JabbaWocKeeZ adds Chinese spice to 'PRiSM' China tour
- By Zhang Rui
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E-mail China.org.cn, August 27, 2017
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JabbaWocKeeZ perform their opening show of the "PRiSM" China tour in Beijing, Aug. 24, 2017. [Photo/ China.org.cn] |
America's top dance crew JabbaWocKeeZ opened their "PRiSM" China tour in Beijing on Thursday, while two original crew members told China.org.cn they had some Chinese jokes and spices catering to the local audience.
Their "PRiSM" show integrates plenty of pop culture elements, including hip-hop dance, comedy, mime, "Gangnam Style," "Bohemian Rhapsody," Bruno Mars, ninja style, kung fu, graffiti and Super Mario, with help of lighting, LED projection, lasers and a booming sound.
This created a grand, intriguing and exhilarating dance show of magic that had the Chinese audience standing up and cheering on Thursday night, although the atmosphere was somewhat dampened by security guards onsite demanding they sit down.
"I feel super-excited," said Joseph Larot, a crew member and executive producer. "To get all the hardwork done, and finally be able to watch the end of the show with a sense of success as we had completed the mission."
Phi Nguyen, another crew member and executive producer, said, "We are excited and tired, but feel great. Seeing the Chinese audience smile and laugh, it made us feel good."
This is the third time for them to perform in China. They had previously performed in Hong Kong and Shanghai on a limited basis. However, this time, they brought the whole crew and full production for the first time ever.
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JabbaWocKeeZ perform their opening show of the "PRiSM" China tour in Beijing, Aug. 24, 2017. [Photo/ China.org.cn] |
"PRiSM" is actually their second production that they have been performing at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas since May 2013. After being the winners of the first award as America's Best Dance Crew in 2008, the JabbaWocKeeZ have appeared in Pepsi, Ford, and Gatorade commercials, and performed on "Dancing with the Stars", "So You Think You Can Dance" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show".
They have also worked with major stars such as Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift. In May 2010, the dance group debuted with their live stage show called "MÜS.I.C" at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. From November 2015, they began presenting their third show called "JREAMZ" at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. They will soon be involved in a Universal Studios production back in Los Angeles, Larot told China.org.cn.
He added: "We definitely worked in a lot of jokes for Chinese audience, and add some Chinese spices." This came when he was asked how the China tour would differ from their previous American shows, with Nguyen screaming: "We are ChinaWocKeeZ now!" Actually, they also had Chinese philosophy of "Yin and Yang" in their show's narrative theme.
Their love story with dance started very differently. Larot remembered he started dancing at the age of 10, when he was forced by his mother to take part in a show and then fell in love with dance. Nguyen, a Michael Jackson fan, grew up with the 1980s dance movies such as "Breakin." He said music made him feel good and gave him identity.
Larot also mentioned their late friend Gary "Gee One" Kendall, who opened doors for them to meet many other dancers, which led to them to decide to dance together as a collective unit. The name Jabbawockeez, coined by Larot, was inspired by the fantastic monster from the Lewis Carroll nonsense poem Jabberwocky.
Unfortunately, Kendall died in 2007. The original seven-member group left Kendall's spot vacant, continuing with six in America's Best Dance Crew contest that they eventually won, capturing the hearts of people all round the world.
"We wear masks because we don't want people to pay attention to any particular one of us, but will see us as a whole," said Larot, explaining their trademark white masks to China.org.cn.
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Chinese audience pack the M Space venue in Beijing to see JabbaWocKeeZ perform in Beijing, Aug. 24, 2017. [Photo/ China.org.cn] |
"We are just a group of friends who happened to love dance," Nguyen explained. "We started from dance routines, to a show, to a bigger show. From five to six minutes, 10, 30 and now a 90-minute show. This has evolved into three 90-minute productions, touring different countries and cities, which is really something. "
Chung Chao, co-founder and China executive producer of Smart Media Entertainment Production LLC (SMEP), the partner and promoter of the "PRiSM" China shows, said he had learnt to see more in the JabbaWocKeeZ by watching their performance.
"Their show is more than just street dance, " Chao said, "No one here in China could have imagined that they could do a full production show with street hip-hop dance and its culture. After seeing the reactions from Chinese audience in the first show, I guess I was right from the beginning."
JabbaWocKeeZ has an even bigger dream and ambition in dance, as the two dancers, who are also co-owners of the 27-member crew, never want the group to be trapped or defined by one single style.
"We are like Bruce Lee, we will have various styles. We want to find inspirations from different cultures, food and languages," said Nguyen, also counting their dance idols including Michael Jackson, James Brown, Elvis Presley, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly.
"We are like a buffet. We have many different foods for you, with many flavors," said Larot, adding that during their two weeks in China so far, they had enjoyed a lot of delicious Chinese food.
They also expected to have exchanges with top Chinese dancers. In fact, they have been involved in a flash mob dance duel with Chinese dance prince SuperDino in Beijing's landmark Sanlitun neighborhood before their show. The video has been a big hit on the internet.
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JabbaWocKeeZ appear on a street at Sanlitun neighborhood in Beijing to promote their "PRiSM" China tour. [Photo/ China.org.cn] |
JabbaWocKeeZ "PRiSM" shows is promoted by SMEP and implemented by Zhongxin Friendly (Beijing) Culture Media Co. Ltd. in China as the champions of America's Best Dance Crew are performing in Beijing from Aug. 24 - Sept. 3 at M Space, formerly the Wukesong Indoor Stadium training hall and in Shanghai from Sept. 7 - 17 at Plus Space venue.
Chao also hoped to bring them back next April to July to visit more Chinese cities and produce a TV dance contest program and hold master dance class.
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