August 19th, 2010 by asia

My original baby birthed in 1994 due to extraneous circumstances, no love for Bboy Bgirl culture. Can you imagine a time when Bboys and Bgirls were ridiculed by fellow Hip-Hop purveyors? Not allowed into the clubs? Mocked for classic attire including Kangols, fat laces, name plate buckles and pro-keds? Perish the thought!

Now 16 years later, Bboy Bgirl dance lifestyle is as popular and in demand as ever, gracing TV, and film in a no moves barred way!

But Hip-Hop as a culture and a lifestyle that includes street creed, ethics of paying dues and earning your respect the hard way, and respecting and acknowledging those who paved the way.. these beliefs are in short supply these days. An often misunderstood and over imitated culture, the time is now to actualize our potential, come together stronger than ever as a commUnity and work together for sustainability and global change. We truly live a charmed life, w/o judgement of others race, class or creed, soley based on character and skillz! Which brings us to the question “What u workin with?” and “What will you leave behind/be remember for?”

For more info: www.bboysummit.com

August 3rd, 2010 by asia

REAL LIFE FILMS: Authentic Stories About US
Presented by ITVS, City of Los Angeles, Gang Reduction Youth Development Office, and Legacy LA

I almost passed this by since the picture didnt grab me (no disrespect to lady firefighters) but.. when I scrolled down and read the descriptions of these films and saw the pictures, i was sold. Truth be told, we need to hear these stories, that will inspire and compel us further in our pursuits, whatever they may be.. Put it on ur calendar and bring someone who needs it, or else you will forget.
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There has never been a better time than now to shine a light on stories of women affecting change around the world. This summer, join ITVS and dozens of television stations and community organizations across the country to present a special series of screenings that will highlight issues affecting women in the U.S. and across the globe.

AUGUST 10, 2010
Doors Open at 2:30 PM

Starts at 3 PM

GOING ON 13

By Kristy Guevara- Flanagan and Dawn D. Valadez

A brave and unflinching look into the face of modern-day puberty, GOING ON 13 follows four urban girls of color over the span of four years, from their uncomplicated elementary school lives to the crowded halls of middle school, where they confront sex, chat rooms and the powerful influence of popular culture.

Starts at 4 PM

TROOP 1500

By Ellen Spiro and Karen Bernstein

At the Gatesville Prison in Texas, a unique Girl Scout troop unites daughters with mothers who have been convicted of serious crimes. Facing steep sentences from the courts and tough questions from their children, the mothers struggle to rebuild relationships with the daughters who endure a childhood without them.
Light Dinner to Follow

Starts at 5:45 PM
Conversation with Filmmaker to Follow

ME FACING LIFE: Cyntoia’s Story

By Daniel Birman

Follows the sad and startling story of Cyntoia Brown, who is serving a life sentence for murder at the age of 16. ME FACING LIFE takes a hard look at some of the complex social issues concerning a 16-year-old girl who is serving a life sentence for murder. The filmmaker spent nearly six years exploring her life and familial relationships in order to answer a very basic question… why? This documentary pushes aside assumptions about what we think about violence and takes a glance into a startling social mirror that reveals a strong connection between violence in her maternal line and a predestined childhood filled with bad decisions.

VENUE INFO:
Legacy LA
1350 San Pablo Street
Los Angeles, CA 90033
(Inside the Hazard Park Armory, Behind USC Medical Center)

FOR MORE INFO EMAIL: COMMUNITYCINEMA@GMAIL.COM

ALL SCREENINGS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

SEATING IS LIMITED AND WILL BE AVAILABLE TO FIRST COME-FIRST SERVED

July 17th, 2010 by asia

Waacking is making a steady comeback in the street dance scene. And why shouldn’t it? Its fun, flamboyant, and done to anything from old soul songs to disco to house and probably a lot of music in between, depending on the Waacker. Whats a trip is that a lot of guys are into it now that aren’t gay! haha! My mentor and good buddy Shabba Doo is my favorite Waacker ever, the depth of emotion that he exudes, and the strength of his movements are paramount in my eyes. Ana “Lollipop” Sanchez is my favorite female dancer in the world! This woman is the definition of Waacking to me. A true sensual beast, Lollipop owns Waacking, when she steps onto the floor. She is the best teacher I have ever seen for Waacking, as her focus is on the subtle nuances that truly make this dance what it is. This dance can range from sublimely sensual, teasing, to aggressive in your face, to over the top burlesque, stripper feel. Whose gonna tell a gay dude at the club what he can and cant do? Waacking comes from LA, circa 1970′s (the best years!), and was a club dance movement. “The name “Waacking“ originated from The Soul Train Dancers themselves. “Garbo” is another name given to the dance because of the posing element emulating glamorous women from the forties era.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waacking

Ana “Lollipop” Sanchez will be teaching Waacking this Sunday in LA! Here is her mini tour schedule! Come and join in, you will be glad you did!

ANA LOLLIPOP SANCHEZ: B-PASSION-ITT WORKSHOPS TOUR CALENDAR DATES JULY -AUGUST. Yesterday at 11:56am
Come and experience an opportunity to learn from a true pioneer and legend for her locking , waackin and punking styles , Dance Star of Breakin 1 and Breakin 2 : Electric Boogaloo, Ana Lollipop Sanchez

Sharing the roots of it’s origins through basic fundamentals & technique
Ana be showing you steps and patterns with elements of behavior from life through dance

Learn to use your emotions: B-Passion-itt – Build strength – Feel sexy & develop an understanding in musicality, this is just the first step of many more to come..

Sunday July 18th at 4pm-6pm
EVOLUTION DANCE STUDIOS
4200 Lankershim Blvd.
Universal City, CA 91602

Tel: 818-754-1760 818-754-1760
PRICE: $15

JULY 29-30th
ORIGINS OF HIP HOP AND FUNKDANCE STYLES
STUDIO ONE –
7925 W. Sahara, Suite #101 call for time
Las Vegas, Nv. 89117 702-205-8827
Price: $35
to register for this event go to www.facebook/lockadelic

AUGUST 2nd mon 8:30-10pm / 3rd tues 8:30-10pm
CULTURE SHOCK SAN DIEGO
Culture Shock Dance Center
2110 Hancock St
San Diego, CA 92110
Price: $15

COME ONE COME ALL
THE JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES BEGINS WITH ONE STEP-LAO TZU

July 16th, 2010 by asia

I was at Break Festival last year and really enjoyed myself. Maybe it was because it was at the Glass House in Pomona, a spot that use to have really gully Hip-Hop events, rather historic in a way.. Or maybe it was the vibe, or the music. Def not a typical boring jam put on autopilot with the DJ spinning the same lackluster jams putting the ciphers to sleep. Shit was hot! Battles in the Ciphers, old school heads and new jacks n jills catching wreckage. More of a club vibe and feel with the music and low lightening. The promoter Giovanni aka Barafuco aka Aztec Warrior has been repping in the scene for some time now, he is even loosing his accent so you can understand him better! haha! And no he isnt Mexican, fool! Lets let him grab the mic and drop dimes about his event.
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ABOUT US

It was July 10th, 1996 when Breakfest shook the city of Downey, California, one of the very first events that hosted the full form of what true heads know as “the elements” of what we now call “hip hop”. Breakfest became a focal point where break dancing, mc battles, dj’s, and art exhibitions could publicly meet and showcase talent, that up until that point, were the nation’s best kept secrets. When the event first launched, it was the only location that celebrated the full gamut of hip hop culture due to the lifestyle’s relatively young age.

Nearly a decade later, the second Breakfest took Eagle Rock, California by storm in 2008, boasting a capacity crowd that belied the initial event’s humble beginnings. This time a house battle segment was added to the list of elements represented, which brought talent in from all over the world.

Last year’s Breakfest was reintroduced for 2009 as Breakfestival, a core event that celebrates music, rhythm, and art in their most vivid and raw forms. While Breakfestival passionately preserves its “elemental” roots, the founder Giovanni Avelar, has decided to expand the event by bringing in a larger number of world-renowned MC’s, DJ’s, and artists than the usual in order to recognize and celebrate their talent and achievements.

Highlights of the festival include the infamous Crew vs. Crew (Must have a popper) Battle, the House Battle, and even a Power Move Battle that is sure to bring core dancers out of the woodwork. Bring your best; expect the best. Breakfestival is returning to California and dropping harder than ever.

Sincerely
Giovanni S Avelar

June 25th, 2010 by asia

June 25, 2009, Will we ever forget that date? Never! A year later, and we are surprised how quickly time passed. We are just starting to get our MJ groove back on, especially the young ones. As traumatizeed as we all were by his passing, eyes closed in solace, the youth of today’s eyes were wide open.. Who was he, this strange man whom so many people had so many things to say about? Miss Asia they would ask me, “How did he dance like that?” We have an obligation to honor him through our children, the ones he truly cared about. As we went through our own private mourning, the music and dance that created his legacy beated on so strong, that the kids of today took hold of it, and wont let go! So a year strong, and Michael fever is alive and well. It came about at a much needed time in humanity when we really weren’t acting to humane anymore. He made us remember, we are all the same, and it’s our collective duty to see past the skin we are in and to love one another. MJ makes us strive harder for greatness, because at the end of the day, what we leave is all we will be remember for. What will you leave behind?

Michael Jackson tribute parties and family gatherings happening around LA and NYC:

June 21st, 2010 by asia

On cosmically potent days like today, I like to get planetary, and this days is dedicated to our beloved Sun! The longest day in the Northern Hemisphere, Summer Solstice has traditionally marked one of the most magical days of the year, a time for celebrations, where at night potent charms are cast and intentions for great wishes that one wants to come true.
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“The calendar was very important—much more important than it is now,” said Ricky Patterson, an astronomer at the University of Virginia. “People wanted to know what was going to happen so that they could be ready.”

As the Sun moves into the sign of Cancer, this marks one of the four Cardinal Ingresses in the year – the others being Aries, Libra and Capricorn, important marking points in the progress of the annual solar cycle, being times of renewal.

First Day of Summer Sparked Ancient Celebrations:
-Egyptians built the Pyramids strategically to view Solstice sun setting.
-Inca festival Inti Raymi that involved food and animal sacrifices.
-Stonehenge in the United Kingdom was also built with the intention of specific stones marking the sun rising of the Solstice.

A time for celebration indeed, but also an important marker in the calendar that signified a turning point in the growing season had been reached.

Lets tune in today to the magnificent vibrations of this day, set new goals, be thankful for abundance, and share it with all humans that inhabit this Earth, creating new rituals for the 21century!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/06/100621-summer-solstice-2010-first-day-of-summer-longest-year-science/

June 16th, 2010 by asia

Xbox360 Natal Cirque de Soleil show in LA
Lastnite was phenomenal! From the amazing rotating picture box frame with a girl walking on ceiling, upside down. I am still trying to figure out how they did that! Grand production all around XBox and Cirque de soleil for the XBox 360 Natal! from Cirques ability to transform the ambiance with outer planetary characters. The set was amazing! The had us wearing some Nazi like robes that had shoulders that would change color with the lightening. We were like bees drawn to pollen. The game, get to the game already! That Cirque music lulled me to sleep real quick, but not cuz i was not entertained, it was almost to much.. I actually enjoyed it more thinking about it now then i did was i was there. I keep thinkin about all those landfills filled with wiis. All the kids that will be begging they parents to buy them one.. Anyhow, you dont need any of those pesky controls that get lost, or run out of batteries, the machine reads your bodies motion. They had lots of game displays, and techs about what the console has like live video chat. Microsoft will be scoring with the XBox 360 Natal. Kinect.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/natal-cirque-de-soleil-event-detailed

June 3rd, 2010 by asia

Just when i was over the artwalk scene.. lacma unleashes this beast! leave it to the museum of LA to do it up!
Looks like im gona have to gather the troops, lace up my boots and done my cool art spectacles and celebrate LA’s diverse art, dance and music scene!
Its free for the most part, except for the rooftop party, and the world cup thing, either way you slice it, it looks good… esp with Justin BUA, Mear One, Beat Freaks, and Mr. Wiggles doing their collective thing. Hip-Hop is in the building and out in the streets of LA!

ArtWalk 2010:
The Los Angeles Arts & Music Festival

Saturday, June 12, 2010
Miracle Mile
12 pm–12 am (World Cup event starts at 10 am)
Los Angeles is more than just palm trees, sand, and freeway mazes. Los Angeles is home to an incredible array of personalities and cultures, a diversity that can clearly be seen in the city’s art. For this year’s ArtWalk, Muse invites the unique local artists that make up our great city to the Miracle Mile to stand side by side in an impressive display of art, music, performance, workshops, activities, food, and more.

In addition to offering free general admission to all five museums on the row, ArtWalk aims to fill the Miracle Mile from Fairfax to Curson to create an engaging environment for guests of all ages.

The Art of the Rivalry: U.S. vs. England World Cup Match
Special Events Tent at Petersen Automotive Museum
Celebrating the art of the rivalry, U.S. and U.K. fans alike will fill the Petersen’s Special Events Tent for a live screening of the World Cup soccer game between the United States and Britain with the proceeds benefitting LACMA Muse. American and British soccer, photography, music, food, and drink will clash for this juxtaposition of sports and art.

Tickets (including open bar): $15 Muse members | $20 general public
Muse tickets on sale May 24; general-public tickets on sale May 31
Buy tickets online, call 323 857-6010 or visit LACMA’s box office.

ArtWalk After Party
Petersen Automotive Museum Penthouse
Culminating the ArtWalk 2010 experience is an after party in the Peterson Penthouse. The exclusive affair will feature an interactive musical performance by OJO, fashion concepts inspired by Gary Baseman, DJ, open bar, and dessert.

Tickets (including open bar and dessert): $25 Muse members
$40 General public; All tickets on sale May 24
Buy tickets online, call 323 857-6010 or visit LACMA’s box office

BUA’s Urban Art Studio
LACMA, Art of the Americas Building, Plaza Level
Renowned artist Justin BUA is conducting a series of interviews to explore the development of urban art. Select BUA originals will provide the backdrop for conversations with leading figures from graffiti writing, music, dance and more.

Urban Light Stage
LACMA, BP Grand Entrance
Following in the footsteps of last year’s sunset Bollywood performance, BUA and friends will take the stage to present an urban art performance, featuring DJ beats, live painting by Mear One, and break dancing by Mr. Wiggles and The Beat Freaks.

Insomniac Sculpture Garden
La Brea Tar Pits Park
With an assist from festival art curator Phil Blaine, the La Brea Tar Pits Park becomes a haven for large-scale art installations. The imaginative pieces create an experience that’s far from the usual walk in the park while providing an art preview of Insomniac’s upcoming Electric Daisy Carnival.

LAUNCH Presents: Meeson Pae Yang—Accumulations
5900 Wilshire Boulevard
Comprised of mixed media sculptures and installations, Accumulations offers a view of Meeson Pae Yang’s intriguing interpretation of our environment. Through the pairing and amassing of materials organic and synthetic, Yang creates intricate sculptures and installations. These pieces explore technology as it relates to the body and the natural world.

Accompanying the exhibition are six distinct sound artists from the SASSAS soundShoppe who will construct an evolving circuit of aural observations to interpret and reflect upon the physical space and its contents.

Latin Sounds: Scott Martin Latin Soul Band featuring Juliana Munoz
Hancock Park
The Scott Martin Latin-Soul Band has thrilled audiences around the world with their unique blend of Latin and soul music. The group has performed a tour of Japan, Canada, and at such festivals as the Hawaii International Jazz Festival, Mammoth Mountain Jazz Jubilee, Temecula International Jazz Festival, KSDS Jazz Live from the Seville Theatre, and other top clubs and concert venues.

Murals with Unification Theory and Friends
Preceding Latin Sounds, Unification Theory guides guests in creating murals inspired by LACMA’s Latin American collection, focusing on Latin American abstract/collage/text painting as well as Aztec/Mayan/Native American/Incan painting.

Food trucks
Gourmet food trucks from around Los Angeles are invited to set up shop throughout the block as official ArtWalk participants. A portion of all sales for the day will go to benefit LACMA! The Dim Sum Truck, Fishlips, Frysmith, India Jones, Nom Nom, and World Fare are already on board, with more to come!

And, oh wait, there’s more! Keep checking back here for updates every Wednesday and Friday up until the event.
http://www.lacma.org/membership/Muse.aspx

May 27th, 2010 by asia

My Swiss Miss, Miss Nicc from Switzerland, unleashes this event, as part of No Easy Props, Europe. Our plan is world domination (or at least the US and Europe) in pursuit of making everyone have..”Nothing But Flavor”! What else is there anywayz?

NoEasyProps Europe Presents:

there is… NOTHING BUT FLAVOR **FIRST EDITION**

May 29th and 30th 2010

*** /// 1ST PLACE Each Category SFr 500.- /// **

*** 1 vs 1 BATTLES ***
POPPING
LOCKING
HOUSE
HIP-HOP FREESTYLE

**** MORE HAPPENINGS ***

OCTOGON WORLD RUMBLE 2010!!
…. with Winner from all over the World
USA, Isreal, Poland, Spain, UK, Canada, Austria, Switzerland, France, Holland, Denmark, Russia, and more……

*** CIRCLE PRINZ SWITZERLAND ***

Hosts // Salah (F), MC Trix (UK)

AFTERPARTY 00:00 – 04:00
DJ‘s // Renegade (UK), Mr. Tee (IBE)

***WORKSHOPS WITH***
SALAH (F)
P.LOCK (F)
JR. BOOGALOO (USA)
LINK (USA)
CALEAF (USA)

NESS MZK (USA)

More infos and registrations, visit:
www.thereisnothingbutflavor.com
www.octogonworldrumble.com

Location // GZ Heuried, Döltschiweg 130, 8055 Zürich
Doors // 14:00 Prize // SFr 20.- / both days SFr 30.-
Public transportation from Mainstation:
Take tram 14 (direction Triemli), Exit: Schaufelbergstrasse

May 22nd, 2010 by asia

The Bay Area! Gotta love all my Bay Area representatives! Nobody does it like yall do! So, as duty calls, im SF bound to teach a Workshop and Host and Judge a jam called “A Dream Come True”.

My current workshop focuses on all types of goodies like “Styles Upon Styles of Go-Downs”, key transition moves to have, glides and reverse glides (big ups Alien Ness!), and the classic approach to learning Bboying/Bgirling (without missing key elements along the way).

Other teachers include: Pandora and Preying Mantis (Popping/Tutting), and Tiffany Bong (Wacking).

After some minor recoup, head over to the jam, where everyone will be really flexing skillz!