Meet The New "ABDC" Crews: The East

So far you've been introduced to the "America's Best Dance Crew" crews representing both The South and The West. Our last group of crews is representing none other than The East. Surprisingly enough, The East doesn't consist of any crews from New York City. I don't think it's a bad thing though. Although NYC does consist of a number of dancers, crews, etc. there are a lot of other cities and states in The East who also deserve the shine.

Here are the official bio's for the crews representing The East:

Blueprint Cru (Montreal, Canada): This Canadian crew is out to storm the home of hip-hop and demonstrate a level of synchronicity never seen before. Being the first-ever foreign crew to compete on “ABDC,” Blueprint has a lot to prove. Their motto is "Precision, precision and precision." Every move this crew does, they do as one, moving together. This dance crew is run like an army, training hard to look like one unit, to learn the origin of the move and then striving to perfect them. This perfectionist crew doesn’t believe in tricks and stunts, they believe in unified movements down to every minute detail.

draZtik (Providence, RI): Predominately self-taught from music videos, draZtik is set to prove you don’t need major street cred to hang with the big dogs of “America’s Best Dance Crew.” One of the only dance crews in Providence, RI, they do not garner much respect. However, with choreography that is an innovative combination of contemporary and ballet fused with popping and hip-hop, they plan to earn respect. Because they are all skilled in different styles, draZtik adheres to an unconventional philosophy of leadership by committee. Each member plays an equal role in the design and choreography of every performance. Although this philosophy can sometimes lead to tension amongst members, draZtik feels it ultimately gives them an edge over other crews.

Legendary Seven (Boston, MA): Legendary Seven is proud to call the hard streets of Boston home and are quick to tell you they are one of the last true Bean Town street crews. Their performances revolve around breaking, krumping and popping but, most importantly, big tricks. Crew leader Ernest “E-Knock” Phillips and fellow Legendary Seven member Darius Rutledge were both members of the Season One crew “ABDC” crew Status Quo which finished second to the JabbaWockeeZ. This time around, losing is not an option for them which means their tricks are even bigger and more imaginative then before.

Saltare (Raleigh, NC): These professional jump ropers are seeking exposure for their sport while at the same time conquering the dance world. They have walked away from their college degrees and steady jobs in pursuit of a dream: to become professional jump ropers and pioneers of a burgeoning sport. All six members are a part of the USA Jump Rope All Star team, which only features the best of the best in the country. Saltare comes to “ABDC” to expose the sport they’ve dedicated their lives to, challenge themselves in a different arena and prove that jump rope is more than just child’s play. Now they must incorporate their unique skill set into major performances that and transition their trademark jump rope into viable dance routines.

Static Noyze (Cambridge, MA): Static Noyze has always felt like outcasts, never really feeling like they fit in with anyone but each other. Bored with what they call “stock hip hop” – routines and moves that they’ve seen before – this off-the-wall group of dancers promises to shake up the “ABDC” stage with their distinct style of dance. They consider themselves to be innovators and describe their dance style as hip-hop with a contemporary twist. What makes them truly unique though, is that they use their routines to convey offbeat stories told through cutting edge moves and costumes. Static Noyze does not mind being called odd. In fact, they embrace it. These eccentricities are what make Static such a unique group and they hope America finds their unconventionality charming.

"America's Best Dance Crew" will premiere today (January 28) at 10p.m. ET/PT.

Meet The New "ABDC" Crews: The West

On past seasons of "America's Best Dance Crew," the crews representing the West Coast have always seemed to reign supreme. Personally, I'm hoping a crew from The South or The East takes it this season. But here's a little more info on the five crews from The West, taken from their official bio's:

The Blended Projekt (West Covina, CA): The Blended Projekt is a crew of young dancers (including three 16-year-olds) who combine traditional clogging with hip-hop dance in a technique they call “Blending.” While clogging has appeared on “ABDC” before, it has certainly never looked like this. Tired of what they considered the “nerdy” traditional clogging style, Blended Projekt rips the taps off their clogs and fuses them to their sneakers. Now when they perform, this crew of hip-hop lovers can keep its young and hip while maintaining its classic clogging technique.

BreakEFX (Denver, CO): This co-ed breaking crew hopes to break the mold of the B-boy stereotype and prove once and for all that breakers can do choreography too. They consider themselves the first B-boy-choreography crew as all the members have trained in all types of dance including hip-hop, jazz and ballet. BreakEFX is poised and ready to reclaim the “ABDC” title for breakers everywhere.

Heavy Impact (North Hollywood, CA): These big boys are out to break negative stereotypes and prove dancers come in all sizes. These guys have big hearts and hope they can inspire others who have a passion for dance saying, “No matter what the size, if you love to dance, you are a dancer.” Heavy Impact hopes that their combination of infectious feel-good dancing and inspirational charm will win over America, but they know this isn’t going to be an easy feat. They know when they walk out on that stage, people are going to assume they are a joke based on their appearance and this has been a hurdle they have faced their whole lives.

Hype 5-0 (Honolulu, HI): Driven to prove that Hawaii has a thriving hip-hop community, Hype 5-0 is out to show there is more to Hawaii than swaying grass skirts and coconut bras. With limited funds for travel, Hype 5-0 has honed their skills by spending countless hours on the Internet studying crews from the mainland. Now after conquering the island dance scene with imported moves this hard-hitting crew is ready to export themselves to the mainland and take the “ABDC” stage by storm. They have immense Hawaiian pride and incorporate native dance moves in all of their routines.

Poreotix (Westminster, CA): These shaded showmen inspired by robots aim to entertain the dance world with their unexpected humor and revolutionary mixed style. Over the last couple of years, Poreotix has laboriously honed their craft of popping and robotic movement and are at the top of their game. The way in which the crew blends the different dance styles gives them a distinctive animated look, and their integration of humor makes their performances fiercely entertaining. Poreotix are true showmen and never perform without their trademark shades. They use them as a tool to hide emotion so they can provide unexpected twists in their routine, taking the audience from serious to funny without tipping their hand.

"America's Best Dance Crew" will premiere on Thursday, January 28 at 10p.m. ET/PT.

Meet The New "ABDC" Crews: The South

For the fifth season of MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew" they've got something a little different up their sleeves. The first three shows will actually consist of crews competing against other crews in their region (The South, The East, The West). The judges will then eliminate two crews from each region.

Here are the official bio's from the crews representing The South:

Ghost (Houston, TX): Ghost is a crew that has faced a lot of adversity in life and dance has always been their refuge. In fact, they all met through their local dance venues over the past five years seeking a way out life’s hardships, gangs and family death. The crew would break into a local apartment complex gym room just so they could practice dance. They consider their style inspirational hip-hop and they plan to offer up some of the best musicality “ABDC” has ever seen with hard hitting, complex movements. As dancers they are a tight unit and their personal hardships have brought them even closer together.

Jungle Boogie (Stone Mountain, GA): These dancers pride themselves on their southern “Cranking” style and are on a mission to become kings of the dance jungle. “Cranking” uses big step movements and arms to cover the entire dance floor and each of the six members has a unique animalistic move to wow this year’s competition.

Royal Flush (Atlanta, GA): This crew has auditioned every season and their refusal to give up has finally paid off. Changing members after each audition, the crew believes it finally has the dream team it needs for success. Educated on the streets, this diverse crew’s styles include krumping, tutting, popping, breaking and even a hint of salsa. They do not claim to be “professionally trained dancers,” leading to difficulties in finding work in the dance industry. “ABDC” is finally offering them something no one else would: the opportunity to be champions.

Swagger Crew (Atlanta, GA): Tired of trendy club dances, this brash Atlanta crew feels its time to put true Southern street dancing on the map. These confident dancers are fired up by the complete absence of Atlanta crews represented on past seasons of “ABDC” and know they have what it takes to put Atlanta on the map. With a combination of southern cockiness, fast footwork and determination this crew is ready to bring some raw swagger to the “ABDC” legacy.

X-treme Motion (Houston, TX): These former Texas Southern University majorettes are bringing their bootylicious bucking style to the mainstream stage. These high energy, acrobatic and stunt-filled Southern belles are on a mission to show the world their majorette style of dance is “often imitated but never duplicated.” Their style is influenced by both street jazz and hip-hop, but what really makes them distinct is an intense booty-shaking move they call “Buckin’.”

Be on the look out for crew bio's for The East and The West later this week. "America's Best Dance Crew" will premiere on Thursday, January 28 at 10p.m. ET/PT.

America's Best Dance Crew Auditions

For all you aspiring dancers out there here's your chance to appear on one of television's most popular dance shows. Starting tomorrow, November 20 MTV's America's Best Dance Crew will begin auditions for their fifth season of ABDC. Auditions will be conducted in Atlanta, Houston, Boston, and more. Check out the flyer below for more information and for those of you who do audition, the best of luck to you!

And for those of you in Atlanta auditions are TOMORROW!!!

Exclusive: We Are Heroes Interview

With so many reality dance and singing competitions on television these days it’s hard to take any of these shows serious. I became a fan of MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew a little while ago because I had a roommate who was really, really into the show. ABDC really struck a cord in me because of the passion I see in the dancer’s. It’s more than just a competition for them. It’s about respect, integrity, and well, dancing their asses off.

For those of you who have been keeping up with this recent season you’re probably quite familiar with the two crews competing in the finale tomorrow, We Are Heroes and Afroboriken. I’ve been rooting for We Are Heroes because personally I’d LOVE to see an all female crew win this season and I’m quite sure they have the talent to do just that. Recently, I was fortunate enough to ask the girls of We Are Heroes a few questions before the ABDC finale tomorrow.

The D Diaries: When I first read about We Are Heroes being part of this latest season of ABDC I was really taken aback by the name We Are Heroes. How did this name come about?

We Are Heroes: Our name WE ARE HEROES came about because we realized that we are all heroes to each other because we wouldn’t be able to do our dances without each person in the crew. Hiro brought the group together and that’s where we thought first of the name HEROES and then it evolved.

TDD: With all the accomplishments you all have made on ABDC would you consider yourselves "heroes" in the dance world?

WAH: We would definitely consider ourselves heroes in the dance world. We put a whole new style on the map. Image wise and choreography wise. We are a different crew that the dance world hasn’t seen.

TDD: What do you think a win for We Are Heroes would mean for female crews across the world?

WAH: If we were to win we would be so happy to make way for other girl crews out there that are trying to do their thing their own way. It’s ok to be sexy and womanly but to not let that carry your dance but to ascent it. And we would be happy to represent that by being the first ABDC girl crew winner.

TDD: Being a female crew has there ever been any pressure to conform into something you aren't?

WAH: Of course, being a girl crew who is comfortable with their sexuality you don’t want people to try to take advantage of that. So we know how to stand our ground but be able to please all different types of fans and audiences without running into things that take our morals away.

TDD: What advice would you give to the thousands of female dance crews out there pursuing their dreams in dance?

WAH: Any crew or dancer, but especially girl crews we do have advice. Please don’t let your sexiness rule your dancing, but don’t shy away from it. All girls want respect so in order to get that you have to be confident and knowledgeable. Know what kind of crew you are and in hip hop dance you have to know your foundation in the elements of hip hop and automatically respect will come.

TDD: What are some of the obstacles you've face individually and as a group?

WAH: Every person on this show has had some type of struggle. We have had injuries in our crew – Mami and Nichelle and that was a downer for us and for them individually. We haven’t been a crew for that long at all and this was the most intense thing we have done together so we had to learn who plays what roles and what is everyone’s strongest skill as well as the challenges with the music and the challenges themselves and making them up in only a couple of days.

TDD: Once ABDC is over, what's next for We Are Heroes?

WAH: Next for WE ARE HEROES is lots of shows! Hope to do that internationally and continue to inspire many people and dancers. We are excited to make up more routines and challenge ourselves and continue to outdo ourselves. We plan to stay in the dance world and in the public eye and share the love of dance with everyone who wants to.

The season four finale of America’s Best Dance Crew airs on Sunday, September 27 at 9 p.m. on MTV.

ABDC Goes Bollywood!!

America's Best Dance Crew is hands down one of my favorite dance shows. You can clearly see the passion these crews have for dance. I love it!

This week (August 30) ABDC is going Bollywood and incorporating Indian dance into their routines. Here's a look at what song each crew will be dancing along to as well as their specific challenge for the week.

RHYTHM CITY "Jai Ho" A.R. Rahman & Pussycat Dolls
Challenge: BHARATA NATYUM - The movements are ample and precise, always symmetrical. The technical vocabulary comprises jumps, spins and balanced attitudes. This style has a lot of bending, squatting and large arm movements.

WE ARE HEROES "Arab Money" Busta Rhymes & Ron Brownz
Challenge: GIDDHA - Performed in a circle, Giddha consists of clapping and often becomes a friendly battle between two people trying to out do each other, with a story. This style is performed by women only and is considered the female version of Bhangra.

AFROBORIKE "Dance Bailalo" Kat De Luna
Challenge: KATHAK - Kathak performers are noted for their fast turns and stomping footwork, whose rhythms, exaggerated by ankle bells, develop into complex metrical sequences. Kind of like tap dance, but without the shoes.

VOGUE EVOLUTION "Calabria 2008" Enur
Challenge: RAJASTHANI - Rajasthani Dance comes from the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is a folk style performed during Indian celebrations. The style is fluid with swaying movements, hand gestures and small hip movements. Women generally perform this in a circle wearing brightly colored veils and skirts flaring out as they twirl in circles.

MASSIVE MONKEES "Bang" Rye Rye Ft. M.I.A.
Challenge: BHANGRA - Bhangra is considered to be the most energetic dance style of India. The movement requires lot of athleticism. Bhangra is somewhat graceful, but the moves are large and powerful. It’s a very masculine form of dance.

BEAT YA FEET KINGS "So Fine" Sean Paul
Challenge: GARBA - People dance around the center, bending sideways at every step, their arms making sweeping gestures, each movement ending in a clap. Formation changes, switching partners and barrel turns make a diverse and difficult Garba.

America's Best Dance Crew Auditions

Attention all you dancers in the New York City area, America's Best Dance Crew will be holding auditions THIS Sunday, June 14 so get your crew together and make sure to bring your A Game. Peep the flyer below for more info.