ABDC Season 8 Episode 2.

Saturday, August 08, 2015

Picture Courtesy of Hok's Instagram
Just watched the second episode of ABDC Season 8 so LET'S GO. [Note: Jac's inputs are in here as well so if there's no label next to the paragraph, it's more probably done by me, Dan, so yeah.]
[Another thing: This post, in hindsight, was really long so in the future, Jac and I will split our reviews into two posts or more. Just bear with us for this one please hahaha]

The challenge for this week's episode was VMA icons. The show started out with a group performance to Drake's famous hit "Started From The Bottom" remix. I loved how they started with this swag/thug-filled circle where the crews just looked into the camera and passed it on to the next crew. Anyway, there were loads of great moments, but I have to say, my favourite part would have to be the section of the routine where all of the crews (with the exception of Kinjaz) showed their chain, signifying that they were the past champions, and then they panned to the Kinjaz looking for their chain as they slowed down the song. That was great.

Dan: I aM mE kicked off the show with a Katy Perry-inspired set. As much as I love the crew, I felt a bit let down by the routine. I mean, I do agree with Teyana about how there's never a dull moment with them, but I feel like there's quite a bit going on that when their biggest trick, which in this case is the double backflip, comes out, there was no sense of build up since all they've done to that point are either athletic or brain banging stuff. I am all for the brain banging, don't get me wrong, but I just feel like if their "normal" dancing/performing part of the routine is of that level, their tricks or the build up has got to be bigger and better. Despite all of that, I would like to highlight two parts of the routine. The first part being that brain banging part with Liza in the front. All of their arms were intertwined and what not, and on a typical day, it would not look that great, but with the costumes, it really has that brain bang effect they were going for. Another part I'd like to highlight is that chain of flips starting from Bebo, and ending with Scarlett. It's another one of those, if one messes up, the whole thing would be ruined, so great athleticism from the guys. Overall, that was a good performance from I aM mE. Also, kudos to Scarlett for nailing that double backflip.

Jac: Trying to ride on last week's killer stunt by Tam à la Jean Claude Van Damme, I.aM.mE's attempt to hype up this episode's 'death-defying' trick didn't have the intended effect. It was supposed to be the highlight move giving Scarlett her moment and make use of the actually ingenious trampoline bed. Unfortunately, I have to agree with Dan; they didn't showcase it well enough to have any real impact. The build towards this climax wasn't affected enough to truly let it stand out. If I was really harsh, I would go as far to say that that double back-flip was one to be missed. After last episode's triple flip over a rolling stool, this was a let down. Overall, the routine was meh. Not their greatest but not their worst. They'll have to step up their game. But honourable mention to the complex arm-connecting formations. Really played into the whole psychedelic feel of the piece and really in line with their theatrical style.

Dan: Up next, the "masked men of Kinjaz". I swear, it's like they're subtly linking them to the Jabbawockeez. I get it. Kinjaz are made up of members from Jabbawockeez (former and current), Kaba Modern 6, Poreotics, Mos Wanted Crew and so on. That's not a bad thing, but I would prefer people looking and judging the crews against their past performances, and not other crews (unless they're biting them but that's a whole other issue). This goes for all the other crews as well. Back to the performance. Kinjaz chose to pay homage to the VMA icon Usher. I'd like to first say that I've been waiting for Darren's hand hops, and yes, he didn't fail me. I felt like their performance showed a different side of the Kinjaz. The style of the choreography in that pyramid formation after Darren's hand hops was something you don't normally see from the Kinjaz, but rather, something Usher would do, and that's smart choreography on their part. I have to be honest, and I have to say that that part could have been executed a bit bigger and better, but that's not to say that what they have done did not give that effect (I think) they were going for. I have to mention that killer transition from that formation to the breakdown, with Mike, Ben and Anthony left standing. That was ill. Also, Mike did mention in the package that they focus more on the subtleties, and I feel like the breakdown is the best example of what he meant, and what they were going for. The nod to Usher's "U Make Me Wanna" at the end was just icing to the cake. Usher would be proud. All in all, it was a great routine and I cannot wait for next week's performance. [Side note: I found it hilarious how the editors felt the need to subtitle "Kinja bang" hahaha]

Jac: They are my baes but I will attempt to stay impartial. Mike Song brought up a valid point on their style, an espousal of 'subtlety' and 'story-telling' above 'explosive tricks'. He's right to say it's a risk; its not the first time I have heard people lament that ABDC folks may not be able to appreciate their artistry. But I think that they have a very unique identity, unlike some other stunt-overkill B-Boy crews (okay, I'll stop with the shade), which I appreciate. Other than that, what the judges have deemed 'cleanliness' I would call an attention to detail. To start, their choice of Usher really translated into their choreography: did you see that hand-standing 'thunderclap' at the start. Brilliant. It's intelligent continuity, a sensitive engagement with the chosen VMA artist. And what I enjoy about them is variegated formations that continually shift. They make it look so effortless. But while I really liked the routine, at some points the execution was mildly under. They could have synced with each other a little better. That ending though. Killed it. #UMakeMeWanna anyone?

Jac: Now, while talking with Dan, we agreed that it was annoying to see the Jabbawockeez legacy weigh them down. Not like the association is necessarily bad. I just feel that its unwanted baggage that obstructs them from being their own crew. And they honestly have shown they have so much more to them than just relations to the Jabbas and Kaba Modern. In fact, in the current eight, there is only one former Jabba member in Ben 'B-Tek' Chung, while Mike Song is the sole brother from Kaba. So quit tying them down. ABDC never fails to mention the connection lest we forget. At the beginning of this episode, when introducing the groups, we had unique descriptors like "dynamic tricksters" for Quest Crew and "visually intricate" for I.aM.mE. And when it came to Kinjaz, all they got was a one-liner "with members from Jabbawockeez and Kaba Modern". Geez Louise.

Jac: On a more lighthearted note, Kinjaz costumes are always the best. Last week's Naruto homage with the Hokage-inspired coats to this week's gold shoulder pads and knee caps. #Slay


Dan: Super Cr3w's chosen VMA icon, or rather, song, was Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk" featuring Bruno Mars. First of all, I'd like to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the guys. They did dance more, and their execution has definitely improved but it's not, as Frankie said, Kinjaz clean. I'm not going to continue with this comparing crews thing, so on to the performance. Also, compared to last week's performance and their past performances on the ABDC stage, I have to say that they really did put in the work and effort. That is not to say that they did not put in the effort then. I mean, that air flare, 2000, windmill to the freeze combo from Lil G is not something you can learn do in a day. What I'm referring to is their dance choreography. Their performance really showed off their dance ability. I don't know if they are well-versed in the other hip hop genres, but I have to say that them incorporating the locking with their tricks/flips is a good move and nicely executed. Of course, I have to mention that trick involving the knee slide from Neguin. That's just another sign of their level of athleticism. If they continue down this track, I would think they'd last long in the competition.

Jac: The opposite of The Kinjaz in that their endings are bad. Last week's routine got too cheerleader for me. This week it was like cowboy country. Now, I don't really like Super Cr3w all that much, if you can't already tell. They've always been a bit too gimmicky for my taste. They focus on attention-grabbing tricks and less on dancing, as opposed to Quest Crew, who have made a comfortable marriage between both. My take on Super Crew is that they are what stuntmen are to acting. Ouch. But that said, they impressed me tonight. They definitely brought more movement but maintained their signature b-boy flavour. That first movement with the old-school swivel barber chairs really got them started on the right note and the across the stage slide by Neguin was executed to a tee. Now that's a trick I appreciate. And Do-Knock brought some groove to the judges table. Literally. Of course, it's Super Cr3w, so we gotta throw in lots of air flares at the end. In essence, a pretty good run from Super, and they won't be at the bottom for sure, though I disagree that they were "Kinjaz-clean". 

Dan: The last crew to be saved from the bottom two was Quest Crew. Their chosen icon was Chris Brown and it made a lot of sense, seeing as how they have trickers Steve and Ru, and also since a number of them have performed with him in movies or his music videos. Considering how they had one man down the day before show time, and that the man down was the intended star of the performance, I would have to say they did a good job with the last minute changes to the choreography. However, I did sense like the overall morale of the group was kind of down as I was not as awed as I usually would be by a Quest Crew performance. Anyway, the performance still had it's great moments like Ryanimay's flip in the centre and towards the end when D-trix was in a handstand on Ryanimay and Jolee's backs while they slid across the stage. I also can't get over the intro section as it starts off seemingly simple and easy, and then Hok shoulder sits D-trix so seamlessly to form a sort of totem pole. I guess it's also because they looked so serious doing it, and that made it even "cooler" in my eyes. Overall, I was kind of let down by the performance, and I hope they would come back stronger than ever next week.

Jac: I love Quest. If not for Kinjaz, I would throw my lot with them. I still love them though. But losing one member showed and their performance suffered a little. But maybe it's because I have such high standards for them, that settling for anything less is just cheapens the experience. First off, it sucks to be one man down, especially when it has to be Rudy Reynon. For a piece incorporating martial arts elements, it would have been pretty much axiomatic to have his martial arts tricking. Despite that, they still had Steve and Hok, who are experienced with martial arts infused dance styles, particularly Steve. The starting formation was visually enticing, but aside from otherwise tight dancing, there were not many stand-out moments to pick at, which is unusual for power-packed Quest pieces. I mean we had Ryanimay doing that flip with a body wave, and D-Trix having a slide on Ryanimay and Jolee's backs (it kinda reminded me of skiing hahaha okay I'm retarded). But on the whole, it wasn't a great routine for me. I'm speculating that they may have altered the feel of their performance a little as a riposte to Frankie's "highlight reel" comment. But while it's good to see them responding and switching things up, I guess the implementation took a hit from Rudy's absence. I hope they can still stick around longer to show their true mettle.

Dan: The first of the bottom two crews, We Are Heroes, performed first. Now, when I heard their VMA icon and song choice, I was kind of worried because Fanny Pak's Missy Elliot routine is one of my favourite performances on the ABDC stage, and that for the crew, if they can't top that, it would be a losing battle. I have to say, on a whole, the routine was not too bad. The thing is, when they started from the bleachers, I thought that this would be another impactful routine to the song. However, as they progressed to the centre, it kind of died down? The momentum from the beginning just somehow slowed down as they made their way to the main stage. Even the trick with Ebonee doing the sugar rolls was not as jaw-dropping as I think they were intending it to be. I also agree with Frankie and that their choreography did not quite match up to the level of the other crews. [SPOILER]Now, I don't like that I am not a fan of this crew, seeing as they're the first and only all-female crew to have won ABDC, but I really do hope for the best for the crew and its members in their future endeavours.

Jac: Last week's routine was forgettable, so it was unsurprising for We Are Heroes to be in the bottom. Anyway, anyone remember Season Two's Fanny Pak? I was wondering why I found Get Your Freak On so familiar when Dan reminded me. Then images of red tape and walking bridges inundated my brain. What a classic. The point is, that's a tough act to beat. And when We Are Heroes chose Missy Elliot, they came up short. Let's sound off on the good stuff first: I loved that 'bleacher jungle' at the start. I loved the whole concept with the lost tourist. The whole Jungle Goddess set really fed into the empowering female trope. The issue was that they didn't keep in the moment long enough. Like Dan said, moving to the centre killed the momentum a little. And I agree with Frankie as well. Their choreography is not competitive. Maybe I just find that their waacking and popping style got a little repetitive. It's almost as if I've seen it all before, what's new? I guess that's why they bit the dust.

Dan: Elektrolytes were the last crew to perform, and their VMA icon was Jason Derulo. First of all, I'd have to say this was an improvement compared to last week's routine. Considering how they lost a member just minutes before the show, it really was a good routine with the last minute changes and it didn't feel like they lost a member. When I first saw their costumes, I felt this "Grease" vibe thing going on, especially with that 'do and the leather jackets, and sure enough, their routine was quite retro-inspired. However, I have to say, as much as almost everyone said how they nailed this suave thing, I have to disagree. I mean, the routine was great and all, especially with their use of the stage, but I didn't swoon over the guys. It felt a bit cheesy, and I mean that in a bad way. I have to say though, that I enjoyed that section where they were just gigging off to the side. They did look like they were having fun, and that's what's important when it comes to performing anything. If you don't enjoy what you're performing, it's hard for the audience to enjoy your performance. All and all, it was a good routine.

Jac: I have to be honest with you: I didn't follow ABDC Season 7, I kinda lost interest at that point I guess. So I have no contextual material to work with for Elektrolytes. I'm giving appraisals from a blank slate. And with that said, they should have titled this episode 'One Man Down' or something. I actually can't remember what happened to Joey. Anyway, my impression of this crew is that they have good musicality (read: synchronised popcorn toss) and creative use of space, because they really use the ABDC stage well. Dancing to Want To Want Me by Jason Derulo, I got a distinctly 'Grease' vibe from this performance. I mean, slicked-back hair, black leather jackets, fitted white tees and jeans, and getting it on on the bleachers? I did like the retro vibe, especially the way they linked last week's 'Big Bad Wolf' routine (which I didn't like) into this one by way of a cinematic experience, complete with pop-corn and somewhat anachronistic 3D glasses. Unlike Quest Crew, who seemed slightly affected with the loss of a team-mate, the Elektrolytes still brought a cohesive routine, though yes, with the quality being so high, they need to pump more outstanding oomph to the table.

Dan: I have to say, Teyana and Frankie are improving in terms of their judging. I mean, it's not as great as I would want it to be, but it's a step up from last week. As for T-Pain, let me just quote someone from YouTube and say "I cannot understand T-Pain without autotune". Jason didn't seem as awkward as last week so that's always a good sign. Anyway, Jac's more detailed post on the judges will be up in a bit so feel free to load up on ABDC videos while you wait. 

Till next time.

Dan out.

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