America’s Best Dance Crew 2 [Episode 1]

June 23rd, 2008

It’s the moment all you krumpin’ fools have been waiting for: the return of Randy Jackson Presents America’s Best Dance Crew. It all starts over again NOW. The first episode of Season 2 is upon us. Same judges, same host, all new dance crews.

What does Season 2 have in store for us? From what we saw from the Casting Call Special, there will be more tricks, more impressive athleticism, more eye-popping dancin’ and more inevitable drama!

So let us begin shall we…? Show host and recently named People Magazine’s Hottest Bachelor, Mario Lopez, hits the stage looking as casual as ever. His dimples inform us that “thousands of crews auditioned, but only the 10 best have made it here tonight.”

Who are these 10? Let’s find out:

Supreme Soul from San Francisco, CA
Super CR3W from Las Vegas, NV
Fanny Pak from Los Angeles, CA
SoReal Cru from Houston, TX
Distorted X from Houston, TX
Phresh Select from Philadelphia, PA
Sass x7 from Piscataway, NJ
Boogie Bots from Washington, DC
Xtreme Dance Force from Naperville, IL
A.S.I.I.D. from Detroit, MI (WAY too smiley for my liking, BTW).

And ah yes, the RAISING of the 10 team banners, which, after each episode, will be narrowed down as the eliminated team’s banner falls to the floor. Oh-so-dramatic.

Now getting right down to business, Mario’s perfectly coiffed hair tells us that there will already be an elimination this week because after the Casting Call Episode, America got to vote for their favourites.

But let’s stop being pedantic, k? The dancing awaits!

SoReal Cru
Song: Omarion – Entourage

SoReal Cru baffles me in that I have yet to fully understand why their original dance studio kicked them out. All we know is that it’s because they wouldn’t change their name, but how is “SoReal Cru” in any way offensive? Truly bizarre. (Did I miss something? Was this explained in further detail at some point?) Either way, I think I’m going to like SoReal. This routine was fun, to-the-point and had a dash of last season’s Kaba Modern flair. (Kaba Modern, btw, I still feel got the major shaft). So I’m totally on team SoReal right now, but with 9 more crews to go, that can obviously change (and probably will – I’m fickle that way).

Mario Lopez: “Oh! SoReal Cru looking SoTight!” (wha-whaaaaa.)

Now on to the judges… “Pop Music Icon” JC Chasez likes Pat’s butterfly jump into the splits. He calls it “manly.” (JC was introduced by Mario as a “pop music icon”…? Really, Mario? Reeeallly?) Shane Sparks is “trippin” and sees this team in the “top 2″ and Lil’ Mama apparently doesn’t know an Alien from an Ayleen but she “really likes this group.” Oh judges, off to a rocky start… I love it.

Supreme Soul
Song: Busta Rhymes – Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See

There is something about this dance crew that is actually adorable. They attack the dancing like it’s a team sport, and their choreography definitely has a sense of humour – the visual gags are non-stop, with their arm waves and head smacks. Plus the old-school letterman jackets and cardigans are a nice touch. It’s like Abbott & Costello-Meets-Dance Crew. Me likey.

Shane likes it, but needs it to be cleaned up; Lil Mama is disappointed and says “cocky” a lot; JC thinks they “got caught up in the tricks” and thinks they were trying to be “too cute” (which, again, I think actually works for them, but c’est la vie). I’m sure they’ll clean up their act for next week and come back stronger than ever.

Xtreme Dance Force
Song: Lil Mama – Shorty Get Loose

This team perplexes me. Everything about them (in name, clothes and dancing) screams “we’re from the 90s!” and their sculpted waxed eyebrows are way too crazy for me to handle. They are rich, pampered, and just down right annoying. Yet they definitely have talent. Their choreo is quick, clean and fun to watch (albeit somewhat generic), and all the members seem to be on an equal level. It’s almost like watching a cheerleading squad on ESPN, which could be a good thing since I like watching cheerleading squads on ESPN. Hence the confusion this team brings me. I hate them but I love them, ya know?

The judges seems to be equally confused. Lil Mama thinks they are “neat,” Shane thinks they are “whack” and has a 10-year old who he thinks could choreograph that same routine, and JC thinks they were a bit “stiff.”

A.S.I.I.D.
Song: Nicole Scherzinger – Whatever You Like

Oh. My. God. I love this team. Yes, partly because one of their team members is deaf and totally hitting all of the steps, but also because their energy is infectious. You can tell they all really enjoy each other and that they love to entertain. And entertain they did.

Shane is all smiles, saying “it’s a dance show and they just danced!” Lil Mama, like me, was “entertained.” JC thinks they have that “je ne sais quoi.” Ooooo… JC is getting all fancy-like with the francais.

Boogie Bots
Song: Zapp & Roger – More Bounce To The Ounce

I appreciate this team’s 80′s vibe and their electronica music, plus they have a cool name, but other than that, I think this team is unfortunately ultimately forgettable. Like, we need more bounce to the ounce, ya know? And that’s all I gotta say about the Boogie Bots.

JC likes the song selection and thinks the performance was clean; Lil Mama likes the knee slides; Shane sees the potential but wants them to be more creative.

Super CR3W
Song: James Brown – Get Up

If there’s one thing I like, it’s dancin’ Ninjas. The falling towers off the top of this routine were amazing and everything that followed was concise, creative and well-executed. Step aside SoReal, this team of B-boys may have now become my favourites.

Lil Mama thought they “turked it up,” whatever the F that means; JC thinks they were “wildly entertaining” because they “used the whole stage”; and Shane says they just “shit on everybody.” Um, that’s gross, Shane.

Phresh Select
Song: Boyz II Men – Motown Philly

I was just kind of feeling that. The old school Boyz II Men was great, but overall the choreography and execution were all just sorta “meh.” But I like this group’s style and what they stand for (their youth outreach within their local community is commendable), so I hope that they come back next week stronger than ever.

Shane was impressed; JC liked them a lot; Lil Mama liked the performance. Gee guys, way to be specific.

Sass x7
Song: Danity Kane – Damaged

This group says that they don’t want to look like cheerleaders, but I must say, that’s exactly what they looked like to me. But again, like I mentioned with Xtreme Dance Force, that’s not necessarily a bad thing (competitive cheerleading is hard, yo!). Now that being said, what this team brings to the mix is some classical dance training – their non-ironic pirouettes were a nice touch. Overall, I think these girls are a bit out of their element in this competition, but I’m curious to see what else they’ll bring to the table. (PS: Good song choice).

JC thinks it was a smart song choice and also saw the cheerleader vibe; Lil Mama wants them to go harder because it’s too cheerleader-y; Shane thinks they are good, but wants them to switch it up, adding some waves and chest pops and what not (in other words, not be so cheerleader-like).

And now the Bottom 2, Fanny Pak & Distorted X, will duke it out!

Fanny Pak
Song: Kylie Minogue – SpeakerPhone

I LOOOOOVE this group. They are totally different, yet have totally captured that 80s/American Apparel zeitgeist. And their song choice of Kylie Minogue’s SpeakerPhone was great. Their choreography is original, but had enough of the required elements that the judges usually look for. If Fritz Helder & The Phantoms were a Dance Crew, they would be Fanny Pak. These are the true underdogs of this season and I’m rooting for them. Thoughts?

Distorted X
Song: Tweet f. Missy Elliott – Oops Oh My

I can now see why these are the two bottom groups. They are very different than the other 8 teams. They seem to be taking more risks and breaking away from the hip-hop mould that most dance crews come from. This routine was good, but if I had to pick between Distorted X and Fanny Pak, I’d obviously choose Fanny Pak.

Lil Mama thinks Fanny Pak was a group that was “slept on” (again, I don’t know what that means!); Shane thinks Distorted X put a great performance together and that they took their time; JC thinks both performed “really well.”

So the first banner of the season is about to fall. Whose will it be?! … Distorted X.

So Fanny Pak stays! Yay!

Aaahhh Dance Crew bliss… Season 2 will be a good one.

Watch the entire episode on MuchAXS: Episode 1

Photographs Courtesy Warner Bros.

Posted on Monday, June 23rd, 2008 at 1:59 pm by Soja and is filed under We <3 TV.