Lil Funk Boys

Place yourself in the minds of eight 10-12-year-old boys from a local dance studio in Massachusetts standing on The Orleans Arena stage in Las Vegas, Nevada with a seating capacity close to 9,000. It’s Sunday, August 2nd, 2009. Imagine that the national anthem is playing, the house is roaring with applause, hearts are pumping, and time has shifted and stretched to the all-time slow. Welcome to the Lil Phunk Boyz grandstand win at the World Hip Hop Dance Championship! A memory that will last a lifetime, these boys walked away with the gold in the junior division.

To get to this moment, there were eight days of heavy competition, drawing more than 1,700 dancers from 28 countries. The Lil Phunk Boyz had to beat out 30 of the best crews from around the United States and from there go on to compete against all 27 other countries. Since that time, two more countries have joined the party. Of course, this is the place to be; it is the only competition to focus solely on street dance.

Although the crowds watch and cheer for their favorite crews, the only eyes that count in the end are those of the judges, who are chosen because they are at the top of their field. Two head judges and an artistic and technical panel of four each rounds out the judges’ table to ten. Tallied votes are computerized with the highest and lowest scores dropped from both the artistic and technical components. With no deductions for the Lil Phunk Boyz for attire and such, they land a solid 7.79 final score, .12 points above the runner-up junior crew from Japan.

“They deserve everything nice that you can write about them,” says Howard Schwartz, the CEO of Hip Hop International, the founder and host of the event. “They are very passionate and committed to what they do, never letting their enthusiasm down for a moment. These boys came to win and need to be commended for what they accomplished. They won the world championship!” Even such a minor issue as an appendectomy for crewmember Kyle Brooks didn’t phase the tightly knit group. Brooks was back in time to dance for the gold.

Schwartz goes on to say that the audience is no longer applauding for cuteness, as perhaps they once did when it began eight years ago; now they are applauding for the remarkable accomplishments of the dancers. “The level keeps getting better and better, especially in the juniors. It is incredible how advanced it is becoming and how the young dancers all rise to the occasion. Our television show, ‘America’s Best Dance Crew,’ has helped bring about this change.”

When the Los Angeles-based live event and television production company, Hip Hop International, was first established, one of the most important goals was a desire to gain the respect of the street. Schwartz elaborates, “We really tried to earn the respect of those from the hip hop culture, and we did this through education. It is vitally important that the old school does not get lost, and that the dancers learn about the original ideas and the history of hip hop. We stress the importance of knowing where the dance came from. We have many of the icons join us who spend the entire period with us. Ultimately, sharing the passion of dance is the philosophy of this championship.”

Back in Everett, Massachusetts, the Lil Phunk Boyz began working together only three months before the competition. Hand picked by the owners, Rick and Reia Connor, of the Phunk Phenomenon Dance Complex, the boys had been working at the studio for a year or so prior to being plucked for this opportunity. Why these boys? Rick Connor explains, “I had a vision for an all boys team, and so I hand selected the eight based on skill, look, work ethic and overall attitude. Their versatility, overall look and individual dance style that each specialized in made the selection process that much easier.” In that three-month period, the crew practiced for two hours, four days a week. The boys, Xavion, Jevonn, Kyle, Nashuan, Jordan, Eddie, Jordan, and Alex, studied new and old school hip hop. Given their age, “it wasn't easy keeping these young boys focused, especially with summer upon them, but they were full of energy, and we used that to our advantage,” says Connor. He continues, “The choreography was kept age-appropriate, and we utilized their individual talents and skills to reflect that. For example we had the boys help collaborate with some of the movements using a kid’s perspective.”

The Phunk Phenomenon Dance Complex is a non-traditional dance studio. Its mission is to “reach out to today's youth through the art of urban dance.” The thought here is that, “Hip hop is not just a dance, it is a culture containing five elements,” which are MCing, DJing, breakdancing, graffiti writing and hip hop fashion. “Our goal is to educate our students on [these] five elements within each of our specialized classes. Urban dance styles have always been the heart of inner cities as a way of expression and a means of building self esteem.”

Photo courtesy of Rick Connor

Hard won for boys who dance, self esteem can be difficult to come by at such a young age, given the countless stories about the unremitting teasing that takes place, let alone dealing with growing up. But, the cool factor orbiting hip hop helps. “We like to encourage boys to continue to pursue dance much like a sport,” says Connor. “Dance will help you raise your self esteem, keep you out of trouble and keep your life heading in the right direction. I think the boys have grown from this experience and have a new outlook on competing as a dancer… As far as an impact on their lives, they will stay more disciplined with their school work and have learned that hard work can make dreams become a reality.”

“When Reia asked who wanted to do Vegas, I put my hands in my pockets,” says one of the eight boys, Eddie Mandell. “I didn’t want to do Vegas. Competing I could take, but everything else scared me. I was scared to audition, perform in front of dancers my age and do hip hop. I was scared that if I auditioned and made it, I would drag the team down because I wasn’t really comfortable with hip hop yet, only breakdancing. After I won the gold with my team, I realized that I’m not just a breakdancer; I’m a dancer and can be part of a team. It was the first time I felt like I fit in. It was the first time I felt like that last spot was meant for me.”

An added bonus to the Lil Phunk Boyz education and for all who study at the Phunk Phenomenon is the lesson that you can make an impact on so many lives and possibly even make a difference. Every time one of the school’s groups including the Lil Phunk Boyz takes the stage, they dance to raise awareness and help find a cure for a rare, non-curable disease known as Sanfilippo Syndrome, a condition the Connors’ son has had since birth. It is a gift for these boys to learn at such an early age that they have the power to make change for the better and to be able to work for a greater cause.

Flashback to the stage in Las Vegas, Nevada. Toni Basil, winner of the 2009 Hip Hop International Living Legend of Hip Hop Award and member of the Original Lockers, Boogaloo Sam who created Popping, and Don “Campbellock” Campbell who created Locking are on stage slipping gold medals around the Lil Phunk Boyz’ necks. It’s an honor that seems larger than life. Xavion, Jevonn, Kyle, Nashuan, Jordan, Eddie, Jordan, and Alex are reeling.

Mandell sums up his experience, “Now I love hip hop just as much as breaking. I’m willing to try any type of dance, and I won’t be afraid. I learned that it’s good to take risks in life. It opens the door to more opportunities and brings you to new places.” As Rick Connor say of the boys, “The future is bright and has a lot in store for them. Many will go on and get signed by agencies and be successful in all their endeavors. The sky is the limit!” Indeed.

Katie Langan is a Professor of Dance and Chair of the Dance Department at Marymount Manhattan College.

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