HTWWW '09 Locking battle and thoughts

[Sutefeni]

First I wanna say thank you for having big events such as this! It's great to meet people from other parts of the country and world and it's always fun to get down with them. It was my first time entering a really big event and I had a lotta fun!

That being said, I really enjoyed watching the locking battles at HTWWW, but I couldn't help feeling a bit discouraged after the whole competition was over.
Being a newcomer to the locking scene (off and on for a year), I thought that locking was not only about the foundations but about entertaining the crowd as well with musicality and creativity. However, some of the contestants who seemed to bring ALL this to the table did NOT advance. And the ones who JUST brought the foundations went on. It really made me question the judges and myself -- am I wrong to like the people who were entertaining?

I know that there is the major thread talking about how we could advance locking here in North America.
But I wonder how it could be advanced when things like this are happening? When people are coming here from all over the world only to be shot down because they don't emulate the old 70s basic style of locking (or look like they were stuck in the 70s).

I mean no disrespect towards the OGs or the dancers who advanced (they had the skills and foundations down). I just want to know why things happened the way they did. The audience knew and felt who should go on...and even the contestants. And who knows, maybe even the judges.

So how does locking grow when newbies like me see that locking should only be a certain way. And if I were to bring in a different style/character, I wouldn't make it at all?
Who is qualified to be judging? What can we as a community do for it?

Anyways, just my thoughts...

[Shockwave32]

Honestly, you are right for feeling the way you do. Just know who won in your heart and except the differences of opinion for what it is. Don't take it personal and love the dance you know. I felt Tiffany should have moved on without a doubt, I thought Tsuyoshi and Tsuto should have had it into the battle rounds. I actually thought alot of things from this weekend, but I feel I understand why things went down the way it did and I move on, cause the ones that watched really know what the business is

[inventfmc]

Agreed.

Come to the Bay. Hahahaha.

LA has too much politics forreal.

Like shockwave said, know the truth in your heart, don't question that because someone "respected" said different.

[MikeyP_Groovmekanex]

If you are dancing to impress OG's, you're dancing for the wrong reason.

do what makes you happy, dance how you dance. Just cause a few old men didn't feel you that day dosn't mean you (or they) are doing something wrong.

It's YOUR dance, remember...not theirs.

[buddha stretch]

Who were the judges?

[inventfmc]

Loose Caboose, Anthony Thomas and Greg Campbellock Jr.

[buddha stretch]

Originally Posted by inventfmc

Loose Caboose, Anthony Thomas and Greg Campbellock Jr.

WOW...so who didn't advance that should have?how many contestants??

[Boogiewalker]

Originally Posted by buddha stretch

WOW...so who didn't advance that should have?how many contestants??

Hey Buddha. Total number of entrants was low this year--maybe about 23-25 max. People who should have advanced (from prelims) that didn't: Tsuyoshi, Akiko, Tsuto and also Nobby from Jam Crew (Osaka). Also, personally, in the showdown between Lil' B (DS players) and Baby L (Lydia from Toronto), I would have picked Lil'B (better energy, better dancing, more entertaining). Also, most people I talked to were feeling that Win should not have advanced over Tiffany, but there was not total agreement on that point from all sides...

However, I think the more disturbing thing was just the "pattern" of people who "made it through". Main problem: the final four was Win (Taiwan), Boog Tom (Korea), Lydia, and FLOMASTER. Given the identities of two of the three judges, there's a huge POLITICAL problem here! Win, Lydia and FLO are all students of Greg AND are pretty close to Loose Caboose (not completely sure about Boog Tom, but he locks a lot like Suga Pop, so basically, he's also Greg's student via proxy...)

It was another text-book case (in my opinion) of judges picking their students/homies to advance.

As much as I love Flo and his funky self, there was ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR HIM TO BE IN THAT COMPETITION (well, other than the $1000.00 cash prize...) Seriously: he already has won a HTWWW (either the 1st or 2nd one, I believe) and has JUDGED a HTWWW (last year, along with (surprise!) Loose Caboose and Sundance...) He's already recognized around the world as a dope-ass locker with more than enough skills to pay the bills. Really, as soon as Kaistar told me on Saturday before I got to the jam that Flo was entering, I said to myself, "well, there's our winner!" There wasn't even really any point to having a competition at that point. In my eyes, all it did was do more to DISCOURAGE new talent rather than encourage it...

None of the dancers were "bad" or "low level", really... So I'm not making the argument from a "skill level" point of view (as in, "such-and-such person sucked, and they STILL advanced!...") You could definitely argue that those folks deserved to be there... but... I dunno...

It was just... soooooo... damn... PREDICTABLE. And I honestly felt like some people got robbed, most notably Tsuto (Shuffle crew, Tokyo). He ripped his second prelim and then-nothing!

Also, a lot of the decisions seemed to be based on a "who can look the most like an old-school locker?" rather than "who was dancing the best?" The decisions didn't seem to be in line with the "spirit" of locking (as a dance of freedom and creativity) and rather seemed to be more about "going down the check-list for a complete 'locker'..."....

Sorry, I'm kind of rambling, but still, this is sticking in my craw a bit...

peas,

BW

[MrRaNdm]

Originally Posted by Boogiewalker

As much as I love Flo and his funky self, there was ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR HIM TO BE IN THAT COMPETITION (well, other than the $1000.00 cash prize...)


BW

its the economy ....FUCKIN ECONOMY FUNSTYLING US!!!

[buddha stretch]

Originally Posted by Boogiewalker

Hey Buddha. Total number of entrants was low this year--maybe about 23-25 max. People who should have advanced (from prelims) that didn't: Tsuyoshi, Akiko, Tsuto and also Nobby from Jam Crew (Osaka). Also, personally, in the showdown between Lil' B (DS players) and Baby L (Lydia from Toronto), I would have picked Lil'B (better energy, better dancing, more entertaining). Also, most people I talked to were feeling that Win should not have advanced over Tiffany, but there was not total agreement on that point from all sides...

However, I think the more disturbing thing was just the "pattern" of people who "made it through". Main problem: the final four was Win (Taiwan), Boog Tom (Korea), Lydia, and FLOMASTER. Given the identities of two of the three judges, there's a huge POLITICAL problem here! Win, Lydia and FLO are all students of Greg AND are pretty close to Loose Caboose (not completely sure about Boog Tom, but he locks a lot like Suga Pop, so basically, he's also Greg's student via proxy...)

It was another text-book case (in my opinion) of judges picking their students/homies to advance.

As much as I love Flo and his funky self, there was ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR HIM TO BE IN THAT COMPETITION (well, other than the $1000.00 cash prize...) Seriously: he already has won a HTWWW (either the 1st or 2nd one, I believe) and has JUDGED a HTWWW (last year, along with (surprise!) Loose Caboose and Sundance...) He's already recognized around the world as a dope-ass locker with more than enough skills to pay the bills. Really, as soon as Kaistar told me on Saturday before I got to the jam that Flo was entering, I said to myself, "well, there's our winner!" There wasn't even really any point to having a competition at that point. In my eyes, all it did was do more to DISCOURAGE new talent rather than encourage it...

None of the dancers were "bad" or "low level", really... So I'm not making the argument from a "skill level" point of view (as in, "such-and-such person sucked, and they STILL advanced!...") You could definitely argue that those folks deserved to be there... but... I dunno...

It was just... soooooo... damn... PREDICTABLE. And I honestly felt like some people got robbed, most notably Tsuto (Shuffle crew, Tokyo). He ripped his second prelim and then-nothing!

Also, a lot of the decisions seemed to be based on a "who can look the most like an old-school locker?" rather than "who was dancing the best?" The decisions didn't seem to be in line with the "spirit" of locking (as a dance of freedom and creativity) and rather seemed to be more about "going down the check-list for a complete 'locker'..."....

Sorry, I'm kind of rambling, but still, this is sticking in my craw a bit...

peas,

BW

Thanks for the rundown...i was suprised to see that FLOW was in,being that he judged last year,& i thought he was through with competitions...but..like Random said...who's turning down money these days??STEPYAGAMEUP!

[NRG]

Sorry for asking, but who's the girl on the left? She's great! Did she advance?

[Kaistar]

@Stretch: Honestly this isn't anything new... but I won't speak on what I think of the judging... If you're curious and have some time to kill, the user gogoeri on YouTube has videos of the both 1st round and 2nd round prelims (1st round was basic elim, 2nd was BEST 16). It'd be nice to get some input from you on it.

@BW: at least you made it thru prelims. Second year in a row that I haven't advanced past first round at this event. Back to the drawing board...

BEST 16:

Boogiewalker
Win
Flomaster
Tony Tones
Melody?
Tsuto
Lil'B
Baby L (Lydia)
Nobu
Sasa
Jimini (Tiffany)
Cow-B
Junko
BoogTom aka Tom Campbellock
Tsuyoshi
Rebecca

EDIT--

@NRG: That's Jimini (Tiffany) vs. Win -- very argued battle for a lot of the audience. I personally felt like Tiffany should've advanced.

[DocLock]

WOW!! Don't get me wrong...that clip!! Win was tiiiite! BUT NO DOUBT in my mind, Tiffany won that.

[buddha stretch]

Originally Posted by Kaistar

@Stretch: Honestly this isn't anything new... but I won't speak on what I think of the judging... If you're curious and have some time to kill, the user gogoeri on YouTube has videos of the both 1st round and 2nd round prelims (1st round was basic elim, 2nd was BEST 16). It'd be nice to get some input from you on it.

@BW: at least you made it thru prelims. Second year in a row that I haven't advanced past first round at this event. Back to the drawing board...

BEST 16:

Boogiewalker
Win
Flomaster
Tony Tones
Melody?
Tsuto
Lil'B
Baby L (Lydia)
Nobu
Sasa
Jimini (Tiffany)
Cow-B
Junko
BoogTom aka Tom Campbellock
Tsuyoshi
Rebecca

EDIT--

@NRG: That's Jimini (Tiffany) vs. Win -- very argued battle for a lot of the audience. I personally felt like Tiffany should've advanced.

Well..here's my .02 cents..having watched the battle...while i think she was a bit better than WIN,i can see why the judges picked him....She didn't *LOCK* very much...meaning her technique of the actual LOCK...wasn't very good!Her overall dancing,& creativity was much better...but she wasn't as "Clean",as he was...basically the same reason i lost to Lockadelic years ago,as i was told by Sundance...I think she was better also,& would have gone her way...but having spoken,& danced with the elders...i understand the WHY,in their decision...peace

[scramblelock]

Straight up Lydia is my close friend. She learns from a lot of different lockers and to pull the "well shes a student of greg and caboose" card is really inappropriate because she has learned from and is also a student of many other dancers as well: fluky, richie rich, gemini, suga pop, OG skeet, peekaboo, sundance, and even Flo...I can go on.
She has worked really hard in the past few years to get where she is at and from what i saw of some of her battles she ripped it!

"There wasn't even really any point to having a competition at that point. In my eyes, all it did was do more to DISCOURAGE new talent rather than encourage it..."

I would have considered it an honour to have battled flo master and a REAL challenge. Even if I was a new dancer, to be able to battle him would definetely be intimidating but at the same time it would help step up one's game and allow one to learn a lot of new things. Taking the passive approach really wont help elevate the level of dancers.