"What's The Scenario?" in The Sacramento Press

"What's The Scenario" at The Center
by Tony Nichols, published on January 31, 2010 at 9:00PM

Phatso of the Sacramento breakdance crew, Legendary Steps local breaker Buckingham hosted the "What's the Scenario?" 2-on-2 b-boy battle Saturday at the Washington Community Center at D and 16th Streets.

The grand prize for the event was entrance into Loose Screws 11, an invitation-only battle for $2,000 in Atlanta, Ga., on Feb. 20.

"What's the Scenario" hosted more than 50 two-man crews. The professional and amateur duos were vying to reach the top 32 spots in the main event.

Local crews such as Flexible Flave, Legendary Steps, The Outsiders and Underground Flow advanced to the second round. For Sacramento b-boys and b-girls, these local heroes did not fail to impress.

Some of the teams traveled a great distance for a chance at the $2,000 main prize in Georgia. Out-of-towners Knuckle Head Zoo of Las Vegas, Angels of Death of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Hybrid Crew of San Jose showed their best style and represented what hip-hop really means.

Judges Rufy of Italy's Living Dead Army, Flection 1 and MC Mahtie Bush of Sacramento rated performances on style, difficulty, originality, music interaction and technique. Several battles received a split decision, forcing a sudden-death, one-on-one overtime round. The audience met these contests with a roar.

Breakdancing has strict rules against touching the other crew. Several teams almost were disqualified because they brushed against their opponents. The intensity of a battle is hard to capture unless it's seen first-hand. It seems almost impossible to stay six inches from your opponent while spinning on one hand upside down, so precision is just as important as power in this form of dance.

Local DJ Oscar, known as B-boy Clue, held the turntables for most of the night and approval from the crowd came often as favorite jams played. The dancers showed great endurance in the event that lasted from 3 to 8 p.m.

In the final round, it came down to Knuckle Head Zoo and Flexible Flave of Sacramento. The teams battled it out for three grueling rounds until Flexible Flave triumphed. The duo flys to Atlanta this month for the chance to win the Loose Screws 11 national breakdance battle. But already, Flexible Flave's reputation has grown, until the next crew poses a challenge.

"What's the Scenario" showed that hip-hop culture unites, entertains and motivates people from of every age and nationality. Breakdancing didn't lose popularity in the 80's, it just never chased the glitz and glamour that so many other forms of expression did.

It certainly has its place, said Chase Gschweng, who attended the event.

"Whether you realize it or not, there will always be an emcee MC on the microphone, a DJ on the turntables, a graffiti artist with a spray can, and a b-boy tearin' up the floor."