Telling the story

Every dancer has a story to tell, in a language that explains the music thru their movements.   But what kind of tale should be told when battling?  What needs to happen to win?  Style? Amazing tricks?  Musicality?  The foundations of breakdancing are key in any battle, cypher or competition.  Everything needs to be present in a unique way that will showcase a b.boys individual style, yet cover the essentials: Toprock.  Downrock.  Power.  Freeze.  Forgetting even one of these would be like telling a story with big chunks missing from the middle or no ending at all.  It wouldn’t make any sense.

Now that Youtube and the internet has spread the hip hop culture around the world like wildfire, new skool kids are picking up and learning only bits and pieces.  They learn only a few breakdancing moves and tricks and focus to excel in one or two foundations and choose to ignore the rest.  Some b.boys only do power, others only top rock.  There are even some b.boys who posses every element in their arsenal, but choose not to showcase it all.  So why is it so important?  Why do all these original styles need to be present?

I had the opportunity to hear from some old skool OG b.boys and learned that including everything proves to the judges and the crowd that the dancer is aware and legit.  It proves that they understand the foundations, the history and how necessary each one is to include in your steps.  This is why so many b.boys lose battles or never make it to the next round.    The knowledge and the history of this style of dance has to be given the respect it deserves.   Everyone has their own style and should stay true to themselves.  But if you plan to battle and take other b.boys down, you must represent correctly with all the foundations included.  So the next time you step out to battle, think about it.  What is your story?

CHECK IT OUT: Upcoming battles

September 24th, 25th & 26th : IBE in Holland www.thenotoriousibe.com

October 1st, 2nd & 3rd:  BBOY SUMMITt in Los Angeles www.bboysummit.com

Bikram Yoga for B.Boys

For those  of you who are not familiar with Bikram yoga, or “hot yoga”, it is the TRUTH!  EVERYONE can benefit from this practice.  Dancers are extremely hard on their bodies and literally work them to the bone.   Breakdancing can be hazardous and is a hardcore full body workout leaving you with many aches and pains.  So how do we recover?  Some get massages or go see a chiropractor, but that can get pretty pricey.  There is also Tiger Balm, stretching, pain pills, Epson salt, vitamins and some b.boys even go as far as taking ice baths!

But what if you could completely fix yourself and stay fit thru doing only yoga?  Imagine taking your body to a repair shop and getting it back to new.  A full body tuneup!  Or the fountain of youth!  It can happen, and its never too late to start getting better!  Getting older has its advantages, but its all downhill physically.  A dancers “shelf life” proves with how long they can stay fit and continue to dance.  Bikram yoga has proved itself to be the answer.

During this 90 minute practice of 26 poses in a heated room with crazy humidity, your body lets itself deeply stretch every single muscle, bone, ligament, gland, joints and tendon while working out old injuries and scar tissues. In addition, you sweat like crazy detoxing all that junk out of your body and help assist in losing weight and toning up!  It is the perfect workout for dancers, contortionists, athletes, and especially B.Boys.  Improving flexibility, strength, stretching, recovering the body and getting ready for battle!  But dont forget to drink lots of water and bring a change of clothes.  This yoga practice will bring a whole new meaning to sweating your ass off!

CHECK OUT: GreenValley Yoga in Henderson, NV or locate the nearest Bikram studio in your area

B.Girls, DJ’s and Lady MC’s sweeten up Hip Hop

Sugar and Spice and everything nice, think twice home slice.  The ladies are throwin lucky dice!  The 4 elements are female friendly, so don’t think that we cant add pretty & witty touches to the culture.  Girl DJ’s, Lady MC’s, Female Graffiti Artists and of course Bgirls worldwide add feminine flavor and sexy style!  Class, Confidence and Respect are both required and desired.  All over, females rise to the challenge and enter a man’s world, but it would mean nothing without a woman or a girl.

So much respect goes out to every sista for following her passion and adding to the hip hop culture and the women’s rights movement.  The right to spit and speak her mind.  The right to scratch and mix delicious music.  The right to be creative and artistic.  The right to get down and funky!  In the first ever UBC 2010 Ultimate Bboy Championship, Qween of Qweenz from Japan stepped up and battled the best bboys from all over the world!  I can’t wait to see what Bgirls make their way to top events such as The Notorious IBE this September in Holland  www.thenotoriousibe.com and Bboy Summit in LA October 1,2 & 3rd www.bboysummit.com

DONT MISS IT!…………….Check out Paria B., #1 rated Lady MC in Las Vegas and her “Break Free” album.  www.reverbnation.com/pariab.  From the San Francisco Bay Area, check out DJ Elz and Elise tag team mixing and MIC vocalist making one sweet DJ set!

Pleasure v.s. Pain

Breakdancing is exactly what it sounds like.  Break a bone, pull a muscle, scrape this, bruise that.  This style of dancing is not for the weak, the girlie or the timid.  The pain a dancer endures is only a small price to pay for all the pleasure it brings.   At first, I was embarrassed thinking it looked like I got beat up or just plain clumsy.  But after awhile, they become badges of honor.  Soldiers of sound collecting “war wounds”.   Injuries that come from practicing hard.    Practice makes perfect, but the road to perfection comes along with some bumps and bruises.

You must endure alot of pain to reach the pleasure of hitting a freeze, landing an airflare, making a windmill, pulling a sick move!   So “Why do we do it?” you ask?    Imagine if you had to endure the worst pain ever, but right afterwards experience the most pleasure possible.  Would you do it?  Are you strong enough physically and mentally?  To accept the pleasure and move past the pain? Ask any bboy or bgirl and they will all agree……

DANCING for the next generation…..

B.Boys, B.Girls, Poppers, Lockers,  Housers, Wackers, Krumpers, Steppers, Vougers, Flomasters, Funk Slappers, Stunt Stylists, Power blasters….. They bust a move and feel a groove.  Circles and Cyphers have changed since the raver days of my youth.  The dancers are getting younger and the moves are cleaner and much harder.  Dance has succeeded to rise from the underground corners of the world and become recognized as an art form. FINALLY!

An element that constantly evolves on the dancefloor.  The popularity of All-styles, Open, and Freestyle battles excites me more than anything!  These open battles with all flavor and no style requirements showcase unknown talent, discovering new dances, moves and cirlce stars showing their styles and skills.  Whether you watch a showcase, battle, random get down or street dancing, there is always passion and the undeniable need to move.  A “Slave to the Rhythm” is my description……forever moving to the beat of my soul.  Describing the music through moves.  

It should be required to have smooth moves and stylish grooves in addition to straight power and tricks to win any battle. Check out some upcoming battles and decide for yourself:  www.thenotoriousibe.com  and http://www.bboysummit.com.  This generation is for the dancers, the B.Boys and B.Girls.  Change the world, keep moving, never stop dancing!

Seasons, styles and skin!

As the season begin to change, so does the fashion.  More skin is showing, and that means less clothes to buy!  I wonder how Hip Hop it would be to just alter all my fall fashions.  Cut it shorter, smaller, tighter and then flavor it up with some funk & soul!  That means eat less and work out more!  No more late night eating after dancing and drink more water.  H2o  goes with everything and its always in fashion!

WELCOME TO OUR WORLD!