Friday, July 14, 2006

First off, I would really like to say my piece on crews. Whenever I see a crew in Singapore, I have taken an interest in deciding how long that crew would last. Somehow or rather, my judgment has been uncannily right on. The first ever crew that I passed my judgment on was FUYO, one of the first crew and bboys that I have met. I knew I was given this chance to join this crew with some of the most passionate bboys, but I second guessed that this very group of bboys would best remain friends and not crew mates. I guess I was right. Right now, I don think anyone would deny the fact that fuyo is nothing more than a name that this group of friends of mine use to join competitions and do performances. Even when things were done together outside dancing, I would only see the friendship holding them together and not the crew bindings. And so, my darling, Jocelyn finally made up her mind to leave this shell of a name behind when realizing that crew or not crew, nothing much of anything of any kind would happen anyway. The deciding factor that finally broke her hold was the MOS event. Although it was quite a small event, it probably did sum up everything. First I heard Alex asking me if I wanted to join with them for the MOS event, I of course didn’t mind, after all Larry had already said that this competition is all in the name sake of fun. I told them that if they had enough pp for the event, i wouldn’t mind not joining, which turns out to be the way. And Alex submitted the names to Felix for the competition already. Then Larry told me, I would really like to see you and joc join the comp in the name of fun. I then said, its funny how since you all say you are joining in the name of fun, you all never ever include her in battles of any kind. Joining eventually is one thing, just asking is another. To submit names for a battle without even asking her if she was interested and saying that the competition is just for fun is nothing but disappointment. The other day, I asked her if anyone asked her why she wanted to go and if she would reconsidered her decision, she said only Weeter tried to talk her around. Then she asked me, if I thought that if Kok was the one asking to leave the crew, would it be the same as it was her? I could only shrug my head and let the heavy reality hang in the air. Then yesterday, she heard from Steph that fuyo and floor techniques went out to celebrate Jonathan’s birthday. And she said that so I leave the crew already, they never call me ar. I just wanted to say that it really wouldn’t matter whether you are still in the crew or not actually, I pretty much doubt that they would call you anyway, and I know that she would agree with me. End up, my dad was right on with one of his phrases yet again. Boy ar, things have then have, don wish for things that you don have, just be glad for things you have. I love my daddy.

And yes it’s true; I hold a love hate relationship with my dad. I love him for all his teachings and hate him for being right all the time. I have been working with him for the past three months, I can really pretty much say that although it is really tiring working for my dad, I learnt a lot from him about everything under the sun. But more importantly, he has set me thinking about my future. I really want to pursue my passion for dancing, but I’m taking honors in mechanical engineering which sets me in a dilemma on whether to break or follow this conformity. So I ask him if it was alright to not do what I’m studying for in the future. He told me that it’s like he is now teaching me to fish so that I can fish in the future. But I told him that while I’m learning to fish, he is fishing sharks and whales to feed me. And I said that I’m afraid that I would never be able to fish a shark or whale to feed him in the future. He said that to fish a shark, it may take ten fishing lines, but with ten fishing lines, you may not fish something exotic like a shark, but maybe you can fish ten small fishes, its definitely not what you fish, but how you fish. As long as you are willing to fish, there will be fishes to fish. Right on again.

And yeah, back to the crew’s issue, the other crew that I did pass judgment on was enemy ground, though not many pp remember that I was once part of this crew. The reason why I joined them in the first place was the same as why I once dreamt of joining RF last time; it was because of mahmud, one of the most important inspiration in my bboying career. I did think that this was one crew that was going to last in Singapore cause I think see the determination that mahmud had in wanting to have crew and pass on what he knows to the next generation. But all in all, of what I really remember of enemy ground is that they blanked me out in the photo in their friendster profile. Oh well. At least the shirt they wore was designed by me though. Inertia was another crew; I really thought they would last for I see the same determination they had when they were just starting out. Then I heard the normal squabbles that all crews have and the next thing I hear is that they join RF as their juniors. Although a part of me is jealous for they are more fortunate compared to when I started out breaking, another part of me was disappointed for them wasting all that their built on their own and no doubt that now whenever anyone think that inertia is successful, they would sure link the success to RF. So in a way, I’m still correct that they would last, just wrong that they would make it on their own.

Having said all this, I still kind of doubt myself when I say I know how I want a crew to be like. There is really no way of telling till I join a crew and feels part of it. Still, I would really be slapping myself in the mouth if I say that I would not join Massive Monkees or Rock Steady if they give me a chance one day. I would really chuck all that crew bindings shit out the nearest windows just to break with those pioneers. But till then, I think I still rather prefer breaking alone at home, it’s really my type of quality time, just the music and me.

About events that took place lately, the only few that I attended were the jam that Farhan held at esplanade. It was really nice to have a studio that size and having all the nice sound systems and mirrors. And I had a one on one with Jarel which I felt was really enriching and I really like that feeling was stepping into the circle and facing an opponent. At the moment, I didn’t really think of the people around me and I could really feel the music and trying to think of ways to counter Jarel’s footwork and top rock. I don really care who took it actually, but that session really gave me more ideas and love for bboying. The other event that I went to was the BOTY Singapore. While there are many other ways that the event could have improved, it’s rather good for the first BOTY that has taken place in Singapore. The only disappointment was that Poe one couldn’t make it for the event and I was hoping to learn more from one of the masters themselves. But I heard from Felix that he will be going to RSC anniversary in NY next year for a couple of weeks and wouldn’t mind us going along. That would really be an eye opener, and I am praying hard that it will really take place and know the feeling of stepping into a cipher and learning things the real way, so I guess I have to really start saving money and stepping up my game and hopefully winning a few battles before going to NY.

Lastly, I’m really rather saddened by all the biting that I see already. Every time I see a set of routines taken of some bboys that I respect, I try telling myself that biting is the best of flattery, but I still do feel the disappointment and a bit of despair, for if one were to take credit for others creations, where will the motivation for creation ever exist. I don know, I really don mind giving up sometimes, till I tell myself I break for no one, but the love for bboying. But it’s not that easy is it. And I feel funny that when break dancing was in vogue, everybody was following trends, power or footwork, mentality being, why bother having footwork when I can smoke u with power moves. I admit being guilty of following trends and having that mindset till Singapore realized that bboying was the right way to go. Still, there are trends that I see. Take the converse shoe for example. Especially that high cut one. That very type that old school bboys like to wear. Yah, that one that Felix and Farhan wore long time ago. Now whenever I go to esplanade, I see almost the whole collection of high cut converse shoes available in the market. I also have to admit that I almost wanted to buy one myself till I went to esplanade that other day. Perhaps that shoe is really good for breaking, no doubt, but like what dear say, the shoe has been there for ages already, why are they flying off the shelves and dancing on all the feet of the bboys now?

Ah, I figured it must be it. The only sweet tooth that Singaporeans have. THE GREAT SINGAPORE SALE. If not, what else? I guess for me, I will stick to my gravis for some time to come. But I should go get a new pair I guess. GSS what. If not now then when.

*shrugs*
gilbert at 9:40 AM [comment]

{I hear voices, voices only half as humane as mine..}