America's Best Dance Crew (season 3)

The third season of America's Best Dance Crew premiered on January 15, 2009. It was hosted by Mario Lopez and featured Layla Kayleigh as the backstage correspondent. The judges included rapper Lil Mama, former *NSYNC singer JC Chasez, and hip-hop choreographer Shane Sparks. Chasez, one of the three judges, said "we'll be taking a bit more time between seasons, which will give people ample time to get their crews together, practice and prepare." This was the first season without a special casting episode.^[1] On March 5, 2009, Quest Crew was declared the winner of Season 3 and received the $100,000 (USD) prize.^[2]

Crews

Like season 1, nine crews were selected in this season of America's Best Dance Crew, as opposed to last season's ten crews. The nine crews were not divided into the usual four regions (East, West, Midwest, and South), but each crew's banner still listed where each crew was from.^[3] It was also the first season that showcased a crew from the Caribbean. Team Millennia, who was eliminated during the season 2 casting special, returned this season as one of the nine official dance crews.^[4] This season also has a heavy cross-over with So You Think You Can Dance. Quest Crew's Ryan Conferido was a season 1 finalist, Hok and D-Trix (Dominic) were season 3 finalists. Also, clogger Brandon Norris of Dynamic Edition was heavily featured during the season 3 try-outs of SYTYCD and performed at the season finale. Judge Shane Sparks has also judged and choreographed for numerous seasons of SYTYCD. Also included are the Beat Freaks, which consist of a group of professional dancers, namely Rino Nakasone, formerly of the Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Girls, and Teresa Espinosa, formerly one of Britney Spears' dancers.

Results

Performances

• Starting from the Final 6, when a crew gets eliminated, they take a look back at the eliminated crew's journey on the show while playing "Slide Show" by T.I.

Week 1: The Sudden Death Challenge

• Aired on January 15, 2009

JabbaWockeeZ’s Rynan Paguio aka. "Kid Rainen" temporarily guest judged in place of JC Chasez, with Chasez returning the following episode.^[5]

The crews performed to a mastermix of their choosing. The bottom three were chosen by the judges and each danced in a battle for 30 seconds each to "Live Your Life" by T.I..

• Safe: Strikers All-Stars, Beat Freaks, Quest Crew, Ringmasters, Dynamic Edition, Team Millennia
• Bottom 3: G.O.P. Dance, Fly Khicks, Boxcuttuhz
• Eliminated: G.O.P. Dance

Week 2: Fit Test Challenge

• Aired on January 22, 2009

Each crew was given a physical activity/exercise to incorporate into their routine.

• Safe: Quest Crew, Fly Khicks, Strikers All-Stars, Beat Freaks, Dynamic Edition, Ringmasters
• Bottom 2: Team Millennia, Boxcuttuhz
• Eliminated: Boxcuttuhz

Week 3: Britney Spears Challenge

• Aired on January 29, 2009

Similar to the Michael Jackson challenge on season 1 and the Janet Jackson and Missy Elliott challenges on season 2, the crews took inspiration from Britney Spears's music videos. Each group was also challenged to incorporate a feat in their routines that Britney included in the original video they were given. Andre Fuentes (Britney's long time choreographer) helped the crews with Britney's iconic moves.

• Safe: Beat Freaks, Strikers All-Stars, Dynamic Edition, Quest Crew, Fly Khicks
• Bottom 2: Team Millennia, Ringmasters
• Eliminated: Team Millennia

Week 4: Whack Track Challenge

• Aired on February 5, 2009

A twist on the Dance Craze challenge in the first and second seasons, the crews had to perform to the most clichéd dance songs that started whack dance crazes. Each crew had to incorporate their respective song's dance in their routines, while also trying to make it look fresh.

• Safe: Quest Crew, Strikers All-Stars, Beat Freaks, Dynamic Edition
• Bottom 2: Ringmasters, Fly Khicks
• Eliminated: Ringmasters

Week 5: Illusion Challenge

• Aired on February 12, 2009

The crews had to perform their routines utilizing various magic tricks and eye-popping illusions.

• Safe: Beat Freaks, Quest Crew, Strikers All-Stars
• Bottom 2: Dynamic Edition, Fly Khicks
• Eliminated: Dynamic Edition

Week 6: Battle of the Sexes Challenge

• Aired on February 19, 2009

The episode started off with the remaining crews doing an intro performance together choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha D'umo.

The four crews battled it out in the Girls vs Boys style. Similar to the Video Star Challenge in the first and second seasons, each crew was given a video by a male or female superstar that emulated either 'girl power' or 'guy power', and were challenged to incorporate the spirit of the video in their choreography.

This was the first time in ABDC history that the top 4 consisted of two all male crews, and two all female crews. The male groups Quest Crew and Strikers All-Stars danced to Ludacris' What Them Girls Like, while the female groups Beat Freaks and Fly Khicks danced to Beyonce's Single Ladies.

• Safe: Quest Crew, Beat Freaks
• Bottom 2: Strikers All-Stars, Fly Khicks
• Eliminated: Strikers All-Stars

Week 7: Hip Hop Decathlon and Last Chance Challenge

• Aired on February 26, 2009

This week on ABDC, the crews competed against each other in two challenges: the Hip-Hop Decathlon and the Last Chance Challenge. After the mid-show elimination, then the top two crews performed to their Last Chance Challenge.

Challenge #1: Hip-Hop Decathlon

The three remaining crews had to demonstrate their versatility by creating a routine that incorporated five different hip-hop dance styles. Although the crews performed only five styles, MTV chose to refer to the challenge as a decathlon. All crews were given the same five styles and songs, and they received help from five guest ABDC alumni from the previous two seasons. Each alumnus/alumna was assigned to one of the dance styles the crews will be responsible for. The setting in the video that the crews were supposed to watch to learn the styles was in Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory.

• Safe: Beat Freaks
• Bottom 2: Quest Crew, Fly Khicks
• Eliminated: Fly Khicks

Challenge #2: Last Chance Challenge

The crews created original beats to groove to during their routine for the Last Chance Challenge to show America why they should be crowned the winner. The remaining two crews then performed their prepared routines before the lines open for the final voting session of the season.

Week 8: The Live Finale

• Aired on March 5, 2009

The eliminated crews of season 3 returned and teamed up with the remaining two crews for the judge's choice of crews collaboration. The judges each picked three crews that complemented each other and their dance-styles. Instead of going head-to-head, Quest Crew and Beat Freaks teamed up for their last performance.

On March 5, 2009 Quest Crew was crowned the winner of America's Best Dance Crew Season 3, while Beat Freaks was declared the runner-up.

• Winner: Quest Crew
• Runner-up: Beat Freaks

References

External links

• Official website