Seattle’s Massive Monkees compete on MTV

Exit, So You Think You Can Dance. I was for Brandon Bryant or (second choice) Kayla Radomski but can live with the winner, Jeanine Mason.

Enter, America’s Best Dance Crew, Season 4, tonight at 9 p.m., featuring in the top 10 9 starting lineup the Seattle dance collective and social club known as Massive Monkees.

They are percussively-gifted, hip-hop dervishes who’ve been winning top honors in global competitions for several years. Instead of a team of all-stars who come together to compete, Massive Monkees are a thriving social unit complete with DJ’s, writers, producers and a good-vibe support team.

Nearly all grew up in Seattle’s South end: Beacon Hill, Columbia City and the Rainier Valley. The majority went to Franklin High school. They developed their stick-like-glue, move-like-silk style organically over time, with members moving in and out of the spotlight.

The roots of the b-boy and b-girl dance crew movement roots are African tribal combined with Brazilian
capoeira and American gymnastics; the fancy footwork of James Brown and
later Michael Jackson; electric boogaloo poppers like Don Campbell and the footwork of Brooklyn kids in the 1970s. To
avoid summer heat trapped inside their apartments, they fooled around,
outdancing each other in the street.

West Coast crews won the first three seasons. It’s time for an East Coast victory. On the other hand, no Northwest crew has ever made it to the starting gate.