2009 Proposal Longform Alumni

Hosts: Johns Hopkins Bboying, Subgroup of Entertainer’s Club, JHU Event Type: Breakdancing Jam and Hip-Hop Art Exhibit Date: Johns Hopkins Spring Fair Weekend: Saturday, April 24, 2010. Venue: Glass Pavilion, Johns Hopkins University Format: 1v1, $750 total prize money ($500 first, $200 second, $50 third) Entrance Fee: Free Audience: Breakdance/BBoying communities of Northeast, Johns Hopkins University Students Requested: $1200 from Alumni Association for helping secure independent contractors

Background Information What is a BBoy Jam/Battle? BBoy battles are more intense, extemporaneous, and spectacular than what is typically depicted in popular dance flicks. Battles are held at various venues, collegiate and local, every weekend at multiple locations down the east coast. Bboying has become a world culture that truly transcends cultural boundaries—this, along with online video media (YouTube) has produced international competitions and even bboy celebrities. This video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2mF6VG6KxQ, shows the components of a battle. The emcee or host of the jam calls out the names of the two crews (or persons) to battle next. The two crews position themselves on opposite ends of the dance floor or “circle”. Once the DJ starts to play music, each crew take turns showcasing their moves, that is, they are, in essence, battling. Each crew always tries to outdo the other, in terms of hitting beats, doing original and technical moves, and also personality. As the battle occurs, three judges take notes and give points to each crew for certain criteria that the judges decide upon before each jam. Once the battle is over, the judges announce the winner and the next battle commences. In this video, note the atmosphere that the battle is being held in. The dancers are all very intense and in a way, have an “in your face” attitude. One must remember that b-boys may look mean and violent in a battle, but it is just a face they put on during battles. Also note that the crowd also plays a role in the battle. The dancers feed off of the crowd’s energy; in essence, the crowd controls the intensity and fire of the battle. The Johns Hopkins BBoy Crew:

The Johns Hopkins Breakdancing Club was founded by Dallas Kingsbury ‘05 and Nelson Chuang ’05 in 2004. Over the past five years it has evolved from an informal club to a tight-knit crew. The crew practices six days per week, for 2-3 hours each day, training for battles and choreographing for shows. The crew has also taught both drop-in classes for the Ralph S. O’Connor Recreation Center and intersession classes. Since the Breakoff v.2 (May 2009), Johns Hopkins BBoying has become a subgroup of International Flow Syndicate (IFS), which includes bboys from the Baltimore community as well as the Regulators, an “all styles” (breakdancing, popping/locking, house, contemporary hip-hop) group comprised of members from MICA and Baltimore county. YouTube: www.youtube.com/johnshopkinsbboy MySpace: www.myspace.com/johnshopkinsbboy Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2218735520 Email: [email protected] Jam Website (temporary): www.ewb.jhu.edu/BreakoffChampionship

History of Our Yearly Jam The Breakoff! In spring 2008, club leader David Harris made it a team goal to throw a 1v1 breakdancing battle during the week of spring fair, in order to introduce Johns Hopkins Bboying to the regional scene and provide entertainment for the student public. In total we collected 1200 dollars from class councils, the residential advisory board, and Hopkins Office of Programming to buy linoleum, hire a DJ, and hire two affordable out-of state judges. Entrance was free, and we raised enough to offer a $150 prize. 20 major B-Boys from all over the northeast region came to participate in the event, and while the crowd was small at first, by the end of the battle the Mattin Center was full of people. The overall response from the jam was great. The Breakoff v.2 In 2008-2009, our jam budget increased to $3,000, which allowed for significant changes. This jam was focused more on improving the experience for the bboying community more than the student body. We used some of our money to bring Bboy JustDoIt, recognized in 2008 as one of the top 16 bboys in the world, from Holland to the USA to judge the competition and run a workshop. We increased the prize money to $500, moved the jam to May 1st, and shifted its location to the Mattin Center Second Decade Society room, which has a smooth masonry floor. Pros We improved the overall experience of the jam by introducing more charismatic emcees, holding a trick competition, exhibiting the judges with showcases, and bboy workshops. The bboy scene was particularly astonished that JHU could acquire a main judge of such high caliber. The trick competition in particular brought up the intensity of both the student and bboy crowds. A student photographer took very professional shots of the jam, which resonated with the bboying community when the pictures were put online after the battle. In addition, the battle ran on-time due to better management by the entire Johns Hopkins team; this is in stark contrast to most bboy events, which usually start late by two hours and drag on into the night due to bad management. Cons

1) The level of competition needs to increase. The Breakoff v.2 brought some of the best bboys from the Maryland-North Virginia area. There remains the untapped talent of New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia.

2) The venue is not as iconic or audience friendly as “The Breakoff”. While the SDS room had a much better surface for bboys to compete on, it does not produce the same crowd dynamic as the Mattin Center. Architecturally it is a very closed-off room that overheats.

3) The emcees/hosts must be better trained. The emcee is a very important part of the jam as he can directly control the level of intensity of the crowd. We are in search of emcee talent that will better connect with the student audience.

4) Advertising was far better, but what gets people to jams is word of mouth. We became more aggressive advertising this jam online, and used Spring Fair to advertise outside. However,

word of mouth via already established connections with high level competitors is more effective. Word of mouth at JHU could have been better.

5) The Judges could have been involved more. The public wanted to see the judges dance more. Aftermath As a well run jam, the Breakoff v.2 established a good relationship with MICA and surrounding bboy communities; JHU is now a central place for bboys in the Baltimore area to practice. What is needed now is an aura for the next Jam that will lock in a higher level of competition.

VISION FOR THE BREAKOFF 2010 The Breakoff 2010 will improve upon its predecessors in the following way:

1. Everything will be on a larger, professional scale: It will be one of the finest 1v1 bboying battles on the East Coast for spring 2010. The battle will remain with free entrance fee, the prize money will increase, and the scheduled date will be moved to spring fair weekend, when most students will be willing to come out to spectate. The venue will either be the Glass Pavilion (pictured below) or the Mattin Center Courtyard. We are planning on flying two internationally renowned bboys, one from Europe and another from Asia, to perform and judge. In addition to the competition itself, we will hold graffiti and hip-hop art showcases and dance showcases that highlight popping, locking, and contemporary hip hop. 2. Judges are going to become much more involved: Each judge will teach an hour-long professional workshop before the opening festivities. During the jam, judges will be involved in the trick competitions and bboy ciphers. At the end of the competition, the top 3 participants will face off against the international judges in a battle. 3. Students and Bboys will be tied together in non-competitive situations: One of the main side attractions for the event will be an art exhibit around the glass pavilion walls, exhibiting artwork from Mica students and the Baltimore community on themes relating to bboying and hip-hop/urban culture. Four artists from MICA have already signed on to start building up portfolios and advertising the opportunity for student painters and photographers. In addition, after the competition, food will be provided and a showing of the bboy documentary “Planet BBoy” will be a part of evening festivities.

4. Innovative solutions for video and sound will be implemented. We have already signed on a new, younger DJ for this event (DJ Fleg). With proper financial support, Fleg will incorporate “V-DJing,” which involves changing art visualizations on a background screen during the battles and ciphers. For filming and DVD production, we are planning to use the abilities of JHU Creative Services and More Than a Stance Video Services. 5. Possible Corporate Sponsorship of the Event and Vendors: We are currently looking for corporate sponsors to lend support with running the jam and lending more legitimacy as a top athletic dance competition. In addition, several booths for local arts and drinks vendors will be present.

Relevance to Different Groups The Breakoff 2010 is well aligned with the intentions of Johns Hopkins “Spring Fair”—we will provide an engaging experience for the Johns Hopkins student body that will get them out of the library as well as invigorate the other attractions at the fair. This jam will have a direct effect on the b-boy community in Baltimore, Beltway-area college bboy programs, and the East Coast scene.

1. Relevance to East Coast Bboy Community There is a fairly large difference in the professionalism of West Coast bboying battles and East Coast battles. While there is a lot of talent on the East Coast, there is a more disorganized network, with local events based in New York, Boston, and Washington D.C. There are few battles that clearly lay out a plan of events; as a result, participating bboys take events less seriously, arriving late or deciding last minute to abstain from coming. We will make it a priority to present this event as if it were a major national bboying competition. We are already in the process of securing talented bboys and auxiliary performers to come to the competition for purposes of highlighting them on our advertising websites and to drum up support. This will be a large networking event for bboys on the East Coast.

2. Relevance to Johns Hopkins University and Undergraduates from Surrounding Schools Running a good bboy battle is an art form in itself. This year, the Breakoff 2010 will place equal emphasis on the bboying experience and the audience experience. One of our main questions will be “How can we better involve the audience better?” Overall, we want the audience to do three major things. First and most obvious, we want them to be spectators. We want them to learn that true hip-hop dance does not belong on stage with a passive audience; that it is an intricate interaction between the DJ, the music, audience feedback, and the dancer; that the audience ultimately participates in the judging process. Secondly, we wish for students, both from MICA and JHU, to contribute to the hip-hop artwork exhibition around the glass pavilion.

3. Relevance to the Alumni Association We would like the jam to have two main sponsors: one corporate sponsor, and one JHU related sponsor. All forms of advertising of the jam will have only these two sponsors listed. This would include: 1. All Print Media: posters and handouts. 2. All Electronic Media: facebook, myspace, and youtube promotion.

3. Banners at the Jam 4. We are open to further negotiations on this topic depending upon what you would want (a booth at the event, for example).

People

LeadingMembers of JHU IFS Name

Benjamin Frison Rhul Marasigan Peter Wildfeurer

Event Plan: April 24th, 2010, 10:00AM – Midnight Flowof the Jamfor anexpected32participants 10:00AM - 12:00 PM 12:00PM - 2:00 PM

General JamSetup DJ Setup

Artwork Setup

Judges Workshop

2:20 PM - 4:20 PM 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM

8:00 PM to 8:45 PM 8:45 to 10:15 PM 10:15to 11:15PM 11:15to 1:45 PM

Cleaning, laying boundaries for cipheringand battle areas, static video camera setup, sound setup. Around the battlespace on the walls of the Glass Pavilion, we will showcase bboy related and urban art fromstudents at MICA. Art, Sculpture, and Grafitti prints will be available for sale via silent auction. Besides the students, Fell's Point art shop TAGwill have a booth. Judges hold an educational workshop which costs $10 for bboys; bboys learn how to train correctly and better their battle tactics. Bboys and Bgirls enter, register, warmup, meet the judges, and form cipher circles. Ciphering is integral to all bboy jams and is different in nature to the bracket-based tournament.

Ciphering and Open Registration The Breakoff 2010 Introduction by Emcees, Regulations Round of 32 / Exhibition for top 16 spots Prelims: 2 rounds for each competitor, per battle The Judges, which are internationally renowned bboys, will showcase their talents for 10 minutes through short and Break 1: JudgingShowcase Followedinnovative by Cipher sets. Cipher circles for an additional 10minutes Round of 16 Sweet Sixteen: 2 rounds per competitor, per battle East Coast Poppers (or Regulators Crew) put on a 10 minute Break 2: PoppingShowcase Followed show. by Cipher Ciphers commence afterwards. Round of 8 Elite Eight: 2 rounds per competitor, per battle Either a Crew vs Crew Battle for 10 minutes, or a premiere 1v1 Break 3: Exhibition Battle Followed by battle Cipher for 5rounds. Ciphers afterwards for 10 minutes Round of 4 Semifinals: 2Rounds per competitor, per battle Trick Battle: Individual skills will be tested. Examples: most Break 4: hops, most airflares, most halos. Round of 2 Finals: 3 Rounds for each competitor Uprock Battle: a style of bboy "fighting" (no contact) which can Break 5: involve groups of bboys at once. The Top 4 bboys take on the 3 judges in a 12 round battle which Judges vs. Champions will be a highlight of the night. Ciphering with Bongo Drums Part of the Footage on the DVD Movie Showing of "Planet Bboy" Or another related Hip-Hop Documentary Cleanup Celebratory Dinner with JHU Bboys and Judges

Jam Operating Budget The Budget for Breakoff 2010 DJ +Equipment: Judges (3 Total***see note below): Security:

Cost $500

Essential We need to cover not only the DJ, but the costs incurred with transporting his equipment.

$2,200

Essential with Variance Upper Limit: $3000 (Judge fromKorea); Lower Limit $500 (Regional Judges). BBoy Battles use a 3 judge system, but to be impartial as possible, we bring in judges from further away. Need more information Has not been necessary in the past. We will assume that the event will require security from 4pm-10pm. Non-Essential We want to expand our print media advertising to outside the Hopkins Campus to MICA and UM Essential with Variance Essential, preferably $500 or more. We have some money left over in the Entertainer's Club funding to cover most of the prize money. We do not expect to use grants to cover this, though sponsorship would help. Non-Essential For the showing of "Planet Bboy"

$200

Advertising through physical media (flyers, MICA): 

$50

Prize Money

$750

Food and Drink

$100

T-Shirts (To Sell) Housing Compensation for the Judges: Video Production and DVD Production Showcase Cost for The Regulators Popping Group and Bogo Drum Players Workshops by Judges Grand Total: Grand Total without Non-essential items: ***Judges Used for Example Calculation Bboy JustDoIt (Rugged Solutions Crew, Holland): Bboy Dizzy (Supernaturalz Crew, Canada): Bboy Palmer (Havikoro Crew, USA):

NOTES

Importance

$50 $60 $500 $200 $0 $4,610 $3,450 Quote $1,200 $500 $500

Non-Essential Michael Kotey (University of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins Bboy) will design shirts for the 2010 will Jam.house judges for 2-3 days, introduce judges to A Hopkins student Non-Essential Baltimore area (inner harbor, mt. vernon, etc) A professional video team to do basic lighting and video production would Non-Essential increase the quality of the jam. JHU Bboying has handled this in the past Non-Essential Essential Judges will be paid for workshops in cash by participants.

Administrative Project Monitor: Eric Beatty, Homewood Arts Director November 2009 To The Alumni Association, Please consider this a letter of strong support for the Alumni Association grant proposal from Johns Hopkins Bboying (a sub-group within the Entertainers Club) about producing a breakdance festival this coming spring. I can attest that Benjamin Frison (the current group leader) is very knowledgeable about the field. He is not only a talented break dancer, but he is also a dedicated leader. He has taken a leadership role this year, after the main founder of the group graduated last year. The Bboying group is now one of the most appreciated dance groups on campus. I am glad to see such a detailed proposal and that the group is working so closely with Spring Fair. They are also clearly looking to collaborate with local, national, and international dancers in the field. I think this type of event will draw a large and appreciative crowd of students and community members on Spring Fair weekend. An important element of breakdancing that impresses me is the collaborative nature of this dance style. Even though the dancers take turns showing off their moves, there is a very supportive atmosphere among them. This atmosphere also infuses the crowd, which always offers dynamic support to the dancers. If they need funds from Homewood Arts Programs to help with expenses for this event, I will most likely be able to provide up to $500. Sincerely, Eric Beatty Director, Homewood Arts Programs