1987 - Performed For REVLON production (with brother Mark, a
breaker).
1987 - Danced in three scenes in a musical production called Rappin'
Roots-that was telecast on ABC. Comedian Redd Foxx, and Rapper Kurtis
Blow starred in this production.
1986 - Kelo (another popper from Chicago) and I was in one of Chicago,
Illinois major dance competition, and we finished in second place against
poppers, breakers, Ballet, Jazz, and tap dancers. There were over 200
contestant, and top five groups was scheduled to perform on DanceFever
show (was a popular dance show in USA-that telecast on CBS.) Never
performed on the show due to a production cancellation.
1985 - Performed on local TV show (with group Chicago Cosmic Force).
1985 - Performed in Mexico, the events and tour was sponsored by Pepsi
Cola( with crew Chicago Cosmic Force).
I started doing the robot and lockin' in the mid '70s. I was very young
and use to watch Soul Train, a lot. Soul Train always showcased new dance
forms. Soul Train used to be a local program in Chicago before they
moved
to California.
Around this time there was a group on the west side of Chicago called the
Muppets, they were popular in Chicago. One of the members from the
Muppets was in a production called "Breakin' and Enterin'," a documentary
about the West Coast hip hop. He also competed on Star Search. I started
poppin' in 1979, but a lot of the older guys in Chicago were already into
this new dance form. It seemed like every summer this dance was getting
more and more popular. There were a lot of groups around in the early
'80s.
Funk was the type of music lockers and poppers danced to. Back then
it was Cameo ("Shake Your Pants" and "I just Wanna Be"), Parliament ("Stop
Light", "Knee Deep" and "One Nation Under a Groove"), One Way ("Pop What
Cha Got", and "Mr. Groove"), Zapp ("More Bounce to the Ounce"), and Kurtis
Blow ("The Breaks") who were popular- just to name a few.
In the fall of 1983, I joined a group called the Chicago Cosmic Force.
Our dance crew battled and performed throughout the Chicago area. Other
poppin or breakin crews in Chicago during the mid '80s were Tidal Wave,
Chicago Floormaster, DTR, Street Patrol, Freeze, Mechanical Mans, and
Venus Electronic, just to name a few.
When 1987 rolled in, poppin' and breakin' popularity was on the decline
in chicago. Kelo and I were the only two members from the Chicago Cosmic
Force still dancing. We both were outstanding poppers: I popped with power
and looked robotic with body effects; Kelo popped loose with waves, leg
moves, and he had a distinguished Glide.
Poppin' and breakin' are art forms. We should first study how ballet,
jazz, and tap dances dramatize their shows and then how they keep the
young kids loyal to those art forms. We have to network and form a unity-
nationally and internationally. We should study our audiences and learn
the business of entertainment, and how to market these unique art forms.
I think that one of the reason poppin' and breakin' popularity declined in
the late '80s is because of overexposure.