Thankful

With the year nearing its end, I have been reflecting on all that has happened these past twelve months and all that I'm thankful for. As I think back, there is something in particular that stands out from everything else. I am thankful for my A1 family. A1 stands for "Above as One," and there is no name more fitting for us. 2009 has probably been one of the most roller coaster years of my life, with some crazy ups and downs, and A1 was there with me for it all. I am thankful for each member of the crew, and I consider each a brother.

Allan (Subzero) - Allan is like the A1 godfather. He's been in the bay area bboy scene longer than any of us and sometimes it seems there's no move he can't do and nothing he can't teach. He is one of my favorite bboys to session with because I always learn so much from him. He is a rare breed of bboy who can wholly unite power and style.


Asahi (Asaman) - Asahi has the unique ability to say a lot with few words. He doesn't talk much but when he does say something, I'm usually like, "Damn, I guess that says it all." When I first started rolling with A1, Asahi was the bboy I most wanted to impress. Unlike me, Asahi does not strive for "flow." Rather, it's the basis of all his bboying, his starting point.


George (Flashover) - George brings so much positive energy to the crew, I almost feel we could not survive without him. During late night practices when we're tired and want to go home, it's his crazy humor and antics that keep us in good spirits. What is particularly great about George, though, is his unwavering encouragement. With every small improvement I make, with every new thing I try, no matter how subtle, he is there with encouraging words, pushing me to keep going, to continue taking my bboying to the next level.


Justin (Surface) – We call Justin the bboy encyclopaedia. He has more knowledge of bboying and the bboy scene than anyone I know. With this wisdom comes a unique humbleness that is rare among bboys. It is this combination of traits that has allowed Justin to become the mediator of the group. He has a way of diffusing conflicts before they arise. He is someone who teaches by example, and I have learned a great deal from him.


Kevin (Jeopardy) – In a way, Kevin represents the whole reason A1 exists. He represents the future. Only 16 years old, he roles with a crew much older than he is and blends in seamlessly. His appreciation for hip hop and bboying, his love and respect for the culture is a constant reminder to me of why we do what we do. Both on and off the dance floor, I see in Kevin a maturity that I did not have until well out of high school. I'm happy to know the next generation will be in his hands.


Ray (Rayroc) – Ray is one of the rawest cats I know. He is a monster in battle, and I've seen him take out some top bboys with shear attitude. What's impressive is that the ferocity with which he dances is a genuine reflection of who he is off of the dance floor. I love being around Ray because the hunger he carries with him is infectious and when he's around we all end up pushing ourselves past what we thought were our limits.


Richard (Engine 9) – Richard is the best dancer I know. I say that without blinking, and I know A LOT of dancers. Name any style of dance and Richard can do it. Not only does he dance with amazing technicality, he dances with the sort of creativity that inspires me to continue expressing myself through bboying. He brings a dichotomy of explosiveness and zen like tranquillity. Perhaps in another life he was a shaolin monk. If ever there was someone meant to spread peace through dance and creativity, it's Richard.


Teck (Mad Tek) – If you don't understand what “Above as One” means, simply look to Teck. He continually pushes the crew to reach higher levels, and he does so selflessly. He is a leader when he needs to be a leader and a follower when he needs to be a follower. Everything he does is for the crew. He has an endless appetite for dancing (well... for food too), and sometimes the rest of the crew just can't keep up with him.


Waigi (Swahili) - I've seen this motherf- (watch yo' mouth) side flip over someone doing a head spin. I mean c'mon. Can you even comprehend that?!! In terms of raw potential, Waigi stands above us all. He is probably the most well rounded bboy of the bunch. Whether in battle or in the cypher, I've seen him kill it with every aspect of the dance - toprock, footwork, freezes, power, tricks, burns, you name it. What's more, he is driven by a never ending quest to create, to bring new life and ideas to bboying. Wiagi is the person I practice with the most, and he has probably contributed more to my overall progress as a bboy than anyone else.


Wesley (Wes) - The first time I saw Wesley pop and lock, I assumed he'd been doing it for 10+ years. Turns out he learned both popping and locking in a matter of only a few years and dances like a master. This cat has got SOUL. He's been learning bboying just as fast, and every time I see him, he surprises me with new moves. The most noticeable thing about Wesley, though, is his personality. He is a total jokester (which is probably why he's such a damn good locker). When he dances, his personality shines through. This is something I aspire for.


Together we are

ABOVE AS ONE

A smattering of updates

• New sponsor: A1 Crew is now sponsored by Ninja Neishon. You can check out their mission and their gear over at http://ninjaneishon.com/

• Pics: I finally posted some of the pics from the photoshoot A1 Crew did with Likuid Elements (photos by Alex Oppenheimer). Some pics we did with Ninja Neishon are also posted. You can check them out in my A1 album
  
  
  

• Facebook: People love to constantly remind me that I am basically the only person in my generation to go through college and not join facebook. I'm not really into social networking, let alone online social networking. So, I just never felt compelled to join. However, for the past few months, I've been secretly using Facebook. I joined because Facebook is one of the main ways my crew communicates with each other and with our sponsors/clients/fans. Finally, after much badgering, I've changed my settings so that I'm not invisible to the rest of the world. If you want to communicate with me via Facebook, just search for my email address or for "Bboy Shogun".
  

LIKUID ELEMENTS

A1 Crew is now sponsored by Likuid Elements, a clothing line started in the bay and spreading through Cali and NY. As a first promotional event, we did a fashion show at the Vivid night club in San Jose last Friday evening.



Check out their gear at likuidelements.com

The Importance of Rhythm

Bboys/bgirls often describe breaking as having four key ingredients: toprock, downrock (footwork), freezes, and power. Rhythm ties these four principle components together at a higher level, but rhythm is also necessary at a finer scale for each individual ingredient. I was reminded of this fact today, when I was working on power moves (one of my greatest weaknesses). I've noticed with power that sometimes you hit it "just right," and you are able to do many more consecutive iterations of the move than you have ever done before. The "power" in power moves does not come from brute strength but rather from rhythm. When you catch the right rhythm, no energy is wasted, and the move serves to perpetuate itself.

The importance of rhythm is pervasive throughout all aspects of life. In mathematics, there is a theorem that shows that any function can be broken down into a series of sines and cosines. Though mathematicians call these functions "sine" and "cosine", they might as well be called rhythm functions. A sine wave is nothing more than a simple beat, a repeating pattern, a rhythm. Quantum mechanics has shown that all particles travel as waves. Actually all matter in the universe can be describe by waves using the Schrodinger equations. Indeed, some physicists interpret the universe as being one giant system of waves... or rhythms.



I have found in my own life, I am most successful when I am able to get myself into a rhythm. A good rhythm allows me to continuously work towards my goals without tiring out. It is not necessary to always use the same rhythm. But those times when I'm completely out of rhythm, those are the times when I find myself fatigued.

Rhythm is also key to social interactions. Whether within families, communities, or whole societies, some amount of rhythm is needed to tie everyone together. When two people's rhythms are similar enough, they serve to amplify one another. Imagine a crowd of people, each yelling the same message. If they all yell in rhythm with one another, the message is heard loud and clear. However, if they all yell with different rhythms, we hear only a roar of chaos. When two people are out of rhythm with each other, they can create what a physicist might call "interference." At some points, the rhythms cancel one another, at other points they amplify each other. Entirely new (and perhaps unintended) rhythms are generated. Thus, even people wishing to spread the exact same message can detract from one another.

This is what I think about when I practice flares....

A1 CREW WINS BATTLE OF THE BAY

Damn. 2009 is the year of A1. We started the year by winning an exhibition battle against Hybrid Crew, and we've continued strong with numerous performances throughout the bay. Most recently, we performed for a fashion show in San Jose, a charity concert, and for the Hip Hop Chess tourney in SF (with an appearance from the RZA of Wu Tang Clan).

Hip Hop Chess Federation

Tonight, we made our debut appearance at Stanford, performing at the annual Battle of the Bay. The show included a spoken word competition, freestyle rap battles, and a dance competition. All performers had to pass through auditions, making for a high quality show. A1 took the crowd by storm, receiving the only standing ovation of the night and perfect 10s from the judges. People were literally jumping out of their seats during the show. I gotta say thanks to everyone who came out to support me and my crew. It was amazing to hear so much cheering. We literally couldn't hear the music, people were so hype.

I'm sorry I couldn't stay after the show to catch up with everyone. We had to jet after the dance competition to go rehearse for the show we're doing tomorrow at Foothill College. As we like to say on the crew, "Every day we're hustlin'" Thankfully, I think I'll have a little time off starting next week. Our next big performance won't be until the end of April, when we battle Airsteps Crew in Sacramento.

Thanks again, everyone, for all the love and support.

Peace.