been a while….

man oh man…its been a while since i wrote anything on this blog…i nearly forgot that i had one after using facebook so much….LOL…

OMG so much has happened since my last blog update…..its already feb 2010…so much has happened in 2009..but my main excitement still revolves around my trips to taiwan n hong kong….i went to taiwan twice..once for the max party in kaouhsiung in august 09 and and one this year couple weeks ago onli….i was in hong kong in nov for the funkology jam…all the events i went to were dance jams with battles and stuff.i went there to try out the popping and locking categories but did not make it thru the preliminaries….but it did not make me feel sad one bit…instead im so happy to be able to expose myself to such high standards of dance and gain experience which is priceless..i also attended workshops by very professional and well knowned dance teachers such as Kosby (USA) ,acky (FAB 5 boog, OGS) and fish BOy from japan..my intention of going to such jams were never to win in the first place….and my intention for dancing is not to win anyone or try to be the best….i love to continue growing in my passions and gain new insights so that i can be a better teacher n mentor to those whom i am teaching n sheperding..and i improved a great deal ever sinced i went there…alot of blanks in my technical vocab and execution were filled up….and i enjoy danicng so much more now…

apart from being able to learn from teachers in taiwan n hong kong..i had the previledge of learning from dancers whom we invited to our shores….we had prosenjit kundu (aka TONY) who was here to teach old school hip hop and also house…im so thankful to tony cos if he did not come i would still be in the dark on house dance..now i am more confident with house…again NOT to show that i am dope or any shit like dat but so dat i can express myself when there is a house groove played…we also had my big bro n mentor Ricardo from finland who was here in dec last year to teach locking n popping…..ricky has aLWIS been like this pillar of strength for me….the inspiration about life u get from him is indescribable beyond words….i love u bro…i pray for gods blessings to be on u alwis…

i am happy as i feel my journey as a dancer has just started ….many negativity has been removed by God my father and i am so proud of my new family of dancers and teachers..jerry, sidney, doris, amanda, silvya, lydia, aaron, esther, xin ee,melissa, the lovett twins, yoke junn, pei hua, jooneng aka usher, voon, vyon, vince (both kepong n BIOnic funk), max, hann, jeffrey (korean pimp), lukey, ken ming (club banger), justin, nicholas(mental dental), han jon, rudy citra (the awesomest popper ever), machi, seng han, ed, and so many more i could remember now..lol…i love u all..

Bboy Gonza And Urban Groove

A month after katsu was here for BOTY and Bboy nite pg, we had the honour of having Gonza from thailand to grace our events as a judge and also to conduct bboy workshops. We has workshops in three locations, Penang, ipoh and also  Kl, with bboy jams only held in pg and ipoh. It was again another awesome experience with gonza as not only was he a fun and enjoyable person to be around..his dopeness as a dancer preceeds him. Gonzas workshops were very imformative, with techniques covering footwork, toprocking and alot on how to bring yourself during a battle. He shared alot also on dos and donts during cyphers from his experience from jams worldwide. Looking at the way he dances, i strongy feel that Gonza is a level above many bboys in south east asia. Apart from his good groove and musicality, he puts in alot of heart and feel into his moves regardless of whether it is a battle or circle. Top that off with his awesome power, he is one bboy that will be going places.

I am happy he enjoyed his stay here in Msia, because he said it was his best trip here ever. And he was totally addicted to our famous Klang bah kut teh!..hehehe..

A week in Penang with bboy katsu

The Oyishi face

It was such a short but great time in penang last month when Katsu (all area crew/mighty zulu kings) was in town to judge BOTY and also the monthly bboy nite in new world park penang. I was so honoured to be able to judge alongside a lengend and also with my own hommie and local legend himself, bboy zack.

I picked up katsu from the airport on tuesday and drove him all the way to Pg…katsu was so excited about going to pg as he heard so much cool things bout pg from his team mate takeshi who was studying in pg a couple of months before. And he was not disappointed one bit as pg did given him so much awesmome experiences and memories. Well eventhough he did not get to savour the full tastebud experience due to his inability to consume spicy food, the Pg food tour we gave him  was good enough for him to keep asking for a second serving.

Katsu was so dope because he had such a passion to share. Well, there is no doubt that his dancing is dope, but what was doper is that he wanted to share so much about his knowledge and experience to the younger cats here in pg. Its like ive seen many dope bboys, poppers and lockers but what makes super dope ppl like katsu and also ricky is dat they just wanna pour out their knowledge to u. We had such a great time sitting at gurney drive listening to all of katsu’s stories of battles and also on japanese culture. you rock man..

this comin bboy nite we will be able to experience one of thailands best..bboy gonza..cant wait..haha

Our succesful student dance concert

I feel so happy that we finally finished the mini student/teacher dance concert in the summit, USJ last sun, 14 of june 2009. IT was the awesomest of all and everyone had so much fun performing on stage and goofing around backstage..

Firstly i wanna thank the parents who came to support their kids dance during the show..they were so sporting during the whole event and made it more alive. Secondly, to all our students who tok the time to rehearse and participate that day, you guys are the dopest of all…you guys did great during every show..i am so honoured to have you guys as part of the new UG family. Lastly, my teachers, my team, my new family…eventhough we are a smaller team but we pack a bigger punch..thank you for growing with me and walking with me and most importantly, supporting our cause and focusing on the direction urban groove has always been annointed to go.

despite not having a super massive turn out but what i hoped to achieve was there..the positive VIBE..i am not out to prove that UG is the best or doper than everyone else because to each his own..but i sure wanna prove that UG is around for the RIGHT purposes..To me, i am so over wanting the fame or glamour in winning contest..but what thrills me more is when i can encourage and inspire people to discover their real potential..many of our students have not been on stage before..and whether they are fat, thin, ugly or geeky, as long as they got the passion and heart, they are dope and deserved to be given a chance to shine.

peace

Videos to prove it all..

I am just so tired of others saying they know all styles and can do this and that..i am not only gonna talk the talk but WALK the talk..ill just put videos of what the instructors of urban groove and me myself can do….i wont make claims to things i cant do like what all other studios are doin…you can check them out at www.myspace.com/joel_tan

i honestly feel deep in my heart that my journey as a dancer has only begun and there is so much more for my myself to still learn..i hope you enjoy the videos..and whether i am wack or good, you decide yourselves..i wont make any self praise at all cause self praise is no praise at all..peace..

Team Vibe, our family from the phillipines

Me & Melvin

I wanna take this oppurtunity to thank our brothers and sisters in christ from the phillipines, team VIBE for all your support and prayers when urban Groove was going through its rebirth phase. Team vibe, under the leadership of my brother Melvin, won 1st runer up for the World street dance championship, which was held in Holand last year. Similar to urban groove, vibe are strong and passionate about glorifying God through dance and they are the also defenders of true funk styles in the Phllipines. We were also both taught by Ricky carranza, AKA tricky rick on the true essence of Locking.

Vibe was with us  here in Malaysia to do nationwide tour in JB, Seremban, Ipoh, Kl and Penang to do a street dance workshop tour. The response was very good at all regions as there were alot of fresh new styles taught in the classes. The workshop tour in KL ended with a party on the last day with performances, battles and even a special guest appearance by WAN smooth from styles from beyond, Singapore. At the end of the party, everyone had such a great time they were asking when the next party would be…

Through out their two week stay here, we grew very close with Vibe and they grew very close with zack’s cooking..hehehehe…the dude is Not BAD!!..cant wait to have you guys back here….god bless u all…

Jealousy

Wow….to me, jealousy is one of the most ugliest things about a human being…and when i say so i admit that I myself can be very jealous as well..

I know sometimes its tough that when you excell at what you do, people will find ways to bad mouth you behind your back and do whatever it takes to dicredit you….i have been a victim of that many many times…. but i keep telling myself day and night that as long as your conscience is clear, do not let any of those remarks get to you…..at the end of the day, you life is accountable to God….if you have not done according to his will, you will get what you deserve that is why i constantly seek God for his wisdom and spirit to guide me to do what is right in his eyes..and to have a spirit of obedience.. and his spirit will give you the peace of mind that is from heaven….Whatever people want to say will not be imporant..all we need to do is focus on our own priorities..our work…our studies..our career..our dreams…and if we stay connected to God, we are definitely on the right track..i hope this has encouraged you today…peace

Trust…

Many people face the dillemma of trusting others…basically i feel that trust is the basis of all human interactions and relations, be it a couple, friends, business associates or even family members…I remember a friend of mine sharing how he was betrayed by his own brother  whom he trusted and loved so much in their family business…having gone through the same problem myself , i could identify with him and how he felt…but despite all the types of conflict which arises in human relations as a result of breach of trust, it is still important to trust others….the only questions is WHO you trust…and how do we do that?….by having Faith in God and his son Christ jesus that he will give us the wisdom to know who to trust..and believe me he will send the right people your way..There will definitely be moments where you go through broken relationships, betrayals and stuff but it is just to teach you wisdom, so that you can be a better person..and my experience has definitely taught me alot on that…one things i can be super certain is that we all can trust God, cause he will never let you down….He has never let me down, each week, i encounter a new miracle that happens either to me or one of my teachers or students…it just goes to show how real God is…God bless and peace

Coping and preventing injuries

It has become a very common thing for extreme athletes such as bboys to get injured. But injuries can also be prevented if there is a safe approach to training and execution. Over my years of dancing, one of the most scariest injuries happened in a club during my younger years. I tried to do a backflip of the stage  but slipped and landed on my back with my neck being over stretched. I Thank GOd that i survived that fall and did not die. I suffered a prolapsed disc in my neck vertebrae  and was advised to stay out of extreme dance period. But nothing was gonna stop me from dancing. Basically God healed me..the disc just shrunk back to its original position after a month of rest..a neurosurgeon from HUKM verified that. Cutting short the story, my de life grew and grew and i could do the head spin!!…despite all that miracles..i deeply regreted trying to show off in that club…That is why one of the most underated ways to prevent injury in bboying is if we dun try to show off..hehehe…i had to learn it the hardway.

I believe that in bboying, alot of moves are actually controlled..and the dancer needs to strengthen his/her body through conventional strength training methods such as weight in order to prevent injury. Many time we get injured due to body fatigue..this is when the body is tired and we push it past its limits…as a result..Snap!! something tore…it is important to pace ourselves when we train or dance..and the amount of basic strength and flexibility conditioning must be adequate in order to prevent a muscle tear, tendon overuse, meniscus tear of normal sprain..with the advances in sports science, there are many medical therapies for such injuries but prevention is still better than cure..so remember to stretch well, warm up properly and follow your own pace to improve..cheers!

Career in street dance

Many people that i have come across both friends or students will usually ask me one common question that is how do you start a career in dance, and specifically street dance..it is for that reason that i have chosen to share some of my thoughts on this matter. The very first thing you need to have is the passion FOR THE dance and NOT just passion TO dance. I believe there is distinctive difference between the two. I am saying this because most people just love hip hop because its the latest trend. As for me i love hip hop and street styles because it connects with me as a person and i can identify with the issues it reflects. When i started doing hip hop it was like 15 years back and it had not been popular at all in Msia yet. It was only when Urban groove formed the street dance culture in Msia started. To really dance hip hop well, you gotta really connect with hip hop music and also hip hop culture.Then only will the dance make more sense and you can progress far by creating your own signature style. In a nutshell, one of the foundations for hip hop dance is embracing the artistic and creative side of the hip hop culture from the context of music and dance and NOT the gangsta related image we see on music videos as potrayed by most rappers.

The second thing you need is alot of HARDWORK. In actual fact, this is what you need to do if you want a career in anything at all. Hardwork covers everything from training hard, learning hard, playing hard and trying hard. You never see results if you never try your best in anything. Every successful individual i meet have told me that their success was never by chance but by hardwork in achieving the goals you want to achieve.

The last thing you need is to be HUMBLE. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance and i myself have been a victim of that circumstance many times. I believe that humility is through ACTION and not through speech. I have met many people to are down to earth in personality but their action show the opposite. Its just fake and will not get you far.

Juggle the three in a fine mixture and you will be on the right track to achieving your goals in dance. God will definitely bless you and your career.

peace

It takes more than talent, It needs more than passion..

Ricky, good friend and student of Shabbadoo and Greg Campbellock

giving us an intensive training on the true locking style

I feel strongly compelled to share about something important for all dancers to think about..i was previledged to meet and learn from Ricky carranze, AKA Tricky Rick from Finland, who is a close friend and student of Greg Campbellock junior and Shabadoo from the Original Lockers. Ricky shared with me that in order to grow as a dancer it takes more than mere talent and passion. It requires Loyalty to your craft, focus, effort and most importantly, Trust in God. Loyalty to your craft starts with passion but at a whole new level. Many pioneering crews like the rocksteady crew and the electric boogaloos all were loyal to their craft and the style they represented. Despite changing trends, they stood steadfast to their dance and made alot of effort to bring it to another level. They stood loyal to their dance, which was a representation of themselves and not just something they did. Betraying their dance would meant a betrayal of themselves. As a result, they brought the dance and the game on a whole new level and will forever be in my books, the founders of their dance styles despite existing contreversy. Focus is another thing, that many dancers neglect. Talent gives you a good start in your journey as a dancer but focus and consistency will get you far. We have to be focused on objectives, focused on realistic matters, focus on training consistenly, focused on character development, focused on GOD!!!..Everything ultimately leads to that focusing and trusting in God, as he is the one who created us to be creative and he is the one who gave us the talent and placed in us the passion to dance. And as we focus on him and walk with him, the groove will definitely be with us..i hope this has encouraged you as well..peace

Street dancing at 30..

Phew!..this year ill be 30…man oh man..how time flies by.. seemed like yesterday i won my first dance contest in my early twenties..the memories still are as clear as crystal water…i have been dancing for over ten years, from the early high school years it was all about impressing girls..all the performances in parties and school nights made u the talk of your local community then…the following years after college was the best…the prom nights, clubs and competitions really got into me then…after graduating i decided to bring my passion into another level, that is to try to make it a career..this was a whole new ball game..business and interest are a whole separate thing..blending them symbiotically was no easy task…but it was God who has been blessing me with the wisdom to do…looking back at my life and career as a dance teacher, it was no plain sailing process..i had to go through lots of difficulties in many areas…the one thing that really really got me through is trusting in GOD….as stated in the book proverbs, trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all things put him first and he will guide your path..all these years i have been holdin on to that encouraging verse and it gave me strength to go through all the hardships during those years..sitting here today i feel complete..i feel happy…and most importantly i feel at peace..because life is about obeying God and doing what is right in his eyes..God has greatly blessed me this year..with a renewed wisdom and heart….at 30, i feel that my dance life has just begun….i feel the same enthusiasm to dance like when i was only 18, but this time with a deeper passion and to really encourage and reach out to people. And at 30 i just want to dance to express and not to impress……i hope that you will feel encouraged by what ive writen, as i feel deep in my heart that there is a dancer in everyone just waiting to be let out….no matter what problems you go through in your dance life and journey, remember that if you learn to put ur faith and trust in christ jesus, he will NEVER let you down,…GOD bless..peace

THE STAR WEEKEND INTERVIEW

http://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2005/7/2/lifefocus/11154360&sec=lifefocus

THE STAR WEEKEND INTERVIEW

Breakdance School

Once banned in schools during the 80s, breakdancing is back – this time as an extreme sport where only the fitness will prevail.

At Urban Groove, you can learn how to breakdance and get a certificate for it. Joel Tan, the principal, set up the hip-hop academy last September and now has 250 students at branches in Bandar Sunway and Seremban.

The 26-year-old biochemistry graduate claims to be the first hip-hop teacher in Malaysia to be certified by the United Kingdom Alliance of Professional Teachers of Dancing and Kindred Arts (UKA).

Joel has been breakdancing since he was a teenager, and he has the physique to show for it. What else can u expect from a guy who does handstands and one-hand balancing tricks fro a living?

“I only started teaching breakdance two years ago. Before that, I taught friends informally. My career path was not that clear then,” laughs the former model.

Nevertheless, Joel, who got this accreditation from the UKA last September, regards himself as a strict teacher. He insists that his students go through the proper training before attempting moves like the Headspin.

Joel, who is the Extreme Fitness Champion of 2002, also advocates clean living and physical fitness.

“We consider ourselves professional athletes. I may be a dancer but I do not believe in going to clubs because that’s a waste of time and money. We want to be a positive example. We want to impress on people that breakdancing is a healthy activity.

“In breakdance, the poses and spins require fitness and strength,” says Joel, who insists his students do weight training to improve their upper body strength. There is a mini gym in his studio for that purpose.

Joel reveals that he had to come up with a proper syllabus to cover every aspect of the hip-hop dance style.

“People feel that hip-hop cannot be structured. But I saw the need for a system of teaching,” explains Joel.

In his classes, he demonstrates dance routines and different technical styles.

“Students have to go through three levels – bronze, silver and gold. They have to sit for examinations before advancing to the next level.”

Beginners have to concentrate on basic body movement, rhythm and foot moves before advancing to the highly technical styles. Though the beginner will find his first session at the Urban Groove studio a sweaty and exhausting affair, there is no mistaking the high energy level here.

With graffiti-covered walls and hip-hop music blasting from the speakers, the dance floor is filled with action as students show off moves like the Turtle, Six Step and The Freeze.

“We have about 250 students and the place is full every night. Classes start from RM70 for four lessons and we encourage students to come in everyday to perfect their moves,” says Joel.

Student Raymond, 20, who is now chief instructor at the academy’s Seremban branch, recalls the time when he could not even do a simple handstand.

THE STAR WEEKEND INTERVIEW

“When I first started two years ago, it was very hard, Joel would push me to perfect the moves until I got them right. I stuck to it because I loved the challenge. Going to the studio was also a good way to meet other people who shared the same interest,” says Raymond.

Raymond feels he has become physically tougher after taking up breakdancing and trains up to five hours a day to maintain his form.

It has also made him more conscious of his food intake. He takes carbohydrates before a dance session and limits himself to only fruit juice afterwards. He also cautions first-timers who think they can learn by just watching videos.

“It’s dangerous because there is no qualified instructor to watch over you. You can get injured this way,” says Raymond.

Tan, 23, another student, who has also become chief instructor for the Bandar Sunway branch says that in breakdancing, there is no gain without pain.

“I not had any broken bones but I have sprained my foot and my hand. It’s not easy especially when you are advancing from one level to the next,” he says.

It is no surprise that there are more boys than girls at the breakdance school.

“There ARE gilrs but the ratio of male students is higher. The boys take up the dance for many reasons. Some want to show off their new moves when they go clubbing and some just want to impress their girlfriends.”

Breakdance, which originated in New York in the 70s, is not a new fad. It was the rage in Malaysia in the late 80s when hip-hop movies like Beat Street and Wild Style came to the local cinemas.

Teenagers embraced this new and exciting dance the same way their parents took to the a-go-go and cha-cha. However, the extreme physical requirements did not find favour with the elders. Breakdancing was banned in school and the whole movement had to go “underground”. The popularity of the dance resurfaced five years ago, helped by MTV and hip-hop artistes like Usher, Missy Elliot and Too Phat.

Hip-hop is a cultural movement that began among urban African-American youth in New York. It includes graffiti art, deejaying, MC-ing(short for ‘moving the crowd’, a job for the master of ceremonies) and breakdancing.

“Contrary to what people think, the term ‘breakdancing’ does not have anything to do with breaking bones. It refers to the beats of hip-hop music which is known as ‘break beat’.

“To be a good breakdancer, you not only have to be able to do the movements but move to the rhythm of the music as well.”

Well, moving to the rhythm was what drove Joel to set up Urban Groove.

“I love the elements of hip-hop. And breakdancing is certainly a more exciting way to keep fit than just pumping iron. I view it as an art. I feel a sense of responsibility to expand the dance and instill the positive values associated with it,” Joel says.

He admits that his career path was a cause of some concern to his parents.

“They were worried because they felt that breakdance was dangerous. They didn’t say ‘no’ but they reminded me that a career in dance or sport was not something I could continue doing once I was old.”

“They also doubted whether I could earn money from this. But they also had confidence that I could do it if I set my mind to it.”

Today, Joel has six breakdance instructors and also provides hip-hop instructors to 10 dance schools in Kuala Lumpur.

Those who wants to persue hip-hop dance seriously can sit for exams and obtain accreditation from the UKA. In addition, Joel also organizes breakdance competitions and graffiti contest every six months.

“When an aerobic dance school asked us to teach in Seremban, we didn’t expect that the response would be so good. So I decided to set up a branch there,” says Joel.

“I don’t see myself as the next Clark Hatch of breakdance! It’s not about doing business. I’ve had a lot of offers to open branches. But I need to find people with the right attitude who will preserve the art, I believe that if we have integrity, business will grow.”

Joel also stresses that as a breakdance instructor, one must want the student to learn. He wants every instructor to have that attitude.

“That’s why I am very particular about who I choose (to be an instructor).”

As to whether Urban Groove will be in for the long run, only time will tell, says Joel

The best advice he received came from his church pastor:” Whatever you do, make sure you do it with integrity and for the right purpose – regardless of what other people think.” That’s certainly what he has done.

Terms

Six-step: crouch and swing one leg around in a circle. Only one hand touches the ground at any time. As his leg swings, the breakdancer switches hands while keeping his body from touching the ground.

Freeze: the breakdancer stops and freezes his body(for a few seconds) in an awkward position – doing a handstand with his legs crossed in front, for example.

Turtle: the breakdancer lies down facing the floor with only his palms touching the ground. He then moves around in a circle using only his hands, shifting the weight of his body from one arm to the other as the turns.

Call 012-3896588 to find out how you can

learn the moves, or pop into Urban Groove

Dance Network, 45-3, Jalan PJS11/28B, Bandar

Sunway, Petaling Jaya. It is open from 3pm-midnight.

XIN SHENG HUO BAO INTERVIEW

新生活报 22.12.2004

虽然年纪轻轻，“舞功” 却一流，不但获得国际认同成为亚洲第一，

而今更拥有超过400名学生，率领他们一步步建立大马嘻哈王国。

亚洲嘻哈舞王

领400人创帝国

陈国梁(Joel Tan) 今年只有二十五岁，但若封他为大马嘻哈(Hip Hop，或称为街舞文化) 之父，却是不容置疑的。因为嘻哈与他，就犹如生命与灵魂，融合一体，不能分离。

至少年时期，他从电视中认识嘻哈后，从此欲罢不能，简直对这种从美国流传进来的文化，疯狂迷恋到了顶点。且，拼命从网络、相关的书籍和录影带等，自己观摩和摸索街舞的神髓、表情和风格。

此外，为了改变人们把嘻哈跟流氓联想一块的负面观念，为了得到别人的肯定，他四处以个人或团体名义参赛。并曾在多次街舞大赛中，赢得无数奖项，其中就包括2002年大马霹雳舞(其中一种嘻哈) 冠军。

最为耀眼的还是，Joel是我国唯一拥有传授街舞执照的教练，且，是全亚洲第一位考取荣誉国际， United Kingdom Alliance (UKA) 专业文凭的人。

家人反对行动证明

如今，他是雪隆一带十二间舞蹈学院、超过四百位学生的街舞教练。

同时，也在今年八月和十二月，分别在双威和芙蓉，独立创办舞蹈学院和研究出一套受英国承认的街舞课程，一步步地，誓要建立大马嘻哈王国！
前无古人，凭着他的努力和成就，大马嘻哈之父这个名堂，相信是当之无愧的！
而其实这一切荣誉，可都是在一片不被人看好的情况下，凭坚持和毅力，成功闯出来的一片蓝天。

“很多人，包括我的家人、朋友和前女友，都说跳街舞没有出息，是低级的玩意。那是因为他们不了解嘻哈，现在的我就是最好的例子，证明它是健康的活动，而且，热衷嘻哈也一样能有出头天。”
大家一定想像嘻哈人类的打扮都是古灵精怪，可是，眼前的Joel, 并没有穿大耳洞或纹身等“野” 装扮。相反，他的体格健硕，形象非常健康。

“起初，我只当嘻哈是一种兴趣，直到约两年前，巧遇两位分别来自土耳其和美国的专业嘻哈舞蹈员，我才恍然大悟。”
他认真的说：“他们启发了我很多东西，嘻哈不是一种来去匆匆的潮流，而是一种生活方式，唤醒了我应该用心去将街舞发扬光大！”

自此，他放下原有半工半教舞的生活，背负使命地，全心全意投入嘻哈事业。

想到国外开拓视野

谈及今年九月考取荣誉国际的UKA专业文凭时，他笑道：“来自英国的专家，看过我的学生表演后，非常惊讶的问‘他们都是你的学生吗？’ ，还不断称赞说，比英国教练出色得多。”
当时，还有其他来自新加坡、菲律宾等各地好手，可是，只有Joel脱颖而出，成为亚洲首位拥有此文凭的人。

无论如何，他表示这只是一个开始，距离嘻哈王国还遥远。

“我希望能到国外，和当地志同道合朋友互相交流，更加开拓自己对嘻哈的眼界。”

之最档案：

参赛者：陈国梁

之最事件：大马唯一拥有传授街舞执照的教练，

也是全亚洲第一位考取荣誉国际

UKA专业文凭的人。

SIN CHIEW JIT POH INTERVIEW

Hip Hop Dance 即兴起舞热而爽

相信你一定在电影中看过一群在街上随着强劲音乐起舞的年轻人，那么你会想到什么呢？ 街舞，英文称为Hip Hop Dance，是一种起源于七十年代美国纽约的即兴舞蹈；她以其热情奔放、不拘一格的舞蹈风格深受年轻人的喜爱。现今，远渡重洋来到马来西亚的她，长成了什么模样？

相信各位对Hip Hop这个名词不会陌生吧，而Hip Hop又是什么呢？照字面来看Hip是臀部，Hop是跳跃的意思；印象中它是一种热闹的街头舞。

实际上，Hip Hop是一种生活文化的统称；它包含了霹雳舞蹈(Break Dance) 、唱片骑师 (DJ) 、说唱(MC) 及街头涂鸦(Graffiti Writing) ，还有很酷的黑人头、装扮等。如果我们以舞蹈的观点来看，Hip Hop是目前流行的街头舞；它可分为旧派和新派两大类。

拥有十多年街舞经验的陈国梁表示：「我第一次接触 Hip Hop Dance是在十四岁那年，当时对Hip Hop的概念并不清楚，只知道是一种黑人跳的舞蹈。开始学跳Hip Hop时觉得它很『酷』，后来才慢慢爱上它。

Hip Hop拥有很深的黑人生活文化精神，当中结合了黑人的语言、音乐、舞蹈、生活方式……等。而Hip Hop中的四大元素：舞蹈、唱片骑师、说唱及街头涂鸦都是各自发展的，并没有利益上的冲突。

其实街舞没有一定的局限，也没有设定一个最高的层次；她能与其它舞蹈相融合，如参杂机械操或是中国功夫时，将呈现出不一样的效果。此外，在马来西亚并没有区分爵士芭蕾及拉丁，而是一致将之成为Hip Hop。」

拟定完整教学课程

国梁表示，在马来西亚能够真正教导全套Hip Hop Dance的教练并不多；就是他自己也是从MTV偷师入门

「我们已开始计划拟定一套完整的教学课程，并安排专业的考试。其实在学习的过程中，舞步不是最难学的，通常学员会遇到困难是因为无法表现出黑人的风格，或是不能领悟出音乐的感情所在。」

所以想学好Hip Hop Dance的朋友，除了要紧记舞步外，还要酝酿出适合的情绪。

浑身是劲 无分年龄男女

Hip Hop Dance是「穷人的娱乐」，青少年对它的热情引发了从文化艺术到商业广告对街舞的大量运用。

我们看到在许多知名艺人，如周杰伦、陈小春、温岚的音乐录音带中，街舞少年的英姿频频出现；耐基、诺基亚等品牌的商业广告，就选择了街舞造型来轰炸年轻的视觉感官。因而许多年轻的朋友、热爱加劲舞蹈的朋友，在这片热闹中开始学习这种备受注目的舞蹈。

但是，这种浑身是劲的舞蹈，是否适合大家呢？国梁认为只要你有兴趣，准备为平淡的生活找一点乐趣，你都能走进 Hip Hop Dance的世界里。「这种舞蹈虽然源自于年轻的朋友，但我的学生中也不乏一些热爱劲舞的妈妈级或是可爱的小朋友。其实，只要你能从中获得快乐、放松及享受酷的感觉，你都能学，所以我的学生年龄介于九至四十岁之间。」这可是一个相当的层面噢，所以想学就行动吧！

舞蹈动作 随性热情奔放

Hip Hop文化起源于七十年代美国纽约的贫民区、哈林区，也就是美国一些黑人和南美洲人所住的布鲁克林区。当时，该处的住户多为低下层阶级；他们物质生活匮乏，每天无所事事，所以大都在街上打混，有的人打篮球、有的人就会在街上放着音乐尽情的「独唱」、有的人藉由喷昼、涂鸦、即兴演唱来发泄情绪，玩着玩着就玩出了 Hip Hop。所以说它是融合了黑人生活文化的精神；结合了黑人的语言、音色、舞蹈、生活方式……等，构成了 Hip Hop的全貌。

在强调「做自己，享受生命，勇于挑战」为中心思想的Hip Hop文化中，包含着许多不同的表达方式及活动，如众所周知的滑板、雪板、冲浪、特技直排轮、特技脚踏车等极限运动；以及表现在精神层面的音乐、MC、DJ、街舞、喷画、纹身……等，都属于Hip Hop文化的范畴。

如果我们以舞蹈的观点来看，Hip Hop Dance有著一种即兴的舞蹈动作，它以其热情奔放、不拘一格的舞蹈风格，深得年轻朋友的喜爱。

作为一种流行的街舞，Hip Hop Dance又可分为新派及旧派两大类。新派是我们一般所看到，身体扭曲变形、各种街舞大串连的风格。原地性的舞蹈加上身体奇怪的扭曲，与锁舞(Locking) 、机械舞(Popping) 、电流(Wave) 这些元素加在一起，我们不难想像它正是一种黑人的随性作风。

而旧派则延续了MC Hammer及巴布朗时期所流行的街舞；大动作和脚步的变化，都保有其劲爆的特性，其不同点只是在动作的变化上增加了许多新花样。

三点注意 避免弄伤自己

虽然Hip Hop Dance 适合各年龄层的人学习，但所有运动都有其需注意的地方；身为健身运动的一种，当然也不例外。

(一) 教练要了解学员的健康状况。那些曾经脱臼、患有哮喘毛病和体重不足或超重的人士不太适合练习街舞；但那些有武术底子的学生，则能达到事半功倍的效果。

(二) 学员要注意个人态度。学员在练习是要认真，不要嘻哈度日；要听从教练的指示，不要擅自做一些可能导致运动伤害的危险动作。

(三) 服装越简单越好。学员练习时的服装没有特别的要求，只需穿上平时的运动装；但运动鞋是较为重要的，因为一双好的运动鞋能保护脚部免受伤害。此外，女生不能穿短裙或太暴露的服装；同时也不鼓励穿戴颈饰、耳环等饰物，以免在练习时弄伤自己。

GUANG MING DAILY INTERVIEW

亚洲首个注册专业教练

25岁小子变街舞天王

(芙蓉讯) 一名年仅25岁的年轻人，在自修情况下学得于上一世纪末风靡全球的街舞Hip Hop(也称嘻哈) ，以及考取 United Kingdom Alliance(UKA) 的专业文凭后，拥有大马发出的首张传授街舞的执照的他，也于今年9月创办舞蹈学院教授街舞，以替我国培养街舞高手。

目前是大马唯一拥有传授街舞执照的陈国梁，不但是首位在亚洲注册的专业街舞教练，同时，他也曾于2002年获得大马霹雳舞(其中一种Hip Hop) 冠军。

他接受〈光明日报〉专访时披露，他14岁便迷上嘻哈，20岁时已到达欲罢不能的地步。

他早年是先通过录影带及互联网观摩及摸索街舞的神髓，然后再与美国及土耳其的专业霹雳舞蹈员交流舞艺。

当他取得UKA的专业文凭后，于今年9月在八打灵再也双威创办以教授街舞为主的 Urban Groove Dance Network 舞蹈学院，并担任总教练一职。

多虎头蛇尾

个子魁梧的他说，学院开办前，他就已在教授街舞，所以他也自创了一套分为3个阶段的训练课程，这3个阶段分别称为Bronze(铜) 、Silver(银) 及Gold(金) ，完成3个阶段估计需时约1年半，但实际情况却是视个人能力而定。

他披露，在他所设立的舞蹈学院学舞的学生，在每个阶段都必需进行一项由UKA准备的技巧测试与口试，学院将安排UKA监考老师前来监考，通过考试者将可获得UKA的文凭。他说，立志成为街舞教练者,可到Urban Groove Dance Network接受为期3个月的理论课程及1年的实习训练。

他披露，身为一个街舞教练，除了需掌握街舞的要领外，同时也需精通霹雳舞(Break Dance) 。

他笑言，许多年轻人会学习街舞，只是为了跟随潮流，所以初学者的人数通常很多，但能坚持学到高阶段的人，却是只有少数。

“学街舞要有很好的体力、技巧及毅力，很多人学到更高的阶层时，都会因为受不了艰辛的训练课程，而打退堂鼓，能一路学到最高阶层的人，通常是体操师、芭蕾舞师、武术师及Capoiera巴西民俗舞蹈师等。”

大马文化国情不同 街舞无法在街头舞

陈国梁说，由于我国的社会文化和先进的西方国家大不相同，所以，以户外作为主要活动及表演场地的街舞“入口” 我国后，也得入境随俗的移作室内活动，因此，我国大部份的街舞爱好者都是在舞台或室内场地表演街舞的。

我国民风较保守

他指出，虽然我国政府未明文禁止民众在街上表演街舞，但因我国民风较保守，故若表演者的行径影响公共秩序，或妨碍及干扰到其他人的话，那么，政府或会因为接到投报，而采取行动对付在街上表演的民众。

此外，他披露，世界各地都有街舞文化在流传，当街舞被引进不同的国家后，习舞者将会自行在街舞里加入当地的文化元素，所以每个国家的街舞节奏和动作都有点不一样。

他说，我国一些街舞爱好者更把街舞当作一种强身健体的运动。

嘻哈是街舞总称 霹雳舞只是一脉

陈国梁表示，许多人都以为Break Dance(霹雳舞) 就是嘻哈，因为嘻哈的风格与霹雳舞相似，都是舞蹈者自创，以及可表现自我的舞蹈，但事实上，嘻哈可说是各种街舞的总称，霹雳舞也只是其中一种。

他说，如Popping(机械舞) 、Locking(锁舞) 、Funk(劲爆舞) 、New School及Old School，也都被归纳为嘻哈。

他说，Old School可说是早期的舞蹈，New School则是承传Old School的内容，再注入新的舞蹈风格为成的现代舞蹈，但两种舞蹈的元素一样。现在，还是有人在学Old School舞蹈。

他解释，早期的Old School的音乐节拍非常快，偏向单一技巧动作，New School的音乐节拍较缓和，动作也较多变化及流畅。

FEMININE MAGAZINE INTERVIEW

风采(FEMININE)1.11.2006

嘻哈达人篇(Hip Hop)

嘻哈，是态度，是文化，是生活主张。自由随行不受拘束，

在有限的空间里，舞出无限活力。

姓名：陈国梁

年龄：27岁

全职：Urban Groove Dance Network

舞蹈学院负责人兼首席指导员

奖项：2002全国霹雳舞组合冠军

2002年极限健美比赛冠军

舞蹈资历：“英国专业舞蹈老师联盟” 文凭

(我国首个)

达致全方位健美

陈国梁在10年前开始认识嘻哈舞蹈时，根本没有任何老师可以求教，因此只能干看LA Boyz，Take That 和KRU 等团体的音乐录影带，自个儿练舞。“当时我还是中学生，我是在电视上看到明星跳舞后，心里也想像他们一样酷。很多时候都是Trial and error, 不断重复地练习后才捉准窍门。还好我过去有运动底子，有助我掌握嘻哈舞所需要的体力、柔软度和节奏感。”

FEMININE MAGAZINE INTERVIEW

Q：一般人对嘻哈舞蹈的印象，就是一些很高难度、在地上转来转去或是倒立的地板动作，可以简单介绍嘻哈文化的背景和嘻哈舞蹈的特色吗？

嘻哈是在1970年代兴起的一股年轻人文化，有四大元素：刮碟(deejaying) 、涂鸦(graffiti) 、饶舌(rapping)和霹雳舞(breakdance)。很多人也把嘻哈舞称为街舞，

主要有三种风格：机械舞蹈(popping) 、锁舞 (locking) 和霹雳舞 (breaking) 。

Q：那要学习这些动作会很难吗？难度在哪？

其实只要有人指导你正确的技巧，从基本功开始练习就能很快上手。不同的风格有不同的难度：霹雳舞需要很多的体力，许多舞步都得要有非常矫健的体能才能完成；机械舞则是难在需要利用肢体，生动地做出特定效果；至于锁舞，很大部分取决于节奏、音乐感和完美的手臂及下半身协调。

但是我觉得，真正的健美并不在于一个人的身材，而是在于身体的灵活度和功能。

嘻哈舞是一种很好的运动，因为你不只是在枯燥地重复单一动作，而是比较随性和自由的。它可以帮助你锻炼肌肉、有氧容量、柔软度、腹部和上半身力气以及整体的平衡，让你可以练就出全方位真正健美的体格。

Q：跳街舞时，要注意哪些事项？一般的嘻哈舞课程收费如何呢？

安全第一，很多初学者会急着想要做出一些高难度的霹雳动作而硬硬来，会很容易造成运动伤害。炼舞时，穿一些比较宽松的运动服就okay了， 最重要的是舒服。学费方面，每人一个月大约是RM75。