Dance crew champs Poreotics show wares in Manila gigs
America's Best Dance Crew (ABDC) Season 5 champion Poreotics gives you more reason to watch "Justin Bieber My World Tour" Manila concert on Tuesday, May 10.
Poreotics, the concert's front act, kicked-off its "Poreotics Mall Hop" in SM Megamall on Friday, May 6, to meet and greet their Filipino fans and showcase their signature dance moves.
Poreotics was hailed as champions in the fifth season of ABDC and was recently hailed as the Best Team of the Year at the World of Dance Awards in January 2011. The crew formed in California in 2007 consists of three Filipinos namely Lawrence Devera, Justin Valles and Chad Mayate and three Vietnamese, Matt Nguyen, Can Nguyen and Charles Nguyen. Poreotics may sound like a scientific name, but the name actually stands for popping, choreography and robotics—the group's signature dance style.
In a press conference before the Megamall show on Friday, the group members talked about their experiences in ABDC and their future plans. Besting other dance crews in ABDC, Poreotics had since embarked on dance tours and collaborations with other artists such as Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars, with whom they performed in the music video of "Lazy Song" as the singer's back-up dancers wearing monkey masks.
Stand-out group
On ABDC, Poreotics was clearly the stand-out group with their unique dance style—popping and robotic dance movements with an infusion of humor and some acting.
But above all, one key element became the group's driving force to winning the competition. "I think it's our character. We're just being ourselves and not trying to be somebody else, showing our work of art," Charles said.
The guys displayed their humor and wit as they answered the press' questions. It has been the Poreotics' trademark to wear dark shades during their performances to display their own fashion style and character. And when asked if it distracts them from dancing, "We actually put glue on our heads whenever we perform. It's a special glue for Poreotics" Can said, which made everyone laugh.
Since their triumph on ABDC, Poreotics has been appearing on several US shows, joining other dance competitions and holding dance workshops. It also held their first ever official tour in Australia last year called the "Tic Tic Tour." Apart from "Lazy Song," the group also appeared in Justin Bieber's music video, "Somebody to Love."
What's next for the Poreotics? "Continue doing what we're doing right now. Travelling and going around performing, doing our own style of dance." The group also has a junior version called the Miniotics.
Asian crews go mainstream
The emergence of Poreotics, Jabawockeez and Quest Crew shows that more Asian crews are making it in the mainstream hip-hop dance scene.
"I just think hip-hop is for everybody, it's for all people," Chad said.
Charles added, "Hip-hop has no color."
They also gave words of encouragement to their fans aspiring to follow their footsteps, or in their case, dance steps.
"Do what you want and continue to work on it," Lawrence said.
Justin, on the other hand, said Filipinos have what it takes to become world-class dancers. "A lot of Filipinos are really good in dancing. A lot of us are already out there. We kinda hope to put it up in the mainstream and put the Philippines on the map," Justin said. Chad, whose family is from Bicol, visited their hometown and conducted a dance workshop at the Ateneo de Naga.
In their mall show, Poreotics performed remixes of hits, such as "Firework," "Love Story" and "Day and Night," and interacted with fans.
