Hip-hop dance culture is breaking out in Las Vegas

By April Corbin

Thursday, July 29, 2010 | noon

Las Vegas has almost nothing to do with the origination of hip-hop or B-boying. Of course, that isn’t stopping the city from embracing the culture — and maybe even having a say in its future.

This summer has brought an influx of hip-hop culture and the styles of dances associated with it. In May, "America’s Best Dance Crew" Season 1 champions JabbaWockeeZ debuted their 90-minute Vegas production, "MÜS.I.C." (read “muse I see”), at the Hollywood Theatre inside MGM Grand. The 20-performance run led to additional dates and rumors (and urgings) that the masked men would set up shop permanently on the Strip.

This week, the 9th annual Hip Hop International invades Red Rock Casino (and the Orleans on Sunday night) with more than 1,500 dancers hailing from more than 30 countries. On August 6 and 7, eight of the world’s most respected B-boy crews will battle in the inaugural Ultimate B-Boy Championship in the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

For fans and participants of street dance, the string of events is a welcome addition to Vegas’ eclectic entertainment offerings. It’s also a bit surreal — the city has never been known as having a happening dance community.

“When I first came to Vegas [from LA, around three years ago], not much was going on in the scene,” concedes Kay More, director of Studio One, “but now there are some big things happening.”

More credits Natasha Jean-Bart as being a part of that transformation. The Hip Hop International head judge relocated to Vegas five years ago to perform as Lady Madonna in "Love", at the Mirage. She was one of few street dancers on the Strip.

“There was nothing here when I first got here,” Jean-Bart says. “Now, we have HHI ... and we have UBC.”

Ultimate B-Boy Championship is the brainchild of Mr. Freeze, a breaker who began performing in the ’70s and once performed in the Vegas production "Splash". His goal is to implant B-boying into the minds of mainstream audiences — the same way Ultimate Fighting Championship, skateboarding, snowboarding and other extreme sports have.

“There’s no reason why people should want to see guys beat each other up,” says Freeze. “Why wouldn’t people enjoy two incredibly talented B-boys battling it out?”

UBC is being funded through a private sponsor who was so enamored by Korean crew Gamblerz he decided to host his own tournament. The prize money — $50,000 to the championship team and $10,000 to the winning individual — is unusually high.

“This is, by far, the biggest thing in term of caliber. Other competitions will have to step it up, get bigger prize money,” says Abenamar “Ben” Honrubia.

Honrubia was one member of "ABDC" Season 2 champions Super Cr3w. He also performs with Vegas’ Knucklehead Zoo, which is one of the eight groups invited to compete in UBC. The Vegas native remembers his early days of B-boying in Jaycee Park, and says just five years ago he couldn’t have dreamed of such a tournament being held in his hometown.

“We usually have to go overseas [for competitions]. There’s Battle of the Year in Germany and R16 that happens in Korea. ... This is why UBC is really cool. It’s happening right here.”

Jean-Bart agrees. “You have to remember hip-hop originated here in the states, but all the big competitions are elsewhere.”

Freeze and the media-shy financial backer hope to make UBC a yearly event in Vegas, with preliminary rounds held around the world. It’s a big dream, whose reality may rest on the success and turnout of this inaugural event.

While Freeze and other UBC organizers say their concern is focused solely on hosting an entertaining event for the Grand Garden Arena audience, members of the B-boy community are aware of the possible weight resting on the event’s shoulders.

“I definitely feel like this has to succeed. There is a bit of concern that if this doesn’t go well, it could be the last event of its kind here,” says Honrubia, before adding that these worries echo ones heard during the opening of "MÜS.I.C.", which sold out many of its performances. JabbaWockeeZ will be special guests at UBC.

Vivek “V” Narang is also hoping UBC succeeds. “This is great for the Vegas scene. It’s a big step. It’ll give us recognition. We’ll be able to boast.”

Narang has been hosting B-boy jams locally since around 2006. They began as unnamed meet-ups behind venues like the now-defunct Ice House. Eventually, it was christened Vegas Shakedown. Now they are held every few months and have offered up to $3,500 in prize money to winners. That amount means out-of-town crews are more likely to attend.

In celebration of UBC, Narang is hosting Vegas Shakedown for Food on August 5. The event will collect canned goods for Three Square and house an unofficial pre-party to the real competition. It’s an all-ages event — most of Narang’s are. The 39-year-old jokes that the average friend on Vegas Shakedown’s MySpace page is a Filipino boy in eighth grade.

“When you walk in, you see a lot of younger people,” Narang says. “It’s become a family event for some people.”

More and Jean-Bart, who teaches privately, both say they’ve seen the increased interest in dance in young people in the last few years. Shows like "ABDC" and "So You Think You Can Dance", combined with the local accessibly of events like Vegas Shakedown and HHI, have inspired kids to seek out training.

Last year, More and Studio One created one crew, in the junior division. This year, they came with two crews, in junior and varsity divisions. According to More, people are already starting to ask whether there’ll be an adult division next year. “Interest just keeps growing,” she says.

Part of that interest is a direct result of one notable member, Bailey “Bailrok” Munoz. The 10-year-old B-boy, part of Studio One’s Prodigy junior crew, is a contestant on the current season of "America’s Got Talent". He’s also one of the youngest members of notable group Rock Steady Crew, and has traveled to France to compete in a B-boy competition.

“People don’t realize the kind of talent that comes out of Vegas,” says Jean-Bart.

Munoz isn’t the only Vegas local to have broken onto a national scene. One of the JabbaWockeeZ members, Chris Gatdula, is a Vegas native. Additionally, the city’s many production shows have attracted some hip-hop dancers — and will continue to, Jean-Bart says.

In April, Cirque announced plans to create a Michael Jackson-themed show, which will tour next fall and settle in Vegas in 2012. Though details have yet to be revealed, his influence on the dance world will likely be reflected. Meanwhile, Hip Hop International is locked in contract with Red Rock Casino for another two years.

“Vegas is quickly becoming the place to be,” says More. “The scene is definitely going to continue to grow.”

— Originally published in Las Vegas Weekly