BadTasteCru

Battle Time Cru

2011-04-07T06:38:00.000-07:00

Summer is approaching. And summer for us means a few things, partying, chilling and most importantly BATTLING.

We have been a bit quiet on the old battle front recently, due to other commitments and spending alot of time working on our other projects.

But this summer we have entered a few big battles and a few smaller ones.
You can catch us at.

SURVIVAL OF THE SICKEST: 24th April, Edinburgh
TEAR IT UP INTL: 22nd May, Liverpool
GET DOWN: 17th, 18th June, Oslo, Norway
REGIONAL CONFLICT UK: July 9th London

And I hope a few others I hope if we have the time.

Watch out now

Aftermath Promo

2011-04-07T06:35:00.000-07:00

Heres a link to a piece which has generated ALOT of interest for BTC.
Choreographed by Rawb and BTC, this piece made it the semi finals of the prestigious PLACE PRIZE. Which is an achievement in many ways, but most notably as it was the first ever bboy piece to be commissioned by this contemporary dance body.
See promo below feat BTC's RAWB, TIME, JELLY and RUKUS

Aftermath Promo, Robert Graham (Bad Taste Cru), commissioned by the Place Prize 2010 from robert graham on Vimeo.

Without Walls Update..finally

2011-04-07T06:29:00.000-07:00

Bit slack on the old updates of this, I aimed to update every week but as you can see this did not happen. To be honest, I was too tired when I came home to do it and spent my time relaxing. As Biff Buchanan (him of Back to the Future) would say 'Slacker'

Anyway, we are finished our rehearsals now, and it was a fun, but very mentally and physically demanding 4 weeks. The show, without giving too much away has dramatically changed and now runs at almost 40mins. Feedback has suggested it does not feel like 40mins which is good.

We have ran it a few times now and we are pretty happy with the structure and storyline, there are a few changes and upgrades that need to be made and we are rehearsing these up until we do our first show in May in Norwich. Exciting times.

Furthermore we are working on some photography and promo shots with an amazing Newcastle Photographer called Dan Prince. Photo shoots for each character will be happening over the next month or so, keep an eye out for these.

Without Walls Rehearsals Day 1

2011-03-07T13:45:00.001-08:00

Ill try to update daily or most likely weekly, but here is a few snaps from today. Good start to the week, loads of ideas, fun and heres to the next 4 weeks.

UK UNIVERSITY BBOY CHAMPS 2011 FLYER

2011-03-01T08:18:00.000-08:00

Bboy Doke: Winner of DJ KOOL HERC Benefit Jam!!

2011-03-01T07:18:00.000-08:00

Creative Changemakers in Manchester threw a jam to raise money for the medical bills of our hiphop forefather DJ KOOL HERC. Herc has had some problems with his kidneys and has had to get some rather nasty kidney stones removed. So kind people all over the world have been staging fundraisers to help the man himself. If you want to donate please do so, follow this link. http://www.djkoolherc.com/

So onto the man they call Doke, many know him, many may not, but those who do, know our boy has got style, flava, originality and flow.

Along with myself we started BTC all those years ago and this is the first 1on1 Doke has ever won!
Coindicently the first jam Doke ever went to was in Belfast and he performed alongside DJ KOOL HERC and the OG Belfast City Breakers.

I know Doke been through some tough times with injuries, confidence and other stuff over the last few years and he has been back on track and training hard, not to win, just to rep and prove a point and rep himself and his crew.
So Mr O'Kane we salute you

Rehearsals: And so it begins

2011-02-23T03:51:00.000-08:00

Writing in retrospect here, but last week we started our first week of rehearsals for our new piece TRIBAL ASSEMBLY, which has been commissioned by the kind folks at the WITHOUT WALLS Festival http://www.withoutwalls.uk.com/.

Check their website for more info and dates.

Tribal Assembly will take our characters from the Council of the Ordinary into a new environment, I wont give you much more than that, as it would spoil it, but I can promise it will be just as dramatic, touching and dynamic as the previous piece.

During our week of rehearsals at Dance City www.dancecity.co.uk we had the pleasure of working with Tammie MClorg, a very inspiring woman who has been dancing for 40 odd years and has travelled the world using dance as a medium of community regeneration and empowerment. We heard some amazing stories and truly were blessed to work with such a lovely, creative and amazing woman.

Each day of rehearsal, well I say rehearsal it was actually more playtime and exploration of movement, which was so refreshing and liberating. We tried alot of different excercises laid on by Tammie, which honestly were tough, challenging and ultimatley very rewarding.

We did some contemporary warm ups, basic yoga and other movement based games which really opened up our range of movement, although we very much still want to keep the bboy style and vocab in there. Nothing worse than trying to be something you are not.

Throughout the week each of us got a chance to devise and perform a solo piece, a duet and obviously group work. Each time something different was created, something nice and of course some really funny and bad things were happening.

Shouts to bboy Justice (btc) for coming in and working with us on the body contact work!!

I really think that this experience for all of us, was positive, challenging and really went towards our thinking and attitudes towards the new show.

Thanks Tammie

BTC

uk uni bboy champs 2010 clip..

2011-02-10T03:42:00.000-08:00

Attention to Detail: BBoy battle this weekend in Newcastle

2011-02-10T03:35:00.000-08:00

Grant from HIPHOPFIEND has been a busy boy organising Newcastles first ever ATTENTION TO DETAIL Event. With support from ATD, EASTPAK and your very own BTC, the first time event promises to be dope.

Link here for more info

Credible hip-hop party atmosphere, playing both underground and mainstream music, if it's good we will play it!

DJ Sinical (DMC Finalist)
DJ Jed 104 (Snoop Dogg Support DJ)
DJ Ken Masters (Local Legend)

£7 Entry (Over 18's Only)

Girls in half price before 11pm

Graff Battle: Trackside vs. The Ghetto Method

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hiphopfiend.org%2F&h=b4e86

For more info email grant_brydon@hotmail.co.uk

Sponsored by HipHopFiend.net, SoulSearchers, NorthSkull, Trackside, Eastpak, Eastpak ATD, Bad Taste Cru, Danksquad.

B-Boy Jam 8-11pm (Reduced entry for entrants £5)

2011-01-31T02:14:00.000-08:00

Check BTC, on their friends site http://www.emmatooth.co.uk/news

Emmas work inspired us to make the Council of the Ordinary piece btw

Rawb and Emma at Customs House

BTC performing at Customs House

Paul interviews Paul

2011-01-29T04:20:00.000-08:00

Paul met another guy called Paul, who is also known as Paulskee (Rockforce Crew/Mighty4)

They spoke about bboying and other rap dancing things

Alas they did not speak about the name Paul and how cool they were to share this cool name

Read the interview over at Grants website hiphopfiend.net

http://hiphopfiend.org/2011/01/paulskee-mighty4rockforce-crew-interview/

UK UNIVERSITY BBOY CHAMPS 2011

2011-01-29T04:17:00.000-08:00

Rawb has been organising this jam for a few years now, and of course we all lend a hand, wether its judging, doing the door, putting people up in our houses or generally annoying him on the day.

Here is the info

UK University BBoy Champs

Saturday 12th March 2011

Registration 11am - 1230pm.

Doors Open 1230, Battles start at 1pm.

Venue: Domain, Northumbria University Union (same as last year)

Cru Battles (16 places)(Entry fee £5 per member)(minimum 4 max 8)

1 Edinbraapppp (Edinburgh)
2 LBS Cru (Loughborough)
3 Sub Cru
4 Steel City Rockers (Sheffield)
5 Recession Squad (Dublin)
6 Brumingham Cru (Guess)
7 Leeds A (names for crus?)
8 Leeds B
9 Art Of War (Warwick)
10 Flyin' Jalapenos
11 BreakNuts (Nottingham)
12 KCL Cru (London)
13 Freefly Cru (Blackpool)
14 Mighty ULU Kingz (London) haha
15 Newcastle
16 KSK Cru
17 Chilli Con Cru
18 So On It Cru
19 Reading
20 Imperial
21 The B Team
22 Coventry
23 Hard Floor Drillers
24 Manchester

Solo Battles (32 places)(entry fee £5)

1 Uti
2 Darko
3 Duracell
4 Orzelos
5 Khanage
6 Blueskis
7 Ed Lo
8 Chaz B
9 Backfail
10 Sidewinder
11 NRGee
12 Stix
13 The Phasion
14 Spam Assassin
15 CJ
16 Hero
17 Rohu
18 Edgy
19 LB
20 Birmingham tbc
21 Atomic
22 Objekt
23 Crazy Al
24 BBoy Daichi
25 Mowshun
26 Oracle
27 Legend
28 Beef
29 DMC
30 Chin
31 Shark
32 Roo
33 Marius (RBM Cru)
34 Ame
35 Yutaka
36 Manic
37 Gervase
38 Rusty
39 Justin
40 Jay P
41 Karl
42 Lee Roc
43 Phoxy
44 Enzo
45 Eroy
46 Happyface
47 Presto

......

Judges: BBoy Mouse, (Floor Gangz /Zulu Kings) BBoy P (Bad Taste Cru) and TBC

Hosts RawB and Ken Masters

DJ Timber as always on the one's and two's

Unichamps is a university societies event open to ppl at some level of education, part time or full time. Bring Student IDs as you will need them to register your cru.

Will post accomodation details and a map soon. Get registering

Guys also, with regards to £5 entry fee, we are a society with no budget for this event, and dont get paid, all the money made goes on overheads for the event or goes back into the society. Please note if u do crus and solos u dont have to pay twice.

http://www.ukbboy.info/forum/topic/14871-uk-university-bboy-champs-saturday-12th-march-2011/

BTC's DJ TIMBER 2011 new B-Boy Mix-CD Preview

2011-01-29T04:15:00.000-08:00

Clip of the big man himself getting down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2Gkqg6MDD8

Catch him at this years UK UNIVERSITY BBOY CHAMPS, NORTHUMBRIA UNI MARCH 12TH

BTC in New York 2010: Evolution World Finals

2011-01-12T07:47:00.000-08:00

After winning the UK EVOLUTION Finals against Trinity Warriors (in a dope battle)

we headed to NYC with the full crew for the WORLD EVOLUTION FINALS

We had one of the most amazing, memorable experience as a crew.

We battled the winners of the event Maxiumum Crew (Korea) in the first round and we were totally outclassed, massive respect to Max Crew for helping us step up our gears again.

We shopped, partied, battled, practiced all over NYC, and got to meet Grand Master Caz (cold crush bros) and JDL (Cold Crush Bros), Met DJ Tony Touch at the Celtics v Knicks game at Madison Square gardens and we went to the legendary 1520 SEDGEWICK AVE!!!

Truth be told we did a hell of alot more, but I dont have time to write it all up.
pics and clips speak for themselves.

Ill post these in a bit

BTC Offical Facebook

2011-01-12T07:32:00.000-08:00

Check out our official Bad Taste Cru Facebook Group.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_162051760507055

join up and spread the word

2011-01-12T07:28:00.000-08:00

http://www.withoutwalls.uk.com/artist_details.php?id=53

BAD TASTE CRU commissioned for UK Festival Tour by WITHOUT WALLS

Dates for our show are TBC, these all happen may-sept 2011

Greenwich International Festival
Lakes Alive, Cumbria
Norwich Festival
Brighton Festival
The Bristol Do
SIRF Stockton
XTRAX Manchester

Update soon, come along and catch the show.

BTC New website

2011-01-12T07:24:00.001-08:00

www.badtastecru.co.uk

Thanks to Tristan at Webfangled.net for making the site.

get booking

New Photos of Show in Sao Paulo

2010-06-10T03:58:00.000-07:00

Images courtesy of Camilla Cordoso and Ivason Miranda

Photos Update: Various

2010-06-01T06:31:00.000-07:00

Photos courtesy of Ratao Diniz http://www.flickr.com/photos/rataodiniz/
ratanarkos@gmail.com

Photos at Girls Prison

2010-06-01T06:26:00.001-07:00

Photos courtesy of Ratao Diniz http://www.flickr.com/photos/rataodiniz/
ratanarkos@gmail.com

More Photos workshops at Degase Juevenile Prison

2010-06-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

Photos courtesy of Ratao Diniz http://www.flickr.com/photos/rataodiniz/
ratanarkos@gmail.com

photos 2

2010-05-29T07:16:00.000-07:00

Photos

2010-05-29T07:06:00.001-07:00

Last Day

2010-05-29T06:22:00.000-07:00

One to many chop and green booze was had last nite me thinks.

This scribe here sits typing with a fuzz free head though, as he did not drink last nite, but enjoyed watching the nites events unfold before his very eyes.

Details need not be discussed on here, but lets say it was a good nite

The final show went down real well, was a weird crowd at the start, but BTC/AR won them over in the end, another standing ovation which is always nice.

Hugs, handshakes, jokes, compliments, stories, laughs, clothes, pics, emails, were exchanged, it was a great way to spend the nite. Drinking with our new found brazilian family.

One Love.

This project has enlightened, inspired, taught us, in far too many ways to explain or try to describe here.

But the one important thing I believe is that culture has the power to empower people, we share and learn and give and take, but the arts and culture is, and has to be the way we can move forward and make things better for the future.

Flight to London Town leaves at 2pm today, so back to the UK revitalised, humbled, positive, aware and happy.

AR will be in London so if you get a chance go see them, keep an eye on here for photos, videos etc.

peace.

THANKS to Rachel, Paul (Peoples Palace) Antidoto, Afro Reggae, Eva, Beto, everyone who made this project possible, all the artists, venues, people, kids, cooks, drivers, and anyone else we forgot to mention... Thanks again!!!

Thanks to, AntiDoto NGI, Gateshead Council, Arts Council, Peoples Palace and Find Your Talent for supporting and Funding this project :)

Rock, Shockin, Hip Hopping, Skate Boppin, Goat Helmets for everyone!?!?

2010-05-29T05:51:00.000-07:00

A great day.

We had the morning off and went shopping. P found out about this place called the Galeria de Rock in SP downtown.

This place was off the chain, it was 450 shops in a large mall of EVERYTHING someone into subcultures and their associated fashions/accessories would need.

Goes like this, bottom floor, ALL hip hop wear, dvds, records, hair dressers, custom clothes, trainers etc.

Second floor, Skate wear, trainers, tattooists, band merchandise

Third floor: ROCKtastic, death metal, black metal, speed metal, thrash, hair metal, uk metal, punk, oi, emo, etc etc.

Fourth Floor, as above with smatterings of skate shops, sex shops, fake teeshirts and trainers (some hilarious stuff in here)

Like these, who in their right mind would buy, let alone pretend that someone would have designed these monstrosities

Fifth Floor, various printing, screen prints, designs and embroiodery units, which I am sure have a 'business agreement' with some of the shops downstairs to knock up fake band teeshirts in bulk and sell them on in their shops. Each to their own, every one always needs the latest rip off Burzum, Gargoroth, Slaughtered Pig Ears, or what ever teeshirt.

We loved this place, but prices were a bit steep for kicks,new eras etc eg: Black fitted £60...WISE UP. We settled on the deep foam hats, which we bought in abundance, cool bboys now eh.

Imagine camden market, carnaby street, corn exchange in Leeds, if it were in one building and run by Method Man, Tony Hawk, and Bruce Dickenson (Iron Maiden)and you get the dealio.

'If sir desires this outfit, Galeria can provide very easy'

Besides the bootlegged dvds, knock off labels and other random weird stuff ( a black metal spiked gauntlet and matching pig head ear rings )this place rocked literally, the best bboy beats blasted from one shop (DJ Timber would have loved it), on another side of the place Emo's creeped about, lurking for something, and up stairs blast beats and the throat shredding vocals of some underground brazillian deathcore band ripped your face off.

We came, we saw, we purchased, we consumed and continued to be victims haha.

However Galeria de Rock, serves as a reminder as how all these subcultures albeit different, can co-exist and have cross overs but still continue to give kids, adults and older members of the world something to live for....... mongolian helemt and spiked gloves, I mean Music.

Viva le Music!!!!!

Showtime at the Sao Paulo

2010-05-28T18:43:00.001-07:00

Rehearsals during the day for our first performance at the ANTIDOTO Festival.

http://www.itaucultural.org.br/antidoto2010/index.cfm?lk=mostra_1

In a nutshell, this festival featured artists from all over the world, who have been affected by conflict in their lives.

The show went down a storm and we even got a standing ovation.

Was sick!!

Celebrations were had at a bar in city centre, more caiprihinas and cervaje were drunk, and heads were rough but happy this morning.

Concrete Jungle and the House of the Kids

2010-05-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

We flew to Sao Paulo, flying for only one hour to this huge city.

Nice change of scenary, but we missed the beach already.

Sao Paulo is a metropolis, a huge never ending beast of concrete jungle.

Apparently the population is between 19-20 Million, but they actually dont know!!!

The city is like a mix of LA, NYC and Mexico, its big, brash and covered, I mean covered in graffiti. From the USA influenced styles, to euro, to character and of course the brazillian Pixador.

We did our first workshop in a place called CASA DEZEZHINO. This place is unlike anything we have ever been in, a really pretty 'school/youth centre' in the favelas, which basically serves as an alternative education venue for kids in the area.

Started by an amazing and inspiring woman callled Auntie Dag, 17 years ago, after a 10 yr old girl told her she was thinking about becoming a prostitute.

It began in her house, with 12 kids, now it has 1000 pupils and the house has been renovated and added to over the years to become this cavern of spaces and rooms to do everything from dance, art, film, sports, maths, cooking, media etc.

They are saviours of lives in the casa and the smiles and talents of the kids prove it.

Originally it was a safe house for kids, who were distitute, in trouble with drug dealers, or abused by families or others.

We were shown a film which explained some of the problems these people face, it dealt with rape, torture, murder, abuse, drugs, no food, homelessness etc, it was shocking and very sad, but this place is a shining light amongst the darkness that creeps through the veins of this city.

This is why true care and love really matter in this world, places like this are needed everywhere and we should look to this woman and this centre for inspiration on how we can safeguard the future for those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

Workshops went down a storm and the kids loved it, but I dont think as much as we did.

Another high but in the backs of our mind sadness.

Burnt Necks and Football

2010-05-25T17:48:00.001-07:00

Weather is back, it was about 28/29 degrees today!

Now this is hot for us, tops were off, slightly less white skin was bared, locals kinda stared, but were they scared?!

Day off, BTC in full effect on the Ipanema Beach, famously sung about by some dude
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_from_Ipanema

A really lovely beach, the water was crawling with body boarders and surfers, which made swimming or frolicking slightly dangerous, but we went in anyway.

A few beers on the beach, a few more sunburnt bboys later, we headed to the local football match. Flamengo FC vs some other ball kickers. By all accounts it was ok, could have been better, but it was in the biggest stadium in the world, Maracana Stadium, but it was not filled that day, the rest of them must have been in the pub!?

Today was a good day!

2010-05-25T17:29:00.000-07:00

Up at Canta Garo, another lovely morning off, few hangovers, few sleepy heads and a few went to the beach, another day in Rio!?!?

After regrouping we went to Canta Gara, and ran over a few things with AR and then had a jam with the local bboys, few wee battles, nice circles and a a good vibe.

As Mr Ice Cube would say 'today was a good day'

Nite before was interesting, we went to LAPA, which is kinda like a large outdoor niteclub/slash bar. But dont think of anything commerical its raw, gritty and in your face, right in the middle of the streets. Hundreds of revellers make their way their over the weekend to let of some steam. You recognise it from the 'Beautiful ' video by Snooper Snoopy Dogg Dog and The Nerd
The steps are famous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFfb_CwBma0&feature=related

Note: Rio is NOT ALL like these rap hoppers portray in this video.

This is true hiphop.

2010-05-25T17:11:00.000-07:00

This morning we had a nice few hours off, some caught up on much needed sleep, others went to the beach. Caught up the strong waves of Copacabana, is a good way to start the morning.

Even after the hotels endless supply of suggy surprise and eggers.

The waves attacked Balen, P, Rokas and Doke with no mercy, kinda like Mr Lawerence in Karate Kid, sweeping the legs all over the shop.

Neptunes wake up is something to remember

Back at the hills of favela Canta Garo, we rehearsed and then jammed with the local bboys, some barefooted, some with trainers, everyone loving it.

Skills wise, the kids were promising, flexibility seems to be inherited (must be the sun) but all praise to their teacher bboy Luciano, who has done a great job of instilling the foundations of the dance. They are keen to learn and toprocks, and intricate footwork patterns interests them the most.

Up in the favelas.
We speak different languages, but speak the same through our dance
This is true hiphop.

Hillside Dance, Hillside Beats

2010-05-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

Back to Canto Garo today, the cultural centre on the steepest of steep hills.

A long hard slog of a day rehearsing with AR

Not much to report, as we spent the day going at it, the lads worked so hard today. Proud is not the word.

Show is coming together nicely.

Weather is a bit overcast, so the white skinned ones are not getting burnt.

It was Jellys 25th Birthday today, so after a wee sing song Rachel from Peoples Palace presented him with a offical Flamengo soccer jersey. This is the local team, who were actually playing tonite, where Jel and most of the lads went out for a few drinks to celebrate and watch the game. Judging by roars in the street, it was a good game. Thanks to Rachel for his present.

Tried to update photos but internet is a bit slow, and cant handle it, soon come.

Sleep.

Taste Guilt, Tasting Freedom

2010-05-20T18:31:00.000-07:00

Today we went to 2 Juevenile Correctional Facilties to do workshops
One for lads, one for girls, the centres were seperate as you can imagine, only 5 mins walk from eachother.

To be honest we were a bit nervous about this one, as you would except, but it was very humbling and interesting

The centres house young people who commit crimes from simple theft right through to gang affilatied crimes, drugs and other misdeamours.

The lads had to be seperated due to their gang or commands as they are known here, we performed and taught them in a large sportshall, it was a bit intimadating at the start as they eyeballed the 'gringo's' but once we did some moves, and showed respect to them we were welcomed to some degree.

About 10 lads out of the 50, took part in the workshop, some of them had brilliant flips and capoeria skills, Raw-b had a wee caporeia play with one of them, and this went down a storm.

Doing this type of work was very different and it made you realise the actual scale of the problems here, when you seen the various bullet marks, gang tattoos, scars on the kids 12yrs old to 20ish.

The centre does not like to be known as a prison, but it really was a prison, albeit a prison with dope graffiti murals, and decent sporting facilties, but their were still the bars and razor wire, uniforms but un armed guards.

Afro Reggae haved worked here for a while now, and the kids, showed us a drumming piece, which was fresh, a mix of afro reggae style, and baile funk.

We had dinner there, which was lovely and then left.

Felt weird leaving, when we could look up, at all the kids, peering out from behind bars, shouting 'amigo' and whatever else they were saying, when we could hop in a bus and return to our clean, clean lives.

The girls centre, was slightly different, if you didnt know any better, you could have mistaken it for a youth centre/ retreat but some of the girls were in for serious crime, majority of it drug related. They were a bit less receptive to the show and did not take part in the workshop. However when the Baile Funk provided by Afro Reggae came on, the girls got up and started going for it. Dancing verging on obscene happened before our eyes, haha, a mixture of dancehall moves, traditional brazilian and some street, these girls loved it and taught us the dances.

We left the centres with a strange taste of freedom/guilt/awe and headed back to our plush hotel, leaving them to their lives. Was a different day to say the least, a day we will never forget.

Canta Garo

2010-05-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

Location: Canta Garo (Cultural Centre in the middle of a steep steep steep favela)

Today we got a good sleep in, tho Rock and Nicola decided to go for a jog and a coconut milk breakfast, good on ye kids. We dreamt of jogging and the like, was great.

Word in the BTC camp is that various members have been sleeping conversing with eachother, and rumours of one BTC member taking it to another level by actually singing in a choir style. Some just curse and raise defiant fists in the air. Could this be the Afro Reggae symbology creeping in? but where does the choir singer come from? haha

The venue is great, a beautiful view over the whole of rio copacabana coast, and a lake to the east, various large scary birds, hover in the distance, condors? eagles, or Archaeopteryx, who knows, but they are mahoooosive.

The 2 brothers mountain range looks over everyone and seems to protect everything, hopefully including the children who greet us with us a dance, circus and gymnastic display Everyone here seems to love to perform and the talent is high.

After we warm up, clean the sweat pools and rehearse with AR. HARDCORE!

Food Oclock, food is so nice here, generous proportions, chicken, beans, salad and a lovely tropical fruit drink, soul food for the hard working dancers and drummers. After people look like they could curl up and sleep, but no rest for the wicked, back to the rehearsal and solider on.

Power

2010-05-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

Awake at 7am, or 8am for some.

To the beach, ghetto workout, then a swim.

8am, Balen and P, decide dance with death, as they decide to prank wake up Raw-B.

RED HULK ASLEEP
2 BOYS ATTACK
RED HULK CONFUSED??
RED HULK MAD!!
2 BOYS RUN FOR DEAR LIFE, LAUGHIN
RED HULK SMASH!!!!!!

Driving from Rio to Favela is fun, our driver seems to like playing with the traffic, I am sure its fine though, Nicola and others may need new underwear. haha
Seatbelt very super friend today

The roadsides are covered in graffiti, the pieces and throwups are fresh, real interesting styles and funky lettering.

Arrive at Vigaro Geral (spelling?) greeted by the sounds of Afro Lata, thundering beats and dancing.

All around us is beautiful ugly, beautiful decay, rebuilding and tapped power!

Afro Reggae seemed to have tapped into this power.

A powerful fist proudly punches the air of the complexo, standing for, pride, community, music and art. This is the diamond in the rough, Afro Reggaes new art centre.

Have a tour of the building which will be soon be open, then off to 'Lil Dummies' cafe.

A short happy local legend that is Lil Dummy serves us her finest local cuisine, black beans still reign supreme.

Straight from there into rehearsals, some of us have ate too much!

The sounds of the funky drummers get the feet moving.

Looking out over the favelas, inside looking out, always aware of whats outside looking in.

This is in the middle of

of this

Red and White, burnt alright

2010-05-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

Some rise at 7am
Some bet others wont rise at 7am
Some dont believe others rose at 7am
Most rise at 9am

Awake and happy we head to the beach, 27degrees at 10am!
Water is warm, the sand is hot, we get burnt, arms, heads, necks, feet and noses.

The locals stare and laugh at the red men, the red and white men from tyrone, the red villian of villinus and japanese irish girl who looks like she has lived in Brazil all her life, strange crew.

The waves are strong, and only 2 feet, but seem huge, our surfer friend Kellz, would be ashamed of us, freaking out in this huge swell, haha, BTC will never be a surf crew. :)

Rokas drinks from a coconut, Robby flips from any available ledge, Balen follows a weird woman with green hair, P gets burnt, Nicola gets brown, etc etc.

All of us go back into the water, happy babies in the sink!

Trundle off to Ipanenma beach, must remember to get Judith from FYT some sand.

Aim to watch the sunset on a hill, but get distracted by a capoeria circle, rasta snake man runs the circle, with kids running in and out, flipping and playing. vibe is amazing, friendly.

Climb a hill take in the 360 panorama of water and beauty, fresh!

Head back for food, All you can eat meat. Served by very keen waiters, who kinda bully you into eating all types of meat. Doesnt help that they serve it off massive spears, aw well, very nice tho. However dont ever eat chicken heart, is not nice.

Bellies full, we roll to the bar, chopp chopp and more chopp, we get a bit tipsy.

Dance our way home, hit a few sticker slaps, catch a few photos, sleep zzzzz

Day 1

2010-05-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

Day 1

12 Hours on a plane
Meet Afro Reggae at the airport, its hot, sticky with warm air. Its dark and its 5.30pm

Its one month before their winter and 23 degrees, we are all sweating haha

Shakes and hugs, old friends together apart in their land this time, singsongs in the van in a darkened air cooled van driving through Rio.

Arrive at hotel SESC, which is a cultural centre and theatre aswell, its only 5 mins walk from the famous copacanbana beach.!

The air is warm and the people are brown, we are white, really white.

Surreal and weird we walk this new place, no one can believe we are here, we are jet lagged, disorientated in a good way.

We walk the beautifully tiled pavements, people watching and observing the eaters, runners, hustlers, workers and tourists.

We meet Paul from Peoples Palace, have local food and a chopp (beer).

Rachel decides to take us weary travellers toa local bar, which seems to function as a meeting place for ladies of the night, gender bending dancing folk, men who watch your every move and drunk burly men from south africa and uk.

60% night ladies, 30% dunno, 10% lost tourists, in awe and shock at the scenes unfolding naturally before us. Feels weird, but strangley we are drawn to this seedy but somehow normal situation.

Few more chopps and head home, on the way back we discover the Rio 'Ghetto Work out benches' which are situated every mile along the strip, drunk pull ups are executed.

Sleep like babies.

BTC leave for Brazil today!

2010-05-14T05:24:00.000-07:00

In a few hours we will leave the Toon, for the over night stay in the mammoth Heathrow Airport.

I suspect very little sleep and alot of fun, plus practice, maybe a few beers too :)

Update soon.

BTC

2010-05-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.peoplespalace.org.uk/projects/badtastecru.html

Favela to the World
AfroReggae and Bad Taste Cru in the NorthEast!

Internationally-renowned AfroReggae returned to Dance City in Newcastle for two weeks of work with the Northeast based break dance group Bad Taste Cru in October 2009. People's Palace Projects and Dance City are proud to announce the creation of Together Apart, a brand new collaborative show that was premiered in Newcastle Gateshead's festival for young people, Juice.

AfroReggae and Bad Taste Cru worked together to deliver workshops to various local groups including The Sage Gateshead's Apprentices, The Lawnmowers Theatre Company and Northumbria University students. These sessions culminated in a sharing performance and plans for future work together.

Alongside their workshop programme the two groups also developed a brand new, hugely exciting and vibrant show that explored the similarities of two very different worlds: Together Apart. They performed to enthusiastic audiences on the 23rd and 24th October 09.

BTC go to Brazil

2010-05-05T07:52:00.001-07:00

Next week we are going to Brazil to work with Afro Reggae in Rio and Sao Paulo.

2 weeks working with young people in the favelas and doing performances.

Keep an eye on this blog for pics, updates, and footage of this incredible project.

thanks to Peoples Palace Project, Dance City, Arts Council, Find Your Talent, NGI, and anyone else who has helped get this project together.

BTC