Visionary educator and organizer Nate Nevado chimes in on hip hop pedagogy
Hip hop over homework? How about both? Reflecting on the success of another great Rock the School Bells conference, visionary RTSB organizer Nate Nevado breaks down how hip hop can work as an educational resource. In Mr. Nevado's world, the choice between hip hop and academics is not one of contradiction as naysayers in the hip hop over homework debate would have it. RTSB provides evidence of Filipino Americans are merging their passions of hip hop, social justice, and education, thus transforming a "hip hop as pathology" to one of "hip hop as pedagogy."
After all, why deny Fil Am youth the language that they speak? Why not talk with them instead of down to them? We talk with Nate to figure it out. Why do you feel the need for an event such as RTSB at this moment in time?
We feel that RTSB is crucial in today's education for several reasons:
1) Because of the many misconceptions that are associated with hip-hop, we felt the need to educate and empower our youth and communities what hip-hop is all about. Hip-hop has grown into a global phenomenon where it is recognized universally around the world. We felt it was important to teach the youth and community about thehistory and origins of hip-hop. In any culture, misconceptions and stereotypes exists through the passage of experiences, opinions, and biases of other people. In order to alleviate these misconceptions, one must learn about the culture - language, customs, etc. We treat hip-hop the same way. It is a culture so instead of having to defend hip-hop, we challenge others to learn about the culture of hip-hop; to be educated and empowered by those who practice and experienced hip-hop firsthand.
Nate Nevado being interviewed by Pacific Rim Video in anticipation of RTSB 4.
2) To illustrate that hip-hop can be used as a tool to teach life skills, such as reading and writing, to think critically about issues that impact their communities, and to be health conscious. Hip-hop should be a part of the educational curriculum across all campuses from middle schools to universities. We've got today's youth attention locked into hip-hop. Since we've got them listening, why not use hip-hop to empower and educate?
3) Having this event allows us to continue to preserve the culture and history of hip-hop. Hip-hop was created for communities who were experiencing poor social and economic conditions in their communities. It gave them a voice. Because we live in a society where we receive information at such a rapid rate due to the usage of digital technology, we sometimes forget to educate ourselves about the history and culture of hip-hop. For example, we have seen significant increase of dance crews within the last 5-7 years even though dance crews have been existing longer than that. With Youtube and other websites, the youth want to be the next JabbaWockeez or the next Super Cr3w, that they focus primarily focus on dance moves rather than why the dance moves even exist in the first place. Because of the advent of digital technology, sometimes the history gets lost. RTSB provides the linkage between the youth and hip-hop practitioners to maintain and preserve the integrity of the hip-hop culture.
How do you make hip hop a medium for education and social justice?
As mentioned before, hip-hop is a global phenomenon, a recognizable universal language that many people around the world can relate to. In the same way we have poetry classes or literature classes or sociology classes, students engage in discussions that provoke critical thought in the books that they read and the lectures/presentations that they have listened to. Hip-hop, being that it is universally recognized, can be used to analyze the current issues in education and social justice.
One of the workshops that we have constantly is the Hip-Hop and Social Justice workshop. Our first year, DJ Sake-One was our facilitator followed by Kiwi/Nomi/Pele of FCC/ALAY for RTSB2. Gabe Delrokz Delacruz has been our facilitator for the past two events. The workshop is designed to discuss many issues that occur in our communities such as immigrant rights, human right violations, teen pregnancy, drugs, etc. Students, then, will write verses on any topic that they feel connected to. After which, they perform in a bigger group. The exchange of thoughts and experiences between youth and students is always amazing to watch. They are able to walk out of that workshop educated and empowered to become solution-seekers.
What makes Skyline College, host to RTSB, such a unique campus?
Skyline College is recognized as the most diverse community college in California in that Filipinos represents ~25% of the total student population, followed by Caucasians at ~20%, Asians at ~20%, and Latino/as at ~20%. The rest of the campus is divided among many other ethnicities. As a result, we have several learning communities which include the Kababayan Program, Puente Program, ASTEP (African-American Success through Empowerment and Persistence), Hermanos and Hermanas Program, TRIO, and many others. Each learning community is designed to provide students with a specific cultural theme that is integrated in their core courses such as English, Math, Sociology, etc. In these communities, students learn about different cultures, leadership skills, mentoring opportunities, and career exploration.
In conceiving of the event, how did you connect with people in order to plan and prepare RTSB?
We've been connected to many hip-hop circles as well as educational circles and where both circles converge, we were able to identify those who would be down to present and/or plan for RTSB. It's no coincidence that we are seeing more and more of these types of events being produced because when many educators alike were growing in our generation, hip-hop was considered at its purest. Because of this shared love and passion for hip-hop, to maintain the history and richness of the culture of hip-hop, we have many people interested in being a part of RTSB. Through RTSB, we have been able to meet fellow educators who would then recommend other educators and hip-hop practitioners to present and/or plan RTSB.
Last week, WBO super bantamweight champion Ana "The Hurricane" Julaton made a trip to Manila. In the video above she says that this is her first trip to the Philippines. After watching her eat balut, attempt to utter certain Filipino language tongue twisters, and conscientiously use "po" in her interviews with GMA, I felt an affinity for Julaton, a Fil Am visiting the Philippines. Her U.S.-style speech (perhaps even a Bay Area speech) sounded "off" on a Philippine TV station like GMA. And the attempts to "authenticate" her Pinayness (in an earlier GMA interview she is classified as an "Overseas Filipino") goes to show the initial cultural distancing audiences may have from Julaton. But if she eats balut, calls herself "kapuso" (roughly, "of the same heart"), and recites a Tagalog tongue-twister, she is now "one of us", right?
After interacting with new friends, everyday workers, taxi drivers, and the bureaucracy in the Philippines, my impression is that too many Filipinos in the Philippines don't conceive of an existing Filipino American community. This is strange to me because we are one of the most diasporic people in the world (if not the most dispersed since the 1970s).
I would suggest that Filipinos pick up the book Positively No Filipinos Allowed, edited by my friend Antonio Tiongson. I was surprised to find the book available at Power Books here in the Philippines. The book contains revealing chapters on Fil Am community spaces that might not exist or not be as prominent in the Philippines. The chapter on Freestyle music and turntablism in the Bay Area by Liz Pisares comes to mind. And Lakandiwa De Leon's article on hip hop and gang culture in Los Angeles is also foundational.
Because Filipinos in the U.S. create culture, build community, form vernaculars, and mix with blacks, Latinos, and other Asians (and speak like them), does that make them less "acceptable" Filipinos? If we are seen as "jologs" because we speak and dress in a certain way and listen to a "darker" music, do we have to legitimize our Filipino aptitude? Do we gotta scarf down duck embryos to prove ourselves?
However, identifying a Fil Am community does not mean that the Filipino American community is separated from a Filipino experience.Dylan Rodriguez, whose chapter "A Million Deaths?" in the book mentioned above, disagrees with the term "Filipino American." Yes, "Filipino" and "American" implies a conflation where there really is a relation of genocide and death. I agree. But for now since we do not have a grammar of diaspora, perhaps Fil Am is a useful placeholder for the unique and perhaps disavowed cultural space in the U.S. created among Filipinos. Sometimes "U.S. Filipinos" is used instead of "Filipino American". Fair enough.
What is important is for Filipinos in the Philippines to view Fil Am culture as legitimate and historically rooted. Often, Fil Am culture is just as anchored to black or Chicano culture as it is to Filipino culture (note: America does not equal white). It may be that Fil Ams who "return" to the Philippines are so "different," we don't speak a Philippine language fluently, we carry an accent, among other things (including most of times financial privilege), but its because we affiliate with U.S. cities as much as or more than with locales in the Philippines; San Diego, San Francisco, Virginia Beach, Pensacola, Queens, or Austin sometimes have more symbolic meaning to us than Manila. Fil Ams have been forming community and culture in these areas for generations, and some who are well into their 80s have never been to "back" to the colony yet. Does that make us "less" Filipino?
Regardless of the reciprocated "distancing" Fil Ams may feel from the Philippines, I would recommend all Fil Ams to go to the Philippines and visit family and make new friends. This has been my motivation especially since last year experiencing a piece of the hip hop scene in Metro Manila. Fil Ams need to shed the stereotypes they have of Filipinos...their own kapuso. Fil Ams need to understand that the Philippines as a diverse and transforming nation, not as a "traditional" "culture" frozen in time (as many Pilipino Culture Nights and Barrio Fiestas would like you to believe).
But not all Fil Ams can travel to the Philippines. For one, it's extremely expensive. Coughing up two to three months worth of rent money for a round trip flight is a large commitment. We all wish we can have JabbaWockeez, Happy Slip, or Ana Julatan steez and get sponsored to travel to the Philippines. And, some Fil Ams might even be reluctant to visit. It can be emotionally taxing. To grow up all your life as a Filipino living in the U.S., and then immediately being surrounded by Filipinos in the Philippines sometimes takes a visceral, mental, and spiritual toll.
There are heeellllaa Filipinos in the U.S. who can't speak a Filipino language (majority?). It will be a joy when we can be seen as true kapuso regardless of a championship belt or MTV-approved dance moves.
Yes, we are kapuso. But our kinship embodies much more than a GMA TV marketing campaign. Perhaps we need to understand authenticity as a myth in order to accept the variations in the Filipino diasporic community. When "Filipino" is not simply equated with exotic food or funny Tagalog phrases but understood in broader dimensions will we not need to justify Filipino diasporic differences.
Will the Filipino American R&B group Legaci create a legacy for more Asian American exposure in mainstream popular music? Here is an interesting article, "Unexpected Harmony," in the New York Times about Asian American challenges in achieving career acclaim in the U.S. music industry. They are currently the backup singers for Justin Bieber (yeah, I know, but they gettin paid!) and getting mad attention worldwide. As the article states, because of their proven talent and critical mass of audience on YouTube as well as their appeal to Bieber fans, they are working on getting a record deal-- an opportunity to break through the glass ceiling that teases people with Asian faces. This opportunity to reach a wider audience is especially compelling given that Filipino Americans have been providing quality soul and R&B music (especially in Northern California) for some time now (Legaci started in 1997).
The article describes the challenges of Asian American singers (and rappers, representative of Apl.de.ap...blah) in a generic sense, but one can't help but notice the overwhelming amount of Filipino Americans represented in the R&B scene (kind of like this top ten list of Asian American Rappers of All Time...blah).
After trying out impressively for various national reality TV contests, Legaci member Micah Tolentino notes:
“We tried them all,” Mr. Tolentino said. “And they all said the same thing, ‘You guys are great, you have great voices, but you’re not what we’re looking for.’ The first couple times we were like, ‘O.K., maybe we didn’t hit it that hard,’ but the more we heard it, we couldn’t help wondering: ‘Is it because of who we are? Because we’re Asian-American?’ We decided that if TV wouldn’t give us a chance, and major labels wouldn’t give us a chance, we would turn to YouTube.”
YouTube as the great talent equalizer, erasing the biases and prejudices of industry gatekeepers?
When it comes to legibility within a U.S. cultural membership, Asian people have been seen as "outside," therefore marketing them to a U.S. audience has been disheartening, especially for artists themselves who are good at what they do, but are denied access to audience because they are supposedly impossible to market to an "American" audience.
Professor Christine Balance notes this lack of cultural currency for Asian Americans:
“How do you market an Asian-American star?” she said. “African-Americans are foundational to U.S. popular culture, and for Latinos there’s the adjective ‘Latin’ music that’s used to describe a variety of musical forms. But Asians are still seen as foreign or alien to mainstream America.”
Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston fans swoon over the vocals of Legaci
Alien or not (I vote "not", especially given U.S. investing in a tortured "domesticating" of the Philippine colony...read up on the Insular Cases people!), Filipino Americans have been making impressive music regardless of mainstream recognition. Legaci is so impressive that ?uestlove tweeted that they were the Asian New Edition.
A reference to New Edition is not surprising, given that Filipinos have been exposed to and been active participants in American (including African American) musical culture for more than a century...back in the islands and on the continent.
So we live in a world where Justin Bieber is marketed and will make a lot of money (and like ALL child stars, will ten years later be hooked on drugs or something) and become a U.S. musical icon. The fact that Legaci, along with an infinite number of Asian American performers, emcees, etc. are invisible, unnoticed, and/or relegated to the background while mediocre (or bad) singers get the limelight, well, what else can be said? One YouTube commenter remarked on Legaci's rendition of "Without You" by Chris Brown: "wats wrong with this world? justin bieber should sing back up for them instead."
Fil Ams will always be making good music and bustin good moves, and the "real" world knows it. That's probably why YouTube and "reality" TV is abundant with their songs and dance.
And at least we got the street dance scene on lock. JabbaWockeeZ blowin up Las Vegas, but, ironically, their branding is one premised on invisibility--the mask. They are doing something right, and rather clever.
The JabbaWockeeZ try their luck in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand! But this opportunity ain't just about fortune, cuz these guys are pure talent. Advertised right in between David Copperfield and Tom Jones, are these the most popular Filipino Americans in the States right now? Between the supernatural and the karaoke hitmaker, these guys are like the magical Filipinos! The 2000s are a great era for Filipino Americans and hip hop! The crucibles of Filipino American culture are demanding and commanding national attention. Seattle and the progressive Filipino community bred the talent of legendary poetry troupe Isangmahal (who are back apparently) alongside one of the most successful independent hip hop groups the Blue Scholars. Seattle is interesting, people!
Performers who cut their teeth in the San Francisco/San Diego Pinoy/ay hip hop spaces have clearly demonstrated their skills to the TV world on America's Best Dance Crew, and now the tourist world in Las Vegas gets to experience the JabbaWockeeZ. Not that the measure of skill and success should be defined by "outsiders", but a little attention never hurt nobody. Especially when MGM JabbaWockeeZ tickets go for over $70.00 each, man, a little money in yo pockets never hurt nobody either! Make that dough, bro. And look good doing it...
Besides, if purists want to keep the culture "inside" (hey, I ain't mad at ya), it looks like we're doing just fine doing that too!
From the garage ground to the world stage! Isulong!
Anyone catch the NBA Finals last night? The JabbaWockeez made a cameo in the Gatorade "That's G" commercial. That's kind of a big deal..
They made an appearance in other Gatorade commercials, side by side with Muhammad Ali and Bill Russell, among many other legends. This commercial probably showed during other big events, no doubt.
America's Best Dance Crew Season 3 looks as crazy as ever. From cloggers from Alabama to circus-style dancers from Brooklyn, this season is probably the wildest yet. Like everyone's been talking about since Season 1, this show is a popular space with which to showcase Filipino talent (is it the "biggest" venue we've had?). Although Filipinos aren't as dominant in representation as in the two other seasons (Fil Am quota?), there still is a noticeable presence. After getting booted in the first episode last season, Team Millenia, which is mostly Fil Am and comes out of the Fil Am college "modern" dance crews, is giving it a second shot. Let's wish them luck so we can get another largely Fil Am team in the ranks of ABDC victories, and hopefully get some sistas as winners for this show since only dudes have won so far.
Now what is interesting about this first episode is the representation from Puerto Rico. Our "colonial cousins" in the PR did really good I think, but unfortunately they were the first to be cut. Who is this team? They are "G.O.P. Dance," a name for a crew that I find tragically hilarious. Are they colonized Republicans with soul?
Anyways, in all seriousness, it is worth highlighting the fact that Puerto Rico, which isn't a "formal" U.S. state, is included in America's Best Dance Crew. The Philippines and PR became colonies of the U.S. after the Spanish-American War (and the subsequent U.S. violence on these island nations), and thus have almost identical Spanish and U.S. colonial patterns. As a colony of the U.S., Puerto Rico has a non-voting delegate in the U.S. Congress, while simultaneously subjected to U.S. militarism and corporatism (peep the pharmaceutical industry's hold on the colony). As "nationals" of the U.S. (Filipinos used to be "nationals" before given independence after WWII), Puerto Ricans can travel freely throughout the U.S. But again, they have no representation in governance. This is why I find that the adoption of the name "G.O.P." to be tragically hilarious.
Before their set, the host Mario Lopez asks the audience, "Will these boys from Puerto Rico become the main attraction of the mainland?" Good question Mr. Lopez. Since they were booted in the first episode, I guess they aren't. The irony here is bountiful. But the fact that PR is represented as constitutive of the U.S. nation-state is profound, especially since U.S. colonies are "invisible" in the public imagination. The U.S. is supposed to be liberal and "exceptional" and without colonizing tendencies like old world Europe. I wonder how the public will react to gazing upon these Puerto Rican brothas as representing one of "America's Best Dance Crew," albeit they got rejected. Not "American" enough? Yes, as abjected bodies, these colonial subjects can never be subsumed within the "pure" body politic of the (white) U.S. nation-state. (Dude, what if the Philippines was able to compete in this shit? Then Guam and Northern Mariana Islands...?)
Another interesting part of the episode was when G.O.P. stripped their Catholic monk vestiges. Is this a gesture of stripping their Spanish colonial heritage in exchange for a U.S. neocolonial affiliation in the form of hip hop dance? I'd like to know the intentions of that moment because shit is rife with all kinds of interpretations. What are the advantages of identifying with the U.S. nation-state? How does an act of "de-Hispanicizing" their group affiliation impact their ascriptions as Spanish-speaking Puerto Ricans? I think these questions could come right out of Raquel Rivera'sNew York Ricans from the Hip Hop Zone. A very good read.
Finally, big ups to Kid Rainen for holdin down the judging job of much-beloved J.C. Chasez. (Did anyone catch his "Big Booty Hoes" reference after Fly Khicks went on? Sneaky foolishness) Why can't they just hire Rainen to permanently hold that spot? Organic intellectual please! I really appreciated Rainen's recognition of the influence of salsa on b-boy dancing. He gave respect to G.O.P. for giving that salsa flavor and commented on how salsa influenced rockin which influenced b-boying. J.C. can't educate the public like that! Let's advocate for the change yall. Pinoys and Puerto Ricans...keep up the colonial funk.
------------------ On another note, if you're ever in Queens, NY, you should stop by one of my favorite restaurants, Philippu Lounge and Restaurante. Why is it called Philippu? Cuz its Philippine and Puerto Rican-owned, cuz. They used to sell both Filipino and Puerto Rican food, but now it's only Filipino Food (both cuisines are similar anyway). Whether you're just grabbing lunch, going on a date, or watching a Pacquiao fight with the manongs, this is a nice spot to support Filipino (and PR) business.
On Monday, July 14th I had the pleasure of attending theStep Up 2: The Streets DVD release party at the Avalon in Hollywood. I haven't seen the movie yet (I heard it was good...I guess that includes the compulsory lily protagonists and all), but for sure the party was off the chain.
If you're a fan of the reality TV dance shows, like America's Best Dance Crew, then you should be hellllla jealous. The party featured some of the top/most popular dance crews from these shows, and of course, mad Pin@ys were in the house. (In addition, the Living Legends crew was in the house. An exclusive party indeed.)
As soon as I walked into the venue, I hunted down the homey DJ Icy Icewho hooked it up with a backstage pass. He pulled me backstage in order to meet some of the dancers because he knew I was doing recruiting for theFestival of Philippine Arts and Culture. I thought I'd meet maybe one or two dancers, but yo, its like I met the whole village. The first folks I met were Team Millenia. Nice folks. All dope dancers on their own.
During the "battles" and performances, the dancers brought their own unique flavors. However, since Step Up is a Disney production, there were some elements of the night that left you like "que?"
Here is the Disney part:
We all know how battles work: someone from one crew burns the floor, after which a member from the opposing crew follows. Simple enough. Or, as has become popular, a crew does acrobatic choreography together, like someone flipping over a crouching crewmember or a brutha wrapping they thighs around another brutha’s hips and spinning, weird shit like that.
Well, the event’s idea of a battle was ALL members of the crews had to be movin to the pre-requested music that Ice spun. Not one person from one crew, then the other—no. They wanted it real “The Debut,” “Save the Last Dance” synchronized and spontaneous-lookin style. Kinda fresh, right? Right...
Culture Shock LA at Global Dance Showcase
It kinda worked for the first crew battle between Fysh N Chicks and World Famous (ill mostly Pinay bgirls from San Diego), because I think they both rehearsed a full set, or at least had in mind what they wanted to do. But for the battles between Kaba Modern vs. Team Millenia (an epic battle, I would think, but it wasn't really) and Culture Shock vs. Quest the ALL member choreography dance format didn’t work. Maybe because these folks are used to “real” bboy/girl battles, and not all that funky choreographed mess. (Or, maybe some members just didn't know how to battle.)
But for the most of the night, folks vibed on the dance floor. As I scoped the scene, I gave daps to Kid Rainen from JabbaWockeez, grooved with the World Famous sistas, and ciphered with Culture Shock folk.
It seems strange though, doesn’t it?
I mean, this shit ain’t new. Our folk been rockin this choreographed dance scene for close to two decades. The brutha Arnel (here he is doing the Iron Horse and locking) knows! He founded Kaba Modern in the early 1990s, and today is Kaba Modern a cultural institution in Southern CA. What I’m curious about is all the attention and money been given to it—open bar at the Avalon, Hollywood execs, Disney movie and all. Backstage, I asked Arnel: "Who would have thought?" We both smiled and chuckled.
Congrats to these talented Pin@y bruthas and sistas for making a very noticeable and public impression. Keep pushin the art forward, and while your at it, go head rake that dolo.
Right after the Association of Asian American Studies Conference, a small group of my comrades formed a loose network called the Filipino Soul Aesthetics Working Group. Basically, we are trying to get like-minds together (students, professors, artists/performers, and community organizers) to begin a dialogue about Filipino "soul" (we are still trying to define "soul"). So far, we are zeroing in on Pin@ys and hip hop culture, but we are also open to including Pin@ys and other Black cultural expressions, such as jazz and funk.
Why Black cultural expressions? Many people may be yelling, "Hey! We look Asian! The Philippines is in Asia!" But after self-reflection and self-research, many of us will realize that Filipinos are a very complicated "Asian" group, especially considering Spanish, White American, and African American presence/culture in the Philippines. Check it! Filipinos are extremely mixed in terms of history, language, culture, and artistic expression! Simultaneously, Filipinos occupy a distinct position in richer Asian nations, as Filipinos are mostly "lower-class" workers (and called pretty horrible things by other Asians...btw, any other folks out there have an uncle/cousin heading to Dubai to do construction work or work as a driver??? holla) and we also tend to be stage performers and entertainers in other Asian countries.
Jota dance by Philippine Performance Arts Company folks in Florida What is important to understand is that these influences in Filipino expressions/social positions are closely linked to the intense history of Spanish and U.S. colonization, a unique history other Asian nations do not have (yes it goes beyond the chopsticks thing). So, considering this, how would you classify Filipinos culturally/racially/ethnically? (This framework of colonization anchors the questions we will be asking in the Filipino Aesthetics Working Group.)
There is an abundance of current examples of Filipino artists/performers "pin@ytrating" mainstream public culture-- from the "dancing inmates" (Lorenzo Perillo of our Filipino Soul Aesthetics Working Group writes a mean article on these talented Cebuano prisoners), to Charice Pempengco, JabbaWockeez, and even DJ Neil Armstrong touring with Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige (any other examples?). Gathering from this very visible manifestation of Pin@y talent in the "mainstream", I have a couple of questions for you:
Kiwi and Bambu of the former Native Guns
QUESTION ONE: What ethnic/racial group do you think Pin@ys most closely resemble? [Among popular choices are Asian or Pacific Islander (as seen in Myspace profiles), but many others (as we know) gravitate towards Latino and African American cultural expressions.]
QUESTION TWO:Why do you think there is a gravitation towards Black American cultural art forms among Pin@ys?*
*This probably applies more to second-generation Fil Ams.
Like we've been discussing here and here, young Pin@ys have been involved in creating and performing large-scale theatrical productions for decades (since the late 1970s at UCLA). During the early 1990s, hip hop dance forms emerged as standard vernacular for PCNs. At first there was resistance to this because of hip hop's "blackness" and its threat to "authentic" Filipino culture, and all that jive.
Now, it's incredible to see this tradition in choreographed street dance triumph in such a high-profiled venue as "America's Best Dance Crew." Kaba Modern and JabbaWockeez (who come out of the Fil Am choregraphed street dance scene and share the same circles) certainly brought this spectacle into America's households. PAC Modern, the street dance branch of PAC who put on a dope set for PCN, is a powerhouse in the West Coast choreographed street dance circles. I have no doubt that if the best members of PAC Modern joined AMDC (there are more than 50 troupe members), they would bring enough heat to be in one of the final episodes (before America divides up the funky Asians).
The World's Fair was a deliberate attempt to justify U.S. occupation of the Philippines (beginning in 1898) and the urgency of the "civilizing mission" (or "White Man's Burden") of the U.S. in this benighted part of the world. It was like Western colonization of the islands version 2.0-- molding Filipinos into a better Western image that the Spanish failed to do. Well, they had one thing right--Filipinos certainly adapted an American (read "African American") performance tradition (beginning with Vaudeville forms brought by Black Buffalo Soldiers serving in the islands during the Philippine-American War).
Anyways, the PCN risked perpetuating this "zoo" spectacle (like many PCNs do) by exotifying and objectifying Filipino culture as "other," a voyeuristic journey for both Filipino and non-Filipino audiences. However, the cast delivered a subversive production, craftily telling a story of the political duplicity of U.S. interest in Filipino participation in the World's Fair, and how fucked up it was "Uncle Sam" ordered Filipinos from savage-to-civilized who ultimately need American assimilation to become fully human. (Oh how the reverse was more close to the truth).
Anyways, I'm sure the audience learned something that night. But what was more impressive is the talent of the student organization. The production even had original music played by student musicians (complete with a seven-piece rondalla). And the whole skit cast sang (pretty good)! I always wonder how these steady reserves of Filipin@ talent keep replenishing Fil Am orgs, since people graduate. Apparently, the talent is always there among young members of our community.
So how did the PCN skit integrate the ever-present "modern" dance? Well, one of the tents at the fair was a "Tent of Tomorrow" and whoever steps inside, gets a glimpse of what's to come. What happened when the main characters stepped into the tent? Well, let me paraphrase the words of ring leader, who spoke to the Filipino characters: "Step right up! Come see what your great great grandchildren will be doing: spinning records on two machines, writing strange words on walls, and dancing on the floor!" Wow, so much for resistance to blackness in the early 1990s-- and now it seems like hip hop is an integral part of the Filipino American experience? I would agree with this. Would all agree, though?
PAC Modern at Vibe XIII, January 27,2008 Check the oh so fresh funkstyles: 2:20-3:20
Check out this article written by The Brian. He reviews a thorough history of Filipin@ American street dance legacy, and the reason YOU should vote for JabbaWockeez. He also gives a neat look at the East Coast Fil Am dance scene, which addresses my recent entry "West Coast v. East Coast: Comparing Fil Am Hip Hop Scenes." For a New Jersey Pinoy brutha, he got some West Coast knowledge. (Now who is going to document the East Coast scenes?)
Filipino America's Best Dance Crew by The Brian March 23, 2008
Kaba Modern and Jabbawockeez are, as far as MTV goes, 2 out of 3 best dance crews in Amerikkka. and many argue that they are in fact the best 2 out of 2, with Kaba getting cheated out of being in the finale, perhaps for cosmetic reasons. what seems to go unexplored on the show is that both crews are pretty much asian american and from southern california. in a pop television landscape devoid of asian faces except for a scattered few, the near dominance of these 2 crews of asian youth is suprising and perhaps frightening. why are they so damn nasty? how did they get to be so hip hop? where are the black people?
KM and J-dub are not anomalies. they did't emerge from nowhere, suddenly bursting onto the scene. on the contrary, they are actually part of a long tradition of Filipino street dance crews on the West Coast. Filipinos have been a force in Cali street culture since swing dancing and zoot suits in the 40's to the mobile dj's of the 70's and 80's to the reemergence of breakin and turtablism of the 90's. And in the past 15-20 years, they have developed a massive street dance choreography culture as well. Kaba Modern is actually 16 years old. The Kaba is short for the Tagalog word for Countryman/woman "Kababayan." Kababayan is also name of the Filipino student association at UC Irvine. Although KM's representatives on ABDC are NOT filipino (which is a travesty; see Mark V's blog for more), they are still part of this filipino dance tradition (and filipino openness to non-filipinos; colonial mentality what what!). [Note that Kaba Modern really has over 30 members, most of whom are Filipino including the choreographers. Similarly, Jabbawockeez is also a larger crew than who's on the show, most of whom are Filipino including their de facto leader Kid Rainen also known as Rynan.] and they have many contemporaries who have grown up with them through the decades. Samahang Modern (of UCLA), PAC Modern (Pilipino American Coalition at Cal State Long Beach), Team Millenia (of Pilipino American Student Association at UC Fullerton), Carson Street Dance, Culture Shock LA, Common Ground, Sick Step (known for its member Ryan Conferido and Hawk from So You Think You Can Dance), and the list goes on. I hypothesize that the latter groups that are not affiliated with a college are actually offshoots, inspired by the college groups but sustained by the same dance community.
Pilipino Culture Night 2008 trailer for Cal State Long Beach's Pilipino American Coalition
most of the groups originated in the storm of PCNs, or Pilipino Culture Nights (aka Barrio Fiesta) common at many colleges, where dance performances take center stage. usually filipino folk dance such as tinikling and maglalatik comprise the majority of the show, these filipino americans always leave room for the one "modern" dance where they showcase how hip hop they can be (also known as flip hop). because fil-ams have always been part of cali street culture, this part of the show inevitably became the highlight with filipino student association forming "modern" groups to focus specifically on street dance performances.
the filipino community's over abundance of community events such as festivals and parades gave ample opportunities for these groups to perform and perfect their unique style of choreography. A few notable events really developed the dance groups. Friendship Games, over 20 years old, has brought together filipino college students from all over california and the west coast for a day of fun competitions including one for "modern" dance groups. Vibe Hip Hop Dance Competition (which itself is 13 yrs old) hosted by an Asian frat but with almost exclusively filipino groups participating, has enabled the groups to compete on a big stage with thousands in attendance. Bustagroove, hosted by Culture Shock, is another massive dance competition in the area and almost always plays host to PAC Modern and Kaba Modern. the existence of a cohesive filipino youth culture helped sustain these street dance crews. having been deeply immersed in bboy and dj worlds for quite a while, the dancers came in with extensive knowledge of hip hop and infused it into their dance. they developed a style of hip hop choreography that is unique to the mostly insular community and had enough stage opportunities to grow as performers.
Here's a list of some of their most common elements: (try looking for them in this PAC modern performance) -10-15 minute master mix of 50 billion songs -breakin routine -random breakin power moves (flares, windmills, headspins, flips) -lockin routine -acting out a voice over -cheesy guy/girl partner "flirt" routine -intricate transitions -sexy girl jazz routine -street jazz moves -overly dramatic head whips -30 dancers on stage at once (think Cebu prisons doing Thriller performances) followed by smaller group sets
What makes this style of hip hop choreography uniquely filipino american is the combination of traditional hip hop dances (breaking and lockin) and the more MTV-influenced street jazz with slight bboy flavor. on the one end, you have these old school dances that most thought were long dead. hell, even the black community dropped these dances like a bad habit in the late 70's/early 80's. in fact, it's latinos and filipinos who kept breakin alive in the US. this commitment to old school is where fil-ams have made a niche. at the other end of the spectrum is their understanding of new school, which is essentially the street jazz style found in many music videos with a bboy energy on top. you will almost never see these filipino crews rock party dances or new school dances that exist outside of music video choreography. these are mostly studio trained dancers (albeit, their own dance studios) after all so the newest dances will never be taught to them. things like the heel-toe, c-walking, hyphy, flexin, krumpin, uptown shake, chicken noodle soup, the wop, the nike, the roger rabbit, etc. are hardly ever seen.
in contrast, i think a lot of east asian dance groups dont have the same long history with hip hop and draw heavy influence from the pop music scene in asia. and i'm not sure that the cohesive youth network is there to give enough performance opportunities for their scene to blossom. instead, all the other asians join the filipino crews. suchin pak, the korean mtv news correspondent, once told me that her brother growing up in california always wanted to be filipino cuz they were so cool.
so what about the East Coast? the scene is much younger but is finally starting to develop. fil-ams on the east haven't been here as long and are more spread apart so it's taken some time to establish a network. Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue (FIND) is only a little bit over a decade old. and PCNs on this side of the country are lucky to be as old. but we've seen what's going on on the west coast and we're starting to catch up. and once again, when the infrastructure is available, the scene blossoms.
in the early 2000's, FIND District 6 (DC/VA) hosted the short-lived Expressions where we saw the cali-like crew DNA as well groups from ODU, Gtown, etc. Culture Shock DC (still very Filipino) hosts its own version of Bustagroove called the East Coast Dance Competition in its 5th year pin@y groups like Fr3sh, Moshun, and Rhythmology can be seen. And then there's FIND's Battle of the Barrios in District 3 (NY/NJ area) which has served as testing ground for the past few years for emerging filipino crews from schools like NYU and Villanova. What makes Battle of the Barrios interesting is that they require groups to incorporate traditional Filipino dance into their show, forcing some really creative hybrids to be born.
you should vote for Jabbawockeez. i don't need to tell you that these boys are dope. they also cut their teeth on many of the same dance events/competitions i described above and really are part of this long tradition of filipino street dancers. however, what really sets them apart from the "moderns" is that the Jabbawockeez can boast street credibility. it's beautiful that filipinos have their own street dance performance culture, but it's wack when many of these dancers dont exist as dancers outside the comfort zone of their crews and crew choreography. looking at Kaba, you can tell that as individual dancers, they aren't as tight and probably can't hold their own in a cypher. i would still consider them at the fringes of hip hop dance. they learn breakin, poppin, lockin for the sake of improving their group performances and to enhance their choreography. those at the center of hip hop can do performances too, but are equally focused on steppin up their game to win battles and represent in party cyphers where the solo dancer is king/queen and improvisation is key. and this is exactly why i love jabbawockeez. they are at the center of hip hop. they exist as individual dancers. Kid Rainen is well known in the bboy world and can stand up to the best of the best in breakin. he and his crew are battle tested, cypher approved. so while choreography can take you far, hip hop is ultimately about being free. -----
edits (3/26/08):
thanks for the feedback. here's a few things i forgot to mention:
1) i'm probably too harsh on the college students. they are afterall students, and the term sophomore or "wise fool" comes to mind. they will of course learn in time. i didn't become a strong dancer until after college, but my involvement in college dance groups was a necessary stepping stone.
2) i'm from the east coast so how do i know all of this?? i've been watching pac modern dance videos since 2001, pre youtube days. i used to try real hard to imitate them too. so yeah, i'm part of the greater dance scene and have observed from the sidelines for a while. but i invite people to corroborate, clarify, and refute as much as they can based on their own experiences.
3) alumni of these college groups often go on to form their own crews or dance studios. they often end up teaching other generations of filipino youth, high school age and younger. by doing so, they spread the culture and in fact cultivate future dancers who will one day go into college and help sustain the existing crews with their own expertise.
4) it'd be great if someone could do a comparison study with the desi dance scene. i think it's probably very parallel. the plethora of large scale dance events like Bhangra Blowout really force the dance to evolve and the groups to reach higher and higher levels, perfecting their style over time.
5) is hip hop tinikling an east coast thing? "modernizing" traditional dances especially the tinikling has been done ad nauseum over here. who else is doing it? and lookout for stepping, which is one dance style that has been creeping into Battle of the Barrios courtesy of NYU's IFA.
JabbaWockeez member and native San Diegan Rynan Paguio is a veteran b-boy
After Kaba Modern's getting voted off, JabbaWockeez made it to the final round of "America's Best Dance Crew!" Congrats! They must get more votes than the crew Status Quo , who put on a goofy circus clown performance for their finale. JabbaWockeez chose to put on a solid, faithful old school hip hop routine, complete with crazy screwdrivers (or eggrolls) with shoulder freezes executed on beat with the stuttered snare. What an homage to hip hop styles for a mainstream, Mickey Mouse television show finale! They freaked that.
You can vote for your favorite crew all week, until the final show on Thursday, March 27, 2008. Some thoughts on JabbaWockeez on "America's Best Dance Crew":
1. JabbaWockeez bring funk, flavor, and flamboyance while remaining loyal to particular dance foundations.
2. These dancers have been in the dance game for a long time, some for more than a decade. They deserve to get national (mainstream) recognition for their dedication to the craft. Their dedication is so much that the larger crew represented at last weekend's hip hop orgy "World of Dance" event.
3. The style JabbaWockeez projects brings a more faithful performance of hip hop dance forms (and fashion: matching dookie ropes and Kangol hats? What?!). I think they steer away from gimmicky tricks and hip hop-culture caricaturing. They let the world know that b-boy/b-girl culture never died (see the film Planet B-Boy), but is in fact getting stronger and achieving national (mainstream) shine (for good or bad?).
4. The crew epitomizes Pin@y commitment to b-boy/b-girl culture. The crew is half Pinoy (both on the MTV show and the larger crew); they give an accurate (male) face to Pinoy hip hop performance. The fact that the crew is ethnically mixed (and, well, also mono-gendered) is very much representative of the Pin@y experience in hip hop in general, as we tend to collaborate with many communities (we're very fluid and floating!). Check out any Pin@y dance organization on a college campus, and it'll probably have what Mark from FOBBDEEP calls "non-Filipino-Asians-in-Filipino-student-organizations", among many other racial groups.
5. I'm surprised this group made it this far in a watered-down TV show. I was convinced JabbaWockeez deserved to be "America's Best Dance Crew," but wasn't confident that mainstream America and MTV would "keep them" around this long, since they are "so hip hop." How subversive. How hip hop.
Visionary educator and organizer Nate Nevado chimes in on hip hop pedagogy
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