JabbaWockeeZ is an all-male modern dance/hip hop crew from San Diego, California who won the first season of the reality dance competition America's Best Dance Crew. Since winning, the group has gained greater exposure by appearing in variousmusic videos and commercials, touring internationally, and performing with Shaquille O' Neal at the 2009 NBA All-Star Game. They are known for wearing plain white masks and gloves in order to encourage audiences to focus on their movements as a group instead of on individual dancers. Their name is derived from the Lewis Carroll poem "Jabberwocky" about the eponymousmythical dragon.
JabbawockeeZ | |
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Jabbawockeez performing "The Red Pill" | |
Background information | |
Origin | San Diego, California, USA[1][2] |
Genres | Hip-hop dance, B-boying, Popping |
Years active | 2003— |
Website | www.jbwkz.com |
Members | |
Ben "B-Tek" Chung Joe "Emajoenation/Punkee" Larot Chris "Cristyle" Gatdula Kevin "Keibee" Brewer Rynan "Kid Rainen" Paguio Jeff 'Phi' Nguyen[3] Phil "Swaggerboy" Tayag | |
Past members | |
Gary "Gee" Kendall (deceased) Ryan Ellis Saso "King Saso" Jimenez Randy "DJ Wish One" Bernal Eddie "Eddie Styles" GutierrezBefore America's Best Dance Crew |
Established in 2004 in San Diego, California, JabbaWockeeZ is the brainchild of the "Three Musky" who wanted to showcase freestyle dance. The name JabbaWockeeZ, coined by Joe Larot, was inspired by the fantastical monster from the Lewis Carroll nonsense poem. The white masks and gloves from Phil, Kevin, and Joe's performances as Three Musky were adopted as the visual signature of the group. In San Diego, through Gary's connections, the JabbaWockeeZ added b-boys Rynan "Kid Rainen" Paguio and Chris "Christyle" Gatdula to the group. The original seven member iteration of JabbaWockeeZ began performing as a group in 2004. This lineup consisted of Gary, Randy, Phil, Kevin, Joe, Rainen, and Chris.
JabbaWockeeZ rounded out their numbers with additional members, bringing their total to eleven. Phoenix native Jeff "Phi" Nguyen had met Rynan Paguio at various Los Angeles area auditions imaryand performances, and earned a spot in the JabbaWockeeZ by battling Kevin Brewer. The JabbaWockeeZ also brought Kaba Modern alumnus Ben "B-Tek" Chung and b-boys Eddie "Eddiestyles" Gutierrez and Saso "Saso Fresh" Jimenez into the fold.
Members of JabbaWockeeZ also formed their own hip hop dance groups in California. Phil Tayag founded Boogie Monstarz in 2003, Kevin Brewer founded SuperGalacticBeatManipulators in 2005, and Joe Larot founded Press P.L.A.Y. in 2006. These three groups became part of a larger dance collective with JabbaWockeeZ called Family Royale. The jabbawockeez have a show in las vegas at the Monte Carlo hotel and casino [Citation Needed].
[edit]ABDC
The JabbaWockeeZ auditioned a seven-member contingent for the first season of America's Best Dance Crew, because of crew member limits imposed by the show. Originally, the ABDC group was supposed to consist of Gary Kendall, Phil Tayag, Kevin Brewer, Joe Larot, Rynan Paguio, Chris Gatdula, and Phi Nguyen. However, Gary had died that year, and Joe suffered a knee injury during the audition rounds. The group chose Ben Chung to replace Joe on the show and left Gary's spot vacant, proceeding with six members.
In a deliberate decision to portray their performances on the show as a cohesive whole, all of the JabbaWockeeZ' performances on America's Best Dance Crew began in the same formation in which the previous week's performance had ended. The Evolution of Street Dance performance in week seven and the group performances with other crews were the only exceptions.
[edit]Season 1 performances
Week | Challenge | Music | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Live Audition Special | None | "We Came Here to Party (Remix)" by Tony Yayo | Safe |
1: Crew's Choice Challenge | None | "Apologize" by Timbaland ft. OneRepublic | Safe |
2: Video Star Challenge | Crews must duplicate choreography in assigned music video | "Ice Box" by Omarion | Safe |
3: Dance Craze Challenge | Crews must create the illusion of defying gravity | "Lean wit It, Rock wit It" by Dem Franchize Boyz | Safe |
4: Movie Character Challenge | Character: Thieves | "Ayo Technology" by 50 Cent ft. Justin Timberlake | Safe |
5: Thriller Challenge | None | "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" by Michael Jackson | Safe |
6: Broadway Remixed Challenge | "Partners:" Kaba Modern Status Quo BreakSk8 | "It's the Hard Knock Life" (mastermix) from the musical Annie | Safe |
The Charleston | "All That Jazz" (mastermix) from the musical Chicago | Safe | |
7: Evolution of Street Dance | Crews must tell the history of hip-hop dance using the same five songs | "Funkytown" by Lipps Inc "It's Like That" by Run DMC & Jason Nevins "Push It" by Salt N Pepa "Bye Bye Bye" by N'Sync "Get Buck in Here" by DJ Felli Fel | Bottom 2 |
Encore Round | "The Red Pill" (mastermix of "The Time Is Now (Bambino Casino Remix)" by Moloko and "Red Dragon" by Swollen Members) by District 78 | Safe | |
8: The Live Finale | "Partners:" Kaba Modern Fysh N Chicks | "Tell Me When to Go" by E-40 ft. Keak da Sneak | Champions |
"Partner:" Status Quo | Step routine | ||
Champion's Encore | "Stronger" by Kanye West |
[edit]Live Audition Special
The JabbaWockeeZ performed to an instrumental mastermix of "We Came to Party" by Tony Yayo, a track they had frequently used in previous performances, including a deleted scene in the feature film Step Up 2: The Streets. They received positive reactions from all three judges. JC Chasez praised them for their interpretation of the music and for how their masks allowed for solos without distracting from the whole. Shane Sparks complimented them on the overall skill level in the group.[4]
[edit]Week 1: Crew's Choice
Performing to a mastermix of Apologize by OneRepublic featuring Timbaland that also featured "Building Steam with a Grain of Salt" by DJ Shadow, the JabbaWockeeZ received unanimous praise from the judges. Shane Sparks described it as "beautiful" and likened the group to a "Boyz II Men" of hip-hop dance for their ability to hit every emotional note. JC praised them for taking a risk by choosing to dance to a slow song.[5]
[edit]Week 2: Video Star Challenge
The JabbaWockeeZ were given the task of duplicating the choreography in the music video for "Ice Box" by Omarion. Their performances received a standing ovation from Shane Sparks and Lil Mama. Shane said the group had topped their previous two performances, and that Omarion and "Icebox" choreographer Roland "Ro Ro" Tabor should feature JabbaWockeeZ in their "next twenty videos." JC said the group was underrated and posited that their original choreography may have been better than of that in the video. Lil Mama complimented them for being both graceful and intense at the same time.[6]
[edit]Week 3: Dance Craze Challenge
In week 3, crews were given the task of incorporating a popular hip-hop dance move into their performance. The JabbaWockeeZ were assigned the snap dance and "Lean wit It, Rock wit It by Dem Franchize Boyz. While rehearsing, the JabbaWockeeZ were informed that they also had to include the illusion that they could defy gravity. Performing with their white masks painted black facepaint designs, they received a loud ovation from the studio audience upon unveiling their illusion of a long JabbaWockee body floating in mid-air at the end of their number. Shane called the JabbaWockeeZ "the sickest crew [he'd] ever seen." JC, however, criticized what he believed to be a walking transition during their performance.
[edit]Week 4: Movie Character Challenge
Introduced to a stage transformed to look like a movie set depicting an urban street setting, the JabbaWockeeZ were given the challenge of portraying thieves in their performance. Performing to "Ayo Technology" by 50 Cent featuring Justin Timberlake, the JabbaWockeeZ told the story of a band of thieves stealing a mystery object for a female client, only to be apprehended by police at the end. The object turned out to be a pink JabbaWockeeZ mask, which they gave to Lil Mama as part of the performance. The group also ran away and "hid" from host Mario Lopez after the conclusion of the song. JC wondered if their choreography was too simple, while Shane argued that the group had made the right decision to put choreography secondary to storytelling.
[edit]Week 5: Michael Jackson Challenge
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of Michael Jackson's album Thriller, each crew performed to a different song from the album. The JabbaWockeeZ were assigned "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)." The performance featured a Michael Jackson-inspired solo section by Kevin Brewer, in which he executed an exaggerated crotch grab. All three judges gave the performance high praise. Lil Mama remarked that while she felt that she was watching Michael Jackson on stage, she never forgot she was watching the JabbaWockeeZ. JC admitted that even though he had been critical of the group previously, he had nothing to criticize this week. He complimented the group's showmanship. Shane also praised the group for concentrating on entertaining the crowd in the performance. In the special prologue for season 4 episode, Randy Jackson picked this performance as number 1 on "The 10 Best Performances of All Time."
[edit]Week 6: Broadway Remixed Challenge
With the Broadway theme of Week 6, the JabbaWockeeZ were treated to a live performance of "All That Jazz" from the L.A. cast of Chicago. They received a lesson from the Chicagodancers in the Charleston, the dance they had to incorporate into their routine. Their performance featured several illusions involving dancing circles as props, most notably the entire group turning into a car using the circles as wheels. The performance ended with all six JabbaWockeeZ posing as musicians in a band.
Once again, the judges' reaction was positive. JC said they had successfully incorporated Broadway elements into their performance, but also that he believed they had started slow. Lil Mama made the observation that JabbaWockeeZ had been starting their performances in the same formations they had ended the previous week's, to the delight of the group. Shane highlighted the group's band pose at the end, which may have escaped the audience's notice, and stated that Broadway was "the future of hip-hop."
[edit]Week 7: The Evolution of Street Dance
With three crews remaining, JabbaWockeeZ found themselves in the bottom two crews for the first time on the show and faced elimination. Their next performance would be a battle against Kaba Modern for a spot in the finals. The crews were given the task of telling the history of hip-hop dance to mastermixes of the same six songs.
The JabbaWockeeZ' hard-hitting performance ended with members of the group going into the audience to hype up the crowd. Kid Rainen remained on stage and hit an extendedheadspin that continued long after the music had ended and host Mario Lopez had come out on stage. The crowd gave the group a standing ovation. JC stated they had "let it all hang out" and that the group had taken all of the judges' feedback and created a number that had "everything." Lil Mama pointed out Kid Rainen's "three minute headspin." The highest praise of all came from Shane, who declared that JabbaWockeeZ had "set the standards for the next ten seasons" of America's Best Dance Crew, and that if future crews on the show did not bring the same level as JabbaWockeeZ, they were better off staying at home.
Despite a spirited performance from Kaba Modern, the judges saved JabbaWockeeZ, giving them a spot into the final two. For their final number, the group worked with producers District 78 to create original music for their performance. The resulting collaboration produced "The Red Pill", a remix of Moloko's "The Time Is Now (Bambino Casino Remix)" and Swollen Members' "Red Dragon", both songs the JabbaWockeeZ had used previously used in live performances. The Red Pill was dedicated to the memory of Gary "Gee-1" Kendall, the group's late member and mentor figure. At the end of the number, the group all got down on one knee and pointed to the sky in tribute to their friend.
[edit]Week 8: The Live Finale
The JabbaWockeeZ teamed up with Kaba Modern and Fysh N Chicks, the other two crews from the West region, for a performance set to hyphy standard "Tell Me When to Go" by E-40 featuring Keak da Sneak. They also performed with the other finalist, Status Quo, in a step routine created by Stomp the Yard choreographers Dave Scott and Chuck Maldonado.
At the end, JabbaWockeeZ were crowned winners of the inaugural season of America's Best Dance Crew. For their victory performance the group performed unmasked for the first time to "Stronger" by Kanye West. The performance featured solos from all six JabbaWockeeZ and ended with them joining hands for a final bow.
[edit]Special appearances
After winning the first season of America's Best Dance Crew, the JabbaWockeeZ also made special appearances on later seasons of the show.
Live Audition Special (Season 2): The JabbaWockeeZ performed to a remix of "The Boss" by Rick Ross featuring T-Pain at the end of the episode.
Battle for the VMAs Special (Season 2): At the beginning of the episode, JabbaWockeeZ and Season 2 champions Super Cr3w performed to a remix of Queen's "We Are the Champions" choreographed by Shane Sparks.
ABDC Top 10 Performances of All Time (Season 4): On August 2, 2009, to promote its fourth season, America's Best Dance Crew aired a special hosted by Randy Jackson called "The Top 10 Performances of All Time" where Jackson chose his top ten favorite performances from the first three seasons. He ranked the JabbaWockeeZ' performance of P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) at number one.
ABDC Champions for Charity Special (Season 5): On a special episode featuring the winners of the past five seasons of America's Best Dance Crew, JabbaWockeeZ performed in support of Josh Sundquist's LessThanFour.org, a social network for amputees. At the beginning of the episode, the group joined with Super Cr3w, Quest Crew, We Are Heroes, andPoreotix and performed to "All I Do Is Win" by DJ Khaled. The group's individual performance was to a remix of "The Final Countdown" by Europe and The Bangerz' "Robot Remains".
[edit]Post-ABDC career
The JabbaWockeeZ received an incredible amount of exposure and success from winning the first season of America's Best Dance Crew in 2008. Their win earned the crew $100,000 (USD) .[7] JabbaWockeeZ' final performance on the show was to Kanye West's "Stronger", which marked their first public unmasked performance.[8]
Since ABDC they appeared in a Pepsi and Gatorade commercial,[9] performed on Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, The Ellen DeGeneres Show,[10] and on Live with Regis and Kelly, made a cameo in Step Up 2 The Streets,[11] toured with New Kids on the Block,[12] and launched their own clothing line. Along with the ABDC season 2 winner, Super Cr3w, JabbaWockeeZ were the opening act for the Battle of the VMAs ABDC special.[13][14] The group also made an appearance on Cycle 13 of America's Next Top Model during the episode "Dance With Me" to help the girls learn how to convey emotions with their bodies.
At a performance at St. Peter's College in New Jersey, on July 12, 2008, Dominic "D-Trix" Sandoval of Quest Crew and So You Think You Can Dance fame performed with JabbaWockeeZ as a substitute for an injured Kid Rainen. D-Trix had worked previously with JabbaWockeeZ member and fellow Sacramento native Joe Larot. D-Trix performed air flaresduring the "Get Buck in Here" segment of the performance, in place of Rainen's usual headspin.
On February 15, 2009, they accompanied and danced with NBA All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal in his NBA All-Star Game player introduction.[15] On October 16, 2009, they performed in front of a crowd of 35,000 at the University of Florida's Gator Growl.[16]
[edit]Full Service Tour with New Kids on the Block
As the opening act for the Full Service Tour with New Kids on the Block (NKOTB), they built a close relationship with the band. In a recurring segment during the concerts, NKOTB member Donnie Wahlberg would tell the audience a story about "naked ninjas" following the band around, upon which members of the JabbaWockeeZ would streak across the stage wearing only their masks and underpants, with one member wearing a red brassiere.[17]
Originally, all ten members of JabbaWockeeZ were part of the tour, with eight members performing each night. However, due to budget cuts made to the tour, the group was forced to send Randy, Saso, and Eddie home and continue with only seven members. After the Australian leg of the Full Service tour was cancelled, JabbaWockeeZ announced plans to tour Australia on their own, which they later did in August 2009.
[edit]Australia Tour
The JabbaWockeeZ toured Australia from August 28 to August 30, 2009. The three-day tour was for Australian fans who were unable to see the crew due to the cancellation of the Australian leg of New Kids on the Block's Full Service Tour. The group performed in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane and made several appearances on MTV Iggy.
[edit]Las Vegas show
In May 2010, JabbaWockeeZ debuted their own live stage special at the MGM Grand Hollywood Theater in Las Vegas, entitled "MÜS.I.C". The show ran from May 7 to May 26 and combines also the talents from America's Best Dance Crew Season 2 Champions Super Cr3w as well as original music from The Bangerz. In press releases, the group described the special as "the audio-visual story of inspiration brought to life through the harmonization of sound and movement."[18] On July 28, 2010, the JabbaWockeeZ announced they would be returning to the strip for another performance run from August 19 to 25.[19] In September 2010, due to popular demand, the JabbaWockeeZ was signed by theMonte Carlo Hotel to perform five nights a week, replacing magician Lance Burton.
[edit]Connection with Super Cr3w
Several members of JabbaWockeeZ and the Season 2 winners Super Cr3w have close personal connections. Both JabbaWockeeZ' Chris Gatdula and Super CR3W's Ronnie "Ronnieboy" Abaldonado are members of the b-boy crew Full Force, one of the three Las Vegas crews that form Super Cr3w. In 2010, Kid Rainen also joined the Full Force crew, making him an honorary member of Super Cr3w. In May 2010, Super Cr3w members Ronnie, Do-Knock, Ben, and Rock performed as dancers in JabbaWockeeZ' live Las Vegas stage special, MÜS.I.C.
[edit]Filmography
TV
- 2007: America's Got Talent [20][21]
- 2008: America's Best Dance Crew on MTV
- 2008: Live with Regis and Kelly
- 2008: The Ellen DeGeneres Show
- 2008: Mi TRL on MTV
- 2008: KUSI
- 2008: Step Up 2 (Kid Rainen)
- 2008: Balitang America on TFC
- 2008: Asian Excellence Awards on Ralph Delmiguez E!
- 2008: Lakers-Spurs Game 2 at the Staples Center
- 2008: MTV Movie Awards Brief performance alongside Ralph Crew
- 2008: America's Best Dance Crew Season 2 TV promo
- 2008: America's Best Dance Crew Casting Special
- 2008: America's Best Dance Crew "Walk It Out" with the Jabbawockeez and Shane Sparks
- 2008: Adobo Nation on TFC
- 2008: 2008 MuchMusic Video Awards
- 2008: 2008 BET Awards Brief performance with Ne-Yo at the end of his set
- 2008: MTV Asia Awards 2008
- 2008: Teen Choice Awards 2008[22] Brief performance with Chris Brown and ACDC
- 2008: America's Best Dance Crew Battle for the VMAs. Performed with Super Crew.
- 2009: America's Best Dance Crew Season 3
- 2009: 2009 NBA All-Star Game Performance with Shaquille O'Neal
- 2009: "The Quest for G" Gatorade commercial[23]
- 2009: The Ellen DeGeneres Show[10]
- 2009: America's Next Top Model
- 2009: This Is SportsCenter commercial
- 2009: 2009 Latin Billboard Music Awards Performance with Daddy Yankee
- 2009: So You Think You Can Dance guest performance[24]
- 2009: Wowowee (Philippines) guest performance
- 2009: ASAP 09 (Philippines) guest performance[25]
- 2009: 106 & Park
- 2009: Tosh.0
- 2009: Dancing with the Stars
- 2009: America's Next Top Model
- 2009: B-Girl (Rynan "Kid Rainen" Paguio)
- 2010: ASAP XV (Philippines)
- 2010: Banana Split (Philippines)
- 2010: Pinoy Big Brother: Double Up (Big Date on the Big Night)
- 2010: Showtime
- 2010: Wowowee (Philippines)
- 2010: Lopez Tonight
- 2010: ABDC All-star Reunion with Super Cr3w, Quest Crew, We Are Heroes, Poreotix
- 2010: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
- 2010: America's Got Talent
- 2010: Latin Grammys
- 2010: Lopez Tonight
- 2011: Shake It Up
Film
- 2008: Step Up 2 the Streets (cameo appearance, deleted scene)[11]
Music videos
- 2008: Daddy Yankee - "Pose"[26]
- 2009: DJ Drama - "Day Dreaming"
- 2009: Leona Lewis - "Forgive Me"
- 2010: David Guetta & Chris Willis feat. Fergie & LMFAO - "Gettin' Over You"
- 2011: Emily Osment Lovesick (music video)
Live
- 2008: Walt Disney 2008 Gradnite
- 2008: America's Best Dance Crew Live Tour with Super Cr3w, Breaksk8, Fanny Pak, and A.S.I.I.D.
- 2009: Full Service Tour with NKOTB[27]
- 2009: University of Florida "Legends of the Swamp" Homecoming Pep Rally (a.k.a. Gator Growl)[28]
- 2009: Knott's Scary Farm "Scion Night"
- 2010: MusicFest2010 with Kris Allen and Boyce Avenue
- 2010: SM City Cebu, North Parking Cebu City, Philippines on Feb 7th
- 2010: McKinley Hill Concert Grounds at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, Manila, Philippines on February 6
- 2010: MÜS.I.C (muse-i-see) May 7–26, June 17–23 and August 19–25 at the MGM Grand Las Vegas
- 2010: Ultimate B-Boy Championship, August 6–7
- 2010: One Kapamilya Go, September 12, Santa Clara, California
[edit]References
- ^ The Official JabbaWockeeZ Fan Page
- ^ JabbaWockeeZ profile at BuddyTV
- ^ Ha, Daniel. "Exclusive Interview with Jeff 'Phi' Nguyen from the Jabbawockeez from America's Best Dance Crew", BuddyTV, 20 January 2009.
- ^ America's Best Dance Crew (Season 1) > "Casting Special: The Search Begins", MTV.com
- ^ America's Best Dance Crew (Season 1): Ep. 1 "The Battle Begins", MTV.com
- ^ America's Best Dance Crew (Season 1): Ep. 2 "Music Video Moves", MTV.com
- ^ Kubicek, John (24 September 2009). "America's Best Dance Crew: Season Finale Recap". Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ JabbaWockeeZ America’s Best Dance Crew
- ^ JabbaWockeeZ (dancers). (July 28, 2008). JabbaWockeeZ on Pepsi Smash. [Adobe Flash video]. Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
- ^ a b "Denise Richards and Chyler Leigh". JabbaWockeeZ. The Ellen Degeneres Show. Warner Brothers. February 25, 2009. No. 112, season 6.
- ^ a b JabbaWockeeZ (dancers). (July 15, 2008). Step Up 2: The Streets. [DVD]. Los Angeles: Touchstone Pictures.
- ^ Vena, Jocelyn (May 7, 2009).New Kids On The Block Pumped For Tour With Jabbawockeez. MTV News. Retrieved 2009-08-11
- ^ RECORD BREAKING 39 MILLION VOTES CAST TO CROWN B-BOY MASTERS SUPER CR3W "AMERICA'S BEST DANCE CREW"
- ^ America's Best Dance Crew: The Battle For The VMA's
- ^ http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Video-All-Star-RPain-pops-and-locks-with-Jabbawo?urn=nba,141598
- ^ Kearney, Scott (2009-10-18). "Jabbawockeez". Gator Growl. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
- ^ 7 Naked Ninjas and Donnie, New Kids on the Block, Houston, 18 July 2009 at YouTube
- ^ Article[dead link], MTV.com
- ^ JabbaWockeeZ official website
- ^ "America's Got Talent (season 1) Las Vegas Callbacks part 1". Jabbawockeez. America's Got Talent. No. 5, season 2.
- ^ "America's Got Talent (season 2) Dallas auditions". Jabbawockeez. America's Got Talent. 2007-06-05. No. 1, season 2.
- ^ Garofoli, Wendy (August 29, 2008). "The Teacher Behind the Mask". Dancer Universe. Retrieved 2009-09-28.[dead link]
- ^ http://www.missiong.com/video/The-Quest-for-G "The Quest for G"], MissionG.com
- ^ "2 of 6 Voted Off". Jabbawockeez. So You Think You Can Dance. FOX. July 30, 2009. No. 21, season 5.
- ^ Performance on ASAP 09
- ^ Daddy Yankee's "Pose" (26 June 2008) at YouTube
- ^ Alwill, Cara (March 30, 2009). "New Kids On The Block Announce Tour Dates". MTV.com. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
- ^ "JabbaWockeeZ at Gator Growl". gatorgrowl.org. October 16, 2009. Retrieved October 16, 2009.
- Online video interview with ABDC members of JabbaWockeeZ at YouTube
- Slideshow presentation of JabbaWockeeZ at YouTube
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