‘America’s Best Dance Crew’ has landed winners and finalists ad gigs and tours

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Whether there’s a fourth season for ‘Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew’ is not yet known, but what is fairly certain is that the winner of tonight’s third season finale -- either Beat Freaks or Quest Crew -- is probably in line for much more exposure.

Both previous winners scored with lucrative commercial and promotional deals. Season 1 winner, the JabbaWockeez (Gatorade), entered the national spotlight for their ‘What’s a G?’ campaign and also helped Shaquille O’Neal produce his much talked-about entrance to the NBA All-Star game last month. Meanwhile, Season 2 winner, Super Cr3w, parlayed their victory into a Pepsi Smash commercial.

Even crews that don’t win can enjoy a new world of opportunity through dance tours, clothing lines and workshops. Season 1’s third place crew outdid everyone’s travel miles, with Kaba Modern making stops in Guam, Switzerland, Norway and Saipan and an upcoming trip to South Africa, while Season 2’s Fanny Pak performed with ‘ABDC’ judge Lil Mama.

Already one of tonight’s finalist members, Lady Jules of the Beat Freaks, is starring in ‘B-Girl the Movie’ (with some choreography from Teresa Espinosa of Beat Freaks). Her fellow member, Maryss from Paris, also recently auditioned for a role in ‘Step Up 3-D.’

All that may not translate into a win against the talented and popular Quest Crew, but it gets to the heart of what choreographer and judge Shane Sparks says the show is all about: showcasing dance and helping to make it a more viable, and lucrative, professional option.

--Jevon Phillips