-0

This crew was definitely energetic this week. What is so entertaining about them is that they are so full out and energetic and dance for their lives. The choreo was smoking hot. The tricks though were kind of corny and the ending was a little contrived and last minute. Not very creative. But all in all they showed and handled biz. Like I said before I think this crew can come with some versatility. I do like that they incorporate their native Hawaiian style of dance into their performances. Keep it moving...


Heavy Impact

These boys are no joke... their presence... is um... definitely apparent when you watch them dance. This week I felt their routine was very predictable. They didn't do anything that was like OMG amazing. Oh and one of the guys attempted to hit fouettés and fell out of them... no bueno. I feel as though this crew needs more intense and full out choreography to match their proportions. Because of their big nature they tend to look hal ass if they are not executing big movements. I love them though. They are breaking down walls. Just next time come with more intense choreo.


Poreotix

LMAO!!! Was it me or did this crew bite the same triple coupé turn that Hype 5-0 did?? Hmm... so ok, yes this crew is clean. Yes this crew is entertaining. But can we please get something with some kind of... I don't know... um choreography? This crew is definitely about the tricks and the gimmicks and the acting of dancing. But I feel that's about it. This week they were good, but so was every other crew. Not my fave nor will they ever be. Too predictable. Like I said before, take a cruise down to the OC and you will find 10 other crews that do the exact same thing. Nothing catches your eye with this crew. Tragic. They do although have superb musicality. There... see, I was nice. And of course they were not eliminated.


Swagger Crew

No joke... this week they were not on their A-Game. They looked tired and performed as such. Their choreography just doesn't do it for me. The girl is definitely eye candy, but i just cant get into them. It's like their performance are a train wreck of the girl trying to be sexy (which she pulls off famously and to be quite honest, she outshines the boys) and the rest of the crew just doing whatever. They were booted. I feel like if they would have had more creative choreo they would have had a shot. 


Jungle Boogie

Now this is what I'm talking about. This crew always delivers. The lady is superb in this group. They seamlessly blend tribal African movements with modern hip-hop choreography that is always a joy to watch. This group is so cohesive and you can tell that they are all on the same page in regards to the vision of the choreography they are trying to convey. They always keep the performance moving and there is never any puzzling sections that leave you wondering "What was that?" This week was an excellent example of how crews should deliver.


Royal Flush

Am I the only one who feels like the girl in this crew is so out of place? So, ok watching this week's performance from Royal Flush it dawned on me that the girl is the weakest link. The boys nailed the choreography and the tricks in the beginning were on point. Then all of a sudden there was something that caught my eye, and not in a good way... the girl. She stuck out like a sore thumb. Her hair, the way she dances, everything. She isn't bad by any means, but she just doesn't fit. The group as a whole was solid at best. Their transitions were sloppy and blurry. Royal Flush needs to step it up considerably if they want to hang with the competition. They were not eliminated, so we will see.


Saltare

First of all I love to jump rope. Very nostalgic. But this week this crew looked very corny almost like the Harlem Globetrotters corny. I felt watching them this week that I was watching a Nickelodeon kid show where the theme of the day was jumping rope. I was right in my first observation of this crew that they would have a hard time actually doing choreography. Nothing they did was impressive. When you first saw this group you were mesmerized by how well they could jump rope and do all the tricks. But it's like once you have seen it, to see it again is like 'deja vu'. I honestly don't have anything else to say.


Statik Noyze

Now this is what I'm talking about. This crew had theatrics, passion and fire. The theme: sickening. The choreography: on point. Loved how they had solos going on within the whole performance. The ladies duking it out for the men was sexy. The transitions were noticeable and very well executed. I thoroughly enjoyed this week's number. This crew is definitely the one of the ones to watch. Thank you for being amazing.


Blue Print Cru

Speechless. These mofos slayed !!! The best performance of the night. From the time they took the stage they made sure that they were taking no prisoners. Amazing choreography. I like how they gave you that West Hollywood "gayhop" style and switched it up real quick. They definitely have their ear to what's hot. They attack choreography like they are dancing for their life. Brilliant. This crew puts all other crews to shame. Love and adore them. Can't get enough.

There it is folks... The first real showdown. Until next time y'all stay plugged in...

J.
Jason Carter

Everyday, I wake up and thank the Lord that i live in Los Angeles. Why, you might ask? Because I am exposed to such great talent and opportunity. This week on ABDC I was reassured of my feeling.
 
The crews of the West took to the stage and I must say that I was throughly impressed . Now we must remember that in LA there is an abundance of amazingly talented dancers. So in order to be a true show stopper you must have that something extra. With that, lets get into this weeks crews.

Heavy Impact


So, ok... whoever said that big guys can't dance, are total douchebags. This crew was made up of five larger men that handled business. This crew was athletic, clean and fun to watch. They had stellar choreography that was not too trick heavy. Also you could actually see the movement and get a grasp on the vision they were trying to convey. Each member in the crew was amazing and held their own. There was no weak link. This crew may also be the one to watch this season. They are definitely bringing something different to ABDC.

Poreotics

Yea, yet another all Asian crew from the OC. I felt watching this crew that I had seen all of this before from past crews on other seasons. Their name is a blend of poppin', choreography and robotics. They had the typical eye popping tricks and gimmicks that are a standard with crews of this nature. As far as choreography goes, I really didn't see much of that. But if you want to be entertained thoroughly, this is a crew that will not disappoint. Word is, this crew will take the crown this year, my guess is probably not unless they can prove they are versatile. After all this is a dance show, not a circus.

Hype Five-O

Wow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This crew has to be a perfect 10!!! Not only can they dance phenomenally. they are also very athletic and deliver tricks flawlessly . I love every second of watching this crew. They had smoking choreo , and were high energy from start to finish, To top it all of , when they were in the bottom three, they brough their A -Game and masde usrethat they were going to the nationals. Perfection. There must be something in that Hawaiian water :) I can'twait to see whats in store for them this season.
 
The Blended Projekt

LOL for starters the name reminds me of a drink form Jamba Juice!! Anyway this was a crew that blended clogging with hip-hop choreography . They called this "Blending"  haha so original. But, they were actually very good. It is not easy to clog and this crew performed to perfection. With ease they toggled between both styles and didn't miss a beat. It seemed like there were at least ten crew members too. Sadly, this crew was eliminated. Tragic, this crew was actually original.

Break EFX

What was really cool about this crew besides their colorful outfits, was that they were all about being positive and giving back to the community that gave them so much. This crew had good choreography but it was not very entertaining to watch. I was as if they were new to dancing in a crew together. The energy was low and the performance as whole was just so-so. Wasn't a shocker when they were eliminated. Hey maybe they got to keep the cool clothes... LMAO

All in all, the West was stellar, but do they have the chops to go against the other crews? Hmmm..... The regionals are over. It's the real deal now. There is no time room for error; Go hard or go home. Period.

J.

Until next time ya'll... Stay plugged in!

The DancePlug Dish, your weekly news-flash channel on all things dance.

Madonna now auditions in night clubs, Scorsese revives an Indian dance classic, Russian and Canadian ballets clash, and of course we are meeting the crews from the West at America' Best Dance Crew.


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The DancePlug Team

The DancePlug Team meets with Australian choreographer John O'Connell, also known as 'Cha Cha', after he finished working on the 2011 Disney movie "Gnomeo and Juliet".

John choreographed many hit movies, such as Moulin Rouge, Strictly Ballroom, Shall We Dance, Enchanted, Australia, as well as the 80th Academy Awards.



John O'Connell talks to Scott Hislop about working with Baz Lurhman, working with dancers, and the dancer/actor process.

View John 'Cha Cha' O'Connell's interview. Only on DancePlug.

The DancePlug Team