ABDC 3 Poll Pamphlet: Beat Freaks

on Saturday, February 28, 2009 7:21PM

It really seems like it was only yesterday when the Beat Freaks’ Seven Super Heroes swooped into America’s Best Dance Crew. Week after week, these steel tempered bgirls not only set the standard for their fellow competitors, but also challenged and defied mainstream portrayals of women. Beyond season three, the Beat Freaks have secured a meaty chapter in ABDC history as the first all-female crew to contend for the championship. More than that, they could very well be the first all-female crew to take home the spoils of a hot ABDC battle.

With the final vote upon us, Ningin has taken the liberty of providing a retrospective on the Beat Freaks’ time on ABDC; presented as an e-pamphlet for your convenience and consideration. Now, we all know that the voting process is a little funky, but we just hope to leave you with the compulsion to vote in general. Stay tuned for our Quest Crew recap, and vote, vote, vote!

For their first performance, it all boiled down to one word: sick. Beat Freaks managed to convey their positive and fun loving energy while simultaneously—and effortlessly—proving that, no, you do not mess with these ladies. And in case you’ve forgotten, Rainen Paguio (Jabbawockeez) gave them a standing ovation. As the very first performance of season three, the Beat Freaks set a precedence for excellence, which they would go on to exceed throughout their subsequent performances.

Episode 2 featured, by far, the most moronic challenge ever. However, Beat Freaks knew better than to pucker their faces at their side plank lemons. These girls knew all too well that it was a perfect opportunity to showcase their upper-body strength. In that very instant, the Beat Freaks wordlessly told all naysayers to shut the hell up; girls can not only bboy, but they’re also capable of holding their own and surpassing their male counterparts. Yep, A.C. Slater, the Beat Freaks are hard.

Although Episode 3 was clearly a marketing ploy for auto-tune queen Britney Spears, it was also an unlikely moment for the Beat Freaks to lay down the truth. I loathe using the term, but for all intents and purposes, we are characterized as living in a post-feminist era. What does that mean for the Beat Freaks? We are not only limited to either drooling after them as sex objects or fearing them as ball bashers. Although the Beat Freaks were pretty much corralled into it, they tapped into their sultry sides and slinked about the stage like pros. It’s not a matter of proving whether or not the Beat Freaks can serve up a slice of unadulterated sex appeal like the Fly Khicks. What the Beat Freaks showed America is that just because you can do it, it doesn’t mean you have to.

Episode 4 featured the Beat Freaks’ Carlton performance, and moreover, it was the first episode of the season that began to really spotlight the ladies of the crew. Jules pulled off a masterful head spin—the first head spin from a female on ABDC, in fact—while Rino Nakasone made implicit nods to her iconic days as a ~~Harajuku~~ Hollaback Girl. We also learned that poppin’ and lockin’ extraordinaire Keely is also a mother… ladies, I really don’t know what more I need to tell you. Beat Freaks are a living, breathing example that your gender has nothing to do with what you can or cannot do. From thuggish, to sexy, to bubbly, the Beat Freaks never miss a step.

Episode 5 was home to an unforgettable performance that refused to take no for an answer. Although they were already popular to being with, this is the Beat Freaks performance that sent chills down America’s spines and injected nerves straight into the hearts of the ABDC contenders. We all know this as the “magic ball” performance, and while you’d be hard pressed to find someone who wasn’t floored with the performance, you will find a lot of people pointing out the fact that the Beat Freaks lucked out with the best prop. The talents of all of the crews are not inherent within their props. Meaning, any crew can stumble or succeed with their given challenge. Clearly, the Beat Freaks owned their tick, tick, ticking, to their pop, pop, locking, straight down to their prop, prop, prop.

Beat Freaks are never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down… and never gonna flop. Episode 6 = hot damn. How do you make a Katy Perry song bearable and—I can’t believe I’m saying this—enjoyable?

1. Shorty’s center of gravity
2. Rino’s Michael flavor
3. Prop ownage
4. Intricate ticking, popping and locking
5. Mechanically precise synchronization

“JC said you should be called the Prop Masters. I think y’all should be called America’s Best Dance Crew”
—Shane Sparks

There’s no need to speak further about this one.

Which crew has an automatic in for the finale? Episode 7 says Beat Freaks. While their 2-minute challenge was not my favorite performance of the season, it was nonetheless sharp and entertaining. Even if these girls pulled off a bad routine, it would still be good—yanno? Anyhow, the performance to watch for was their final performance, which really brought the Beat Freaks full circle. From their moves, to their threads, right down to the Beat Freak snarl, these women gave us a final taste of who they are and what they stand for.