“We got to thank the DMV for getting us this far! Without your love and support, we couldn’t have made it to 4 weeks on MTV. We are proud that we repped the city to the fullest and we left it all on the floor! This is just the beginning so don…’t go no where…we need you to stay with us. ABDC was the first step! We love you DMV and we gonna continue to hold you down! Stay close, we need your continued support!”
The quote above comes from message for the Beat Ya Feet Kings Facebook page.
Although it was awesome to see the crew do their thing in front of a national audience, and they did rep their city, I would have to disagree with the “to the fullest” part.
From the moment that they appeared in MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew, the Beat Ya Feet Kings no doubt were forced to come to the realization that this was a competition not to be taken lightly. Each week accosted them with warnings from the judges about playing it safe and bringing the type of A-game and excitement that the DC Go-Go culture is known to bring.
The dazzle they brought with them just wasn’t enough to also cover the tightness, precision and diversity needed to keep it going. The first show ended with them having had to participate in a dance-off to save them from elimination. The following two kept them at least safe enough to get the votes from fans, allowing the avoidance of being the bottom two. And by their last performance, chance had run out.
I can honestly say that each week that I watched the performance, I almost always felt myself agreeing with some of the judges comments. For example, when Lil Mama and Shane both made the comments of how they have been inside of the DC Go-Go’s and knows they type of energy and excitement comes from the shows, they were calling for the dance crew to bring that same energy and excitement. Especially when performing to a Backyard tune.
Another thing I would have to say that I was a bit disappointed in was their lack of knowledge of the culture they were representing. For example, the week they performed the Beyonce’s song “Crazy In Love,” they did not even know that it was a Go-Go song produced by a Go-Go producer, Rich Harrison. This was again followed by the judges cry for their need to represent DC and Go-Go. And the “sloppy” comments kept coming.
It’s understandable that they were nervous. It’s a big stage, lights, camera… action. And by no means am I knocking them, because in spite of all that, I am still proud of them. Their professionalism. Their energy. Their never giving up. And their love for the DMV. It may have been tough to execute the diverse styles that challenged them each week, but they tried, and the judges noticed.
The biggest thing of all is that in spite of the obstacles they faced throughout their time there, what they did succeed in was taking a street form of dance from DC to LA, and generating national attention for it. CONGRATULATIONS!
Looking forward to seeing more you!