‘America’s Best Dance Crew’: Fanny Pak vs. Kaba Modern
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Yes, there were five crews competing for the opportunity to present an award on the MTV Video Music Awards next week, but it seemed like there were only two crews that everyone was watching.
We’ll get it out of the way quickly: Break Sk8 was impressive, and they always are because of what they can do on skates. But their choreography was less than minimal, except for the elbow-to-one-arm-handstand move -- that was nice. And Status Quo ... was not status quo. They brought the energy no doubt, and flipped galore, including the first-ever flip off of the judges’ table. But they weren’t together, weren’t sharp ... just weren’t unified. Their pre-performance update video said that they had some problems after the show and had disbanded, and their post-routine interview with Layla still didn’t give much indication that they’d regroup. They must’ve had a big rift, and it showed. To their credit though, they had a Danity Kane song that wasn’t their style and still brought it. Who picked THAT for THEM?!?
SoReal Cru acquitted themselves well and showed why they were the No. 2 crew. They were a bit out of sync (but not by much) and only displayed one flip, but as they did all of last season, they were solid and consistent enough to make it through.
Fanny Pak and Kaba Modern, though, was the matchup to see. Each crew has great choreography and is pretty creative (Fanny Pak has the theatrical edge, but they could be equal in dance skills -- and yes, they’re totally different styles). Each group was dismissed when they should easily have been the No. 2 crews. An interlude ...
Speaking of No. 2 crews, Jabba WockeeZ and Super Cr3w showed why they were the No. 1 crews each season with their introductory routine. Displaying their strengths, Super Cr3w’s skills and Jabba WockeeZ cohesion, they had a nice group dance that also showed off Shane Sparks’ love of b-boy choreography. Jabba vs. Super Cr3w? The masks and move-as-one routines might give Jabba the theatrical edge, but the tricks and world-class breakin’ skills (ranked, seriously) could be tough to overcome. Can’t call it, so back to the battle ...
And each crew has the best female competitors the show has ever seen (sorry Fysh and Chicks lovers, I’m sticking to that). It should be an interesting battle on the red carpet. I expect SoReal to be consistent, and Kaba to be clean and fluid ... but, depending on the concept, it may be Fanny Pak handing out an award on the MTV stage if they bring it.
-- Jevon Phillips
