Jabbawockeez
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 | This section includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (April 2008) |
Jabbawockeez |
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JabbaWockeeZ is a diverse all-male dance crew, established in 2003, created by Joe Larot, Kevin Brewer, and Phil Tayag (3 Musky), and originating from San Diego, California. The group gained fame by appearing on America's Got Talent before winning the MTV hip hop dance reality series, America's Best Dance Crew in 2008. The crew is known for wearing plain white full-face masks and gloves and synchronized dance moves. Their name is derived from the Lewis Carroll poem Jabberwocky (featured in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland):
Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!
Filmography
TV
- 2007: America's Got Talent as The JabbaWockeez[1][2]
- 2008: America's Best Dance Crew as The JabbaWockeez
- 2008: Live with Regis and Kelly as The JabbaWockeez
- 2008: The Ellen DeGeneres Show as The JabbaWockeez
- 2008: Mi TRL as The JabbaWockeez
- 2008: KUSI as The Jabbawockeez
- 2008: Balitang America as the JabbaWockeeZ
- 2008: Asian Excellence Awards as the JabbaWockeeZ
- 2008: Half-time show at the Lakers-Spurs Game 2 at the Staples Center as the JabbaWockeeZ
- 2008: MTV Movie Awards as the JabbaWockeeZ. Performed alongside The Pussycat Dolls.
- 2008: America's Best Dance Crew Season 2 promo as the JabbaWockeeZ
- 2008: Walk It Out with the Jabbawockeez & Shane Sparks as the JabbaWockeeZ
Film
- 2008: Step Up 2: The Streets as The JabbaWockeez Crew. Rynan appears as part of the 410 Crew.
Music video
- 2008: Forgive Me by Leona Lewis.
- 2008: They also appeared in the second video on Youtube in Adam Chu crew against the M&M Crew.
Members
- Rynan "Kid Rainen" Paguio
- Ben "B-Tek" Chung
- Chris "Cristyles" Gatdula
- Kevin "Keibee" Brewer
- Jeff "Phi" Nguyen
- Phil "Swaggerboy" Tayag
- Gary "Gee One" Kendell* (was the 7th member of the crew but passed away due to pneumonia before filming began)
- Eddie "Eddie Styles" Gutierrez
- Saso "Saso Fresh" Jimenez
- Randy "DJ Wish One" Bernal
- Joe "Emajoenation" or "Punky" Larot
- Ryan Ellis* (was one of the original members but later left the crew)
- '* names that are bolded performed on America's Best Dance Crew.
America's Best Dance Crew Performances
Live Auditions Special
Aired on January 26, 2008.
Week 1
Aired on February 7, 2008.
Each crew performed to songs of their own choosing.
The JabbaWockeeZ chose "Apologize" by Timbaland feat. OneRepublic
Week 2
Aired on February 14, 2008.
Each crew was given a music video with a different dance component to emulate while keeping their own style as a crew.
The JabbaWockeeZ were given the music video for "Ice Box" by Omarion. The judges gave the group high marks. JC Chasez stated that he thought that the JabbaWockeeZ choreography was better than the choreography from the music video, with the crew adding a few of their own elements into the music video's original choreography.
Week 3
Aired on February 21, 2008.
Each crew performed to a popular dance, also known as a "dance craze," and were required to add their own style to it as a crew. Since the dances were very simple, there were certain challenges each team had to meet while performing.
The JabbaWockeeZ were assigned the lean from "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It" by Dem Franchize Boyz. The challenge was to create the illusion that they could defy gravity.
To meet the challenge, two of the members lifted themselves behind the other members in a way that created the illusion of one man floating. Rynan Paguio also caught a bandana while doing a flare which received praise from JC Chasez. However, JC did warn the crew not to get lazy due to a "walking transition." Lil' Mama directed the audience's attention to the beginnings and endings of the JabbaWockeez performances, as each dance began the same way that it ended the week before.
Week 4
Aired on February 28, 2008.
Each crew had to create a story through dance in the movie challenge. Every crew had to dance on the same set, which was set up as a street in an urban neighborhood. They were assigned characters and asked to create a story for those characters.
The JabbaWockeez were assigned to be thieves in what they called "The Heist." They chose to dance to "Ayo Technology"* by 50 Cent feat. Timbaland and Justin Timberlake.
- The lyrics "She wants it" tied into the storyline, in which the crew were thieves passing around a red bag which contained a pink mask that was presented to Lil' Mama at the end of the dance.
Week 5
In honor of the 25th Anniversary of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album, each crew was assigned a Michael Jackson song from the album "Thriller" and were given a DVD compilation of some of the Michael Jackson's dancing. They then had to perform to the song and demonstrate how much they knew about Michael Jackson's moves in their performance.
The JabbaWockeeZ were given the song "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".
They chose to wear formal jackets, bowties and hats to represent Michael Jackson's wardrobe and Kevin Brewer exaggerated the classic "crotch-grab" which Shane Sparks highlighted during the judging. JC Chasez said he had "nothing to pick on." Lil' Mama said she felt like she was watching Michael Jackson, but she never forgot that she was watching the JabbaWockeeZ.
Week 6
Each crew was given a song and dance from a Broadway musical and were required to make it hip-hop while retaining the essence of Broadway. Broadway style dancers performed for the crews and taught them the dances. Each group also had to reinterpret the classic Broadway moves into the hip-hop routine.
The JabbaWockeeZ were given "All That Jazz" from Chicago. The Broadway move challenge was the Charleston.
Week 7
The last challenge was for the crews to illustrate the evolution of hip-hop using the same music. The final three crews had to perform to these songs using some classic hip-hop styles, such as breaking, popping, and locking.
| Song |
|---|
| Funkytown by Lipps Inc |
| It's Like That by Run DMC |
| It's Just Begun by Jimmy Castor |
| Push It by Salt-n-Pepa |
| Bye Bye Bye by *NSYNC |
| Get Buck in Here by DJ Felli Fel |
The saved crew was Status Quo. Both the JabbaWockeeZ and Kaba Modern performances garnered praise from the judges, with the crowd cheering to keep both crews. JC Chasez said that seeing those two crews go against each other was the biggest competition yet. However, Kaba Modern was sent home, and JabbaWockeeZ moved onto the "Do or Die" encore battle with Status Quo. The music for each encore was mixed at the direction of the crews.
Their encore performance was entitled "The Red Pill." It is sampled from Moloko's "The Time Is Now (Bambino Casino Mix)."
| Dance Crew | Encore Performance Title |
|---|---|
| JabbaWockeeZ | The Red Pill |
Week 8
The JabbaWockeeZ, Fysh N Chicks and Kaba Modern performed a reunion dance together as part of the west coast crews. The three west coast crews danced to a mix of "Tell Me When To Go" by E-40 feat. Keak Da Sneak.
JabbaWockeeZ won the competition on March 27 2008, being the first dance crew to win America's Best Dance Crew. They performed a final time on the show to Kanye West's "Stronger". This dance was significant because it was the JabbaWockeeZ' first synchronized dance without full-face masks on America's Best Dance Crew.
Family Royale
A few members of the JabbaWockeeZ are also senior dancers, choreographers, and directors to other dance crews. The most notable group is Family Royale, under the guidance of the JabbaWockeez, consists of the Super Galactic Beat Manipulators (SGBM), Boogie Monstarz, and Press P.L.A.Y.
- SGBM - Kevin Brewer and Ben Chung
- Boogie Monstarz - Phil Tayag
- Press P.L.A.Y. - Joe Larot
Trivia
 | This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. (June 2008) |
- The JabbaWockeeZ only wear all red hats, shirts, pants and shoes during competitions.
- Rynan "Kid Rainen" Shawn Paguio is featured in the movie How She Move in the stomp crew of Kin Dread Dancers at the Stomp Monster competition which they can be seen performing on Day 2 of the competition as the 1st ones to perform.
- JabbaWockeeZ were featured in the movie Step Up 2: The Streets in the scene where various dance crews are performing at The Streets.
- The group was featured in a promotional commercial for the second season of America's Best Dance Crew directed by Evan Silver.
References
- ^ "America's Got Talent (season 2) Dallas auditions". America's Got Talent. Season 2. Episode 1. 2007-06-05.
{{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|episodelink=(help); Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ "America's Got Talent (season 2) Las Vegas Callbacks part 1". America's Got Talent. Season 2. Episode 5. 2007-07-10.
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