4 Da Next Level,
International Streetdance Battle
Seoul, Korea.
The event was crazy. It was 3 days of high level streetdance in Popping, Locking, House, Hip Hop, Bboy and Hip Hop.
The venue was in Jamsil, "Special Event Area," its a mad big arena that can fit about 2,500 peopl and the place was packed during the event because it is a public area. The jam was FREE, so even old uncles and aunties came down to see what all the noise was about~!
Judged by the Original Generation of those styles, it was reeeaallly spectacular. Caleaf Sellers (Dance Fusion, Elite Force Crew, NYC) , Ken Swift (Rocksteady Crew, 7 Grand Masters, NYC), Buddah Stretch (Elite Force Crew, NYC), Don Campbell (Original Lockers, LA). Boogaloo Sam (Electric Boogaloos, LA) couldn’t make it down for the jam, but it was still the best judging lineup I have ever seen in my life.
Buddah Stretch and Ken Swift
Caleaf Sellers
I had entered the Locking Category, which was going to be judged by Don Campbell. Don Campbell invented the Locking style of dance. So, you know, like I was so excited to be able to show Don my locking style~
Before the Locking category, there was a Locking Cypher, with Jimmy Soul , GoGo Bros, Terry Wright, Stretch, iLL Cosby and a lot of Korean lockers and Don Campbell himself.
How can I descibe that Cypher? There was no funkier place in the world at that point in time. I got down in front of Don and Caleaf ><!
Jimmy Soul from France getting down~
That is me on Terry’s right. I’m tying my shoelaces. ^^ The funky guys on Terry’s left are the Taiwanese Lockers. Freakin’ fuuunky!
And here we have Yuu GoGo, from the GoGo Brothers, Fukuoka Japan.
Man, he can really get down. He must get it from his dad, Tony GoGo of the Original Lockers~!
muahaha. I wish my dad was an Original Locker…TT
Yuu’s brother Rei entered the Popping Category for 4 Da Next Level.
Both are considered maybe, amongst the new generation of Lockers, maybe the best in the world. If not, then both are definitely in the funky top five.
Tony GoGo must be a proud daddy.
^^~~~~*
Terrry Wright getting down, in that funky locking style~
And then, who decides to come in to the cypher? The Original Locker himself, Don Campbell!!
To see Don getting down, it was a sight to behold. His movements were so pure, the original way of Lock dancing. This is the man who began to ‘lock’ his arms doing the funky chicken in his school cafeteria that eventually became the style we all love and practice today - LOCKING!!!
My entry was ‘A2.’ I think there were groups A through G, about 9 people in each group. 50 lockers in all competing to see who would join the Locking Battle Guests in the top 16. Battle Guests for Locking were ill Cosby (USA), Yuu GoGo (Japan), Elmo (Taiwan) and Ah Ka (Taiwan).
A2. That means I was going to be the second person out. Hahaha, at least I wasn’t the first. d>_<b I was waiting in the dancer’s area next to the ramp which the judges were going to walk down from for their big arrival.
Dom Campbell called me over. He CALLED ME OVER.
"Hey kid, now you got a pretty funky style."
OMG. Don just said I had a funky style.
"But what you got to do is slooow down. You’re locking too fast."
OMG. Don thinks I lock too fast.
"Lock at what you’re comfortable at."
OMG. Don thinks I’m not comfortable when I lock
He sat me down for 5 minutes to give me advice on how I should improve my style. He said that I had to slow down and do things at my own pace and to be spontaneous, play with the music. Be confident! I think he could tell that I try to do what I see other */ahem* high level dancers do (Khan, Woong, Moon from Originality) because, yeah, i do because they are my idols you know. Don said I should find my own feeling and own personality in the dance.
I took the chance to ask him about Locking history and what happened with the Original Lockers and other stuff. He told me everything. One thing in particular stuck with me..
"It’s not where you start from, it’s where you finish.’
Don was a poor kid growing up in the greater LA area. He never dreamed that he could leave the US and tour the world as a dancer, let alone at 56 in KOREA!
I took a photo with him and the other judges, of equal note Buddah Stretch and Ken Swift. The most highly respected Hip Hop dancer and Bboy in the world.
Don Campbell, Buddah Stretch, Ken Swift and me at 4 Da Next Level.
When it was my turn, it was a song I knew and I knew it reaaaallly well because its on my PC. I went out, with Don’s advice in my head…"slow down….relax….be comfortable!"
I was nervous…each person has 40 secs to freestyle in front of the judging panel. But I really felt the music and when the spotlight hit me, I gave it a big locking pace. Hahaha….I guess it looked a little like this————–>
Funky, right?
muahahaha.
I had no idea what I would do in my set, i just went with the music.
In this competition, if you do a routine, you don’t score high and actually, you would probably be disqualified.
And after 40 seconds, it was all over and my friend Soh Hwa was next as contestant A3. As I walked off the stage (actually, I think I scoo-botted off), I realized that was the best I had ever done in a competition.
I had done it, I had got down in front of Don Campbell.
Word.
I didn’t make it to the next round, there are far better dancers than me in Seoul. But damn, it was a personal best! And Don helped me with some last minute advice, so it was all good!
Will post more later…on the 4 Da Next Level Afterparty~~~
^^
