Monsters of Hip Hop: The Show Hits Los Angeles; Directed by Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo!

Aug. 4, 2008 - PRLog -- Titled Journey of an Underdogg, the performance will feature the professional debut of over 15 dancers directed by Hip Hop masters including Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo (Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance), Kevin Maher (Mariah Carey, Britney Spears) and Tony Testa (Janet Jackson, Nickelodeon’s Dance on Sunset).  Tickets range from $25-$35 and can be purchased at: www.monstersofhiphop.com. The performance is approximately 1 hour in length and takes place at 8 p.m. on August 15 and 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on August 16. The show is dedicated to Gary Kendall, a founding member of America’s Best Dance Crew winners, Jabbawockeez, who passed away earlier this year.

Monsters of Hip Hop: The Show brings together the dance industry's finest choreographers with up and coming dancers for a professionally produced, Broadway-caliber show.  The show gives the dancers an opportunity to showcase for both the public and industry representatives including artists, agents and producers.  Previous attendees have included Nigel Lythgoe from Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance and  Grammy-nominee Omarion. Contributing choreographers include: Chuck Maldonado, Rhapsody, Chonique Sneed, Teresa Espinosa, Marty Kudelka, David Moore, Brian Friedman, Luther Brown and more.

Monsters of Hip Hop: The Show is a spin off of the highly successful Monsters of Hip Hop Conventions, which have steadily grown in popularity and prestige over the past 5 years.  The first Convention took place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia in April, 2003 with a lineup including choreographers Brian Friedman, Fatima Robinson, Travis Payne, Napoleon Dumo, Geo Hubela, Jermaine Browne, Rhapsody James, Moncel Durden, Terry Wright and Raphael Xavier. The inaugural event attracted 291 dancers from over 15 states with virtually no publicity other than “word of mouth.”  

Monsters of Hip Hop: The Show, which debuted in 2005, provides selected dancers from the Convention tour with the opportunity to work in Los Angeles with the Monsters’ faculty and special guests before performing at the famed El Portal Theatre.  Finalists from each city are videotaped for the chance to be in The Show; at the conclusion of the tour the Monsters’ faculty reviews the audition footage to select the cast.

The sold out 2006 show, titled Roadtrip, changed the lives of many of the cast members. One highlight was 18 year old dancer Sophia Aguilar’s signing to the BLOC Agency directly following the show. Holding her plane ticket back to Miami in her hand, she was immediately flown to New York City for an MTV Video Music Awards’ performance with Beyonce. “We were very excited that we had fulfilled our mission to help dancers with the passion, drive and ability to find a path to success in the industry,” states co-founder Andy Funk. “Everyone who attends the Monsters of Hip Hop Convention has this opportunity.”

Registrations are also still open for the Monsters of Hip Hop 5-day intensive, August 11-15, which gives dancers the opportunity to study with the finest artists in the business, learn marketing skills and strategies and audition for several talent agencies.

For additional information about Monsters of Hip Hop: The Show, to purchase tickets, or to register for classes, please visit:  http://www.monstersofhiphop.com.

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