Anyways, peep him down in Houston at the beginning of the month. I have seen Bionic on so many occasions, club, stage, battle … wherever.. just kill it. BUT THIS! Man, I need to hit the practice session, like… NOW!

@Kuya Jon, Yo…my man…keep it up!!!

Looking to book Jon “Bionic” Bayani? Holler at him on facebook – www.facebook.com/BIONICSUPREME

The Night Last Night – the Soulshifters

(featured shifters include: Coflo, Seth, Lucid, Aqua, Tsunami, Apple, Woes)

Part 1 (Song: Night Last Night by Mark Ronson)

Part 2 (Songs: Adaptacao Ft. Tita Lima-Ohmega Watts, Freak Out- Ohmega Watts, Feel that way-Gift of Gab mash-Tor/Sufjan Stevens)

Soulebrity: All-Style Cypher Contest: $600 PRIZE!

SOULebrity was created by Flo-Ology in 2003. The first all-styles event in which the bays own Gary Kendall (Jabbawockeez), Kool Raul (Beats N Peices) and Jamar Township were the cypher champs.

All-Style Cypher Contest

This is a gathering for dancers of all styles to share the cypher to an eclectic assortment of fresh beats (house, hip hop, breaks, funk…..and more).

The Cypher Battle Breakdown:
-Invited hosts will inspire and dance with all contestants. After a one hour cypher 9 dancers will be selected.
-The top 9 will then dance with the hosts in a final cypher.
-Each host will award $200 to one of the finalist; therefore the possibility of 3 winners. If all 3 hosts select the same dancer, that dancer wins the full $600!!

CYPHER HOSTS:
MICHEL “MEECH” ONOMO (Paris)
BBOY REMIND (Style Elements/Soulshifters)
TIFFANY “JIMINI” BONG (Syrenz/Culture Shock)

ECLECTIC BEATS:
SOULO (Mutha Funkers/Groovmekanics/Soulo1200s.com
STEPHEN RIGMAIDEN (SoSo Deep Records)
CECIL (The People)

VENUE:
Womens Building
3543 18th St #8
San Francisco, CA
$10 / *ALL AGES!!
DOORS OPEN 6:30PM / CYPHER CONTEST BEGINS AT 7:30

Party: FLYAWAY
Location: Undisclosed Location, San Francisco Cali
DJ’s recorded: Jayvi Velasco, Co FLO, DJ Cecil

What are FLO Radio Club Mixes?

“They are live recordings of mixes that occur at various clubs from around the way. There are no rehearsals or special efforts put into these mixes beyond what the talent themselves puts down at the club that night! I, Co FLO, would personally like to thank the recordee and DJ’s for supplying me with their mixes for broadcast on FLO Radio. Without these type of wonderful people in the world we wouldn’t be able to share music to the masses. Its because of DJ’s, producers, club patrons and dancers that we all can come together and experience the beauty that is house culture club life. Make no mistake its the people that make it is what is is. FLO Radio Club Mixes are just the recorded audio taste of that lovely-ness. If you have any issues with the mixes (you do not want your set online) or if you want to know the name of a track please email me direct – co.flo@mindbodyflo.com. I will do what I can for those that request track names, please be patient. peace!”

PART 1:

Right-Click on this link and “Save As” to download to your computer (Windows PC). Control + Click on this link and “Save Link as” to download to your Mac (OSX)

PART 2:

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PART 3:

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PART 4:

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PART 5:

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PART 6:

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For me I want to approach dance in the same way, or at least hope to. Look to see how the dance ultimately impacts the music. When I see a brilliant set from a dancer (freestyle or not); it cast the same type of energy and amazement as a hella dope band throwing down on stage. Im not hoping to reinvent dance, like James Brown reinvented a time of music, but I would at least like to try to figure out a different path for dance – something that makes me as a dancer feel closer to the arrangement of the music. Again, this is why I choose to stick to what I do, learning more about music than dance (at this point in my life).

Cab Calloway is someone who is known in Jazz music history as an icon. In dance history he is also recognized as an Icon – but the generation I am in doesn’t put him on the same level as James Brown or Michael Jackson. I have known of Cab Calloway for some years but regretfully never paid him the respect he deserves with how he helped to reinvent dance with music. When I think of MJ, or JB I know think of where they came from – Cab is the man……

Please check out this clip, a little collection I found on youtube of Cab doing his thing. Of course none of this is to the original music but I urge you to do your own google/youtube search looking up his body of work (music and dance). At the very least this clip will show you some of the most famous steps that you “thought” JB or MJ were the first to do

-Co FLO

Here are two video clips that display exactly what I mean:

(MUSIC) In this first clip you will be presented with a song called “The Mother of all Funk Chords”. The song and video is by a talented producer named “Kutiman”, seen here Thru-you.com. While the song and video is original it is 100% made up of other people’s youtube videos. Different videos, some of people playing instruments, some of people dancing and so on – but none the less none of the original material is Kutiman’s. He created something AMAZING by embracing what has already existed.

(DANCE) In this clip is a group called PRO PHENOMEN from Paris France. This group gives stage choreography a fresh breath of air in respect to all aspects of what you would expect to see and what you don’t expect to see. Nothing they do is new or invented by them; however, you can argue to say you may have not ever seen another group do what they did here. Their movements have been done, their concepts have been done, even their music is not truly unique to this performance; however, what they have created is AMAZING. Invention through recreation and elevated expectations – a beautiful concept.

After watching these two clips I hope you can understand my point of view on this. The concept is more about not being afraid to recreate or copy than it is pushing out crap just to be completely unique and new. After all its virtually impossible for it to be completely unique and new as it stands.

A few more notes and I’ll be done

1) Often times teachers are credited with invention. The concept of a teacher goes against that general statement. The very essence of being an innovator and teaching breads innovation by recreation. So for all the OG’s that cannot acknowledge why so many people look like them…this is why, you did it to yourself (i have heard some stupid arguments around this). Deliver the message to embrace recreation not fight to get away from it.

2) Why did I not reference a freestyle dance clip? Very simply put, these two clips represented my point of view the best. I may end up finding a freestyle dance clip or solo instrumental musician clip that gets my point across eventually. I’m positive it wouldn’t even be that hard to find if I took a few minutes; but at that point I could write another article because its almost certain I will discover something new through the recreation of the same topic. Getting me yet?

peace,

-Co FLO

peace,

-Co FLO

The main reason why I am sharing this is because I need to give love to my people. Alot of Bay Area natives in this throwing down and sharing their experiences, to name a few (shouts): Iron Monkey, Moshen, Wicket, Lancer, Kool Raul, Rock Force, Renegades, Forever We Rock…and more. Also somehow a lot of the Bionic man popped up in this…I guess cause his dancing is sooooooo ah-maze-zing that he gets lumped in with the bboys, haha – hope you enjoy!

YAY AREA WHAT!

Long Story Short – B-Boys from Jon Santos

-Co FLO

Right-Click on this link and “Save As” to download to your computer

The coushin for the pushin:

Freeki Mutha Fucker – Moodymann
Textya – Phil Asher Feat. Spry
Fuego De Sangre – Glenn Underground
Don’t Be Afraid – Duce Martinez Feat. Kenny Bobien
Mouth (Brad Peep’s Remix for Friends) – Iz and Diz
Raw Cuts #5 (MCDE Mix) – Motor City Drum Ensemble
The Feelings – BSC & Jay Tripwire feat. Rosa Morena Russa
Roho Yangu (Mindlo & Essential-I Dub Mix) – Morra DeRey & The Heav Quarterz feat. Mfaime
The Session (Cobblestone Jazz Remix) – Kuniyuki Takahashi
Canto De Ossanha – Trio Maraya

BLU-RAY DVD RELEASE PARTY & CELEBRATION

Strength in Flavor is our temple of sweat and sound. We believe in an unending devotion to our art and are poised to devastate the floor before us. While our languages may differ our attitude is the same. We do not seek your approval; we have already earned it. We are the legends, the masters, the next generation.

Strength In Flavor is proud to announce the release of the first ever urban dance competition released on Blu-Ray DVD. We are excited to be able to give our continued support to the dance community by putting 50% of all the profits made by the sale of the DVD into the pockets of the top four crews from the battle held in November 2009. We invite you to come celebrate with us by blessing our cyphers or with your hands raised in the air.

Hosted By:
Naka B-Boy Edition
Flo-Ology
All the Way Live
Funkonometry &
The Renegade Rockers

Talent:
F.A.M.E. (Fresh Analog Music Experience)
Live Performance by Teeko, Max Kane, and Malaguti
Cecil (the People)
Dennis Infante (One Cypher)
B-Boy Wicket
Co FLO (FLO-ology)
DJ Nomadeeq (Flavor Group)

Special Guests:
Machine Gone Funk
Orb and Free
Double Trouble
Soul Shifters X

May 28, 2010
DNA Lounge – 375 11th St, SF CA
9pm-2am
18+

For $5 Reduced Guest List RSVP at: FLAVORGROUP.COM/SIF

COME OUT AND DANCE

As always thePeople hold it DOWN! – come out and celebrate my birthday as we dance the night away. It’s a guarenteed good time you best believe it! Hope to see you in the cypher…I want a good b-day battle damnit!

This Saturday:  YOU ARE THE ART!  thePeople (that means you too), are teaming up with the Yerba Buena Cener for the Arts to bring together a boat load of incredible djs, amazing sound, a huge dancefloor, sonic bliss in the music school room, world class live painting and video, an interactive portrait project from one of the Bay’s own super-talents, gourmet street food, artisan vendors, mind-blowing dance artists… Saturday April 3rd thePeople and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts present A YBCA Big Idea Night:   Under the Influence   (the influence of the underground)   hosted by heyLove* and Ms. Nabong featuring YOU as the embodiment of the thriving underground arts community move yourself to the sounds of special musical guest Daz-I-kue along side thePeople resident djs Cecil, Cali, and Be Brown in the Forum educate yourself and your dancing feet  in the Music School with legendary djs Dedan, Aybee, Wazir, and Rob Rhythm add yourself  to the HearthePeople portrait project lead by Bryon Malik of S|I|P Creative, longtime collaborator of thePeople* see yourself  in the live painting of the legendary Mear One lose yourself in the live dance videography of Yak Films open yourself with the sounds of live drums by Taji Malik find yourself in the beauty of the Bizarre featuring artisans Ital Pinay, MeeshMeesh Designs, African Removed Art, and Blank Tea, plus live painting by Ashley Arnold treat yourself to the tasty goodness of Caribbean inspired tacos, burritos and sandwiches by Get Jerked and the heavenly sweetness of Reuschelle’s Cheesecake by Victor Harris Yerba Buena Center for the Arts 701 Mission Street | San Francisco | map FREE with RSVP:  http://ybcafree.org/2010form/20100401_bigidea.php 9pm – 2am 18+

Here is a video that was released officially from Outspark:

And here is a video that Tsunami made – behind the scenes!:

This is a teaser for SoulShifter’s docu-dance coming out 2010 “Catchin’ the Ghost”.

For more info check out:
SoulShifters on Facebook
Catchin’ the Ghost on Facebook

Music By Ezel EzelMusic.com- Thunderbolts – GO BUY THE TRACK! – http://www.traxsource.com/index.php?act=show&fc=tpage&cr=titles&cv=35606

We are back and beat up! hahaha! I swear all of us are feelin the rough NY streets. Knees, ankles, black eyes, feet – you name it we are broken! This trip was certainly a great trip. I cannot speak for everyone but I can respectively speak for my self and my feeling about the trip and the scene/culture in New York.

Let me start by saying this trip wasn’t like my normal dance trip where I head out to become inspired and really open my eyes to other dancer’s concepts, style and emotion. This trip, at least for me, was to show the House Dance culture (as far in the world as it could reach) that what I exist as another of many, many dope dancers in the world. I wasn’t setting out bent to battle, upstage or MURDER any other dancers out there- just simply put my name out in the scene. I have been dancing (with and without style) for approx 12 years now (6 almost 7 years with style); I have always been dancing in the Bay Area scene even prior to legal clubbing age. Where am I going with this? Okay – here it is:

Dancing for me has always been something I looked at seriously, at first for fun, then for work, then for popularity. I realized as I tried to achieve these particular milestones in my dance the only one that seemed to really make me feel good was dancing for fun. Dancing for fun? Fun is described and felt differently according to the person you talk to. It had gotten to the point over the last couple of years that dancing wasn’t as much “fun” as it used to be. I wasn’t learning anything new, I wasn’t feeling more accomplished, physically I was feeling older – my normal routine of dance aside for partying in the club wasn’t “fun” for me. I then decided to revisit the pure feelings of when I started to dance and see if I could find that “fun” in dancing. Long story short, I did – what was it that I discovered?

I had discovered: history, culture, people, music and a purpose.

Aside from my main purpose to – put on a show at HDI; I went to New York so I could breathe the same air, walk on the same streets, dance in the same clubs that the originators of House Music culture had once done. The House Music culture in New York is INSANE! People love house music in SF, no doubt, but do they really love the music/culture? I have met many of the older SF “House Heads” in my days clubbing here in the city and any conversation that you have with them they will tell you an incredible story about clubbing in New York. Not to say we don’t have great DJs, producers and club patrons (and Dancers can’t forget the Dancers) – but SF seems almost infant in respect to what New York has done with their scene. Let me give you a small example: We had a group of about 20-25 West Coasters rolling through the streets of Manhattan, bumping TeN’s boombox, playing some FLO Radio mixes (ahhh gheyeaaa!) – just about every group of people on the street or in any park we visited that heard our music would let us know that its dope. They would do this by instantly joining our House marching vibe, dancing, or even just simply blurting out “WOOOOO! Okayyyyy!”. This is the type of reaction that you do not get here in the Bay Area, House music (shit man….music in general) just seems to be felt in a more evolved way out in NY.

After learning so much of the history of House culture in New York I am blown away with where it seems to have gone. From parties on docking piers where the average age is 40+ to parties in Fort Green Park for “Soul Summit” where the dance floor is half a football field of wall to wall people just grooving – House music culture is alive and growing! I only wish I could have spent more time and gone to more (I know I have just scratched the surface). The music alone at every single event I went to was beyond my expectations: grown, tasteful, beautiful house music was the music of choice mixed in thick with old funk, jazz, soul and afro beat. Yes their was electronic sounding music – but not during “groove sessions” type parties. You could see the look on peoples faces, the movement in their bodies – the smell of their hair (hahahaha); the music was really touching their soul – they were all coming together to enjoy this music we call House Music.

The cyphers….well the cyphers weren’t what I expected. Im sure that the parties I went to were not the norm, reason being we went to parties that everyone visiting, Europe, America, Japan were all attending because of the HDI event. The cyphers were filled with good vibes but from what I felt were not natural or inviting. In general the OG’s didn’t show up to as many of the cyphers as I would have liked to witness, but I did get a good feel for their vibe. For the most part the cyphers with the OG’s were very competitive, the energy was raw and to the point, no nonsense – no bullshit. It wasn’t about sharing the experience of the music and the exchange of emotion – more about “dope mufucka’s only”. With that being said I may have read the vibe wrong, but looks on people’s faces seem to tell the story all to well. Not to say I don’t feel like going hard and keeping the cypher raw and bull shit free – it just wasn’t what I expected considering the MASS adoption of house music culture throughout New York. In any case, I respectfully and thankfully have to say – it was incredible to see any and all OGs do their thang….thank you.

My purpose: I have realized that I want to be a name that is associated with House music culture in the Bay Area for years to come. I want to give back twice as much as I receive. I want more people in the Bay Area to experience and feel the same way I do about this culture and music. The more I practice the more I can give back, the more I learn about music, culture, history, theory – the more I can give back. The more places I travel, visit, experience, the more I can give back. The more music I listen to – the more I can give back. I want to dance and represent the beautiful feeling that music, specifically House Music, provides to me. I went to New York to complete in HDI and do well – represent and show people that even with a younger less influenced culture in San Francisco their is still love, passion and desire to feed the same scene world wide. I have accomplished that immediate goal, but the ultimate promise to my self will never end, I am going to keep dancing and keep moving.

Among all the drama with the actual HDI event, there were alot of people with us on this that have inspired me to keep moving – let their names and locations be known, thank you all – lets dance!

FLO-ology Collective (San Francisco), SoulShifters (USA), ODie, TeN of Quad, Tsunami, Slim, Gaby ‘Aqua’, Free, Seth, Orb, Orb’s girl (i forgot her name), Steve Rhythmz, Shade, GraVIDy, Oj, Gerald, Jihnee, Victor, We:Whum, Angelo, Julie, Manny, Cam, Jason, Larry, Raquel, Open House LA, Texas Dancers, Steve Motion, Noi, Corey, Jimbo (congrats on the experimental win!), Tine Machine, Nicole, Dan, Ndu, Eric ‘Ranger’, Zane Danger 45, Carlos, ATM Crew, Erico, Sammy (Boston), Dan from France.

If I missed you let me know – I didn’t mean too, but I want to make sure you are on this post cause it means something to me

Congrats to all the dancers that entered and competed in HDI, all catagories – you have inspired someone out their, at the very least me. Thanks to Pang Lo for supplying the cuts during our battles. Thanks to Ejoe and Red for not shutting me down when I for sure registered and should have been able to compete (drama haha).

A very personal thank you to Shade and my family (FLO-ology / SoulShifters) for being my hype men/women pushing me forward in the competition. I hope I made you all proud (clearing my throat) PARTY ON THE TRAIN, PARTY ON THE TRAIN!

I danced every round for my grandmother Rosalind Smith, I love you.

Till the next trip, peace my music luvin’ peoples.

p.s. stay tuned for pictures, video and other good stuff from the event of the next week as we will be updating soon

All The Way Live Presents: Renegades 26th Yr Anniversary After Party

Start Time: Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 8:00pm
End Time: Monday, June 22, 2009 at 1:00am
Location: Icon Ultra Lounge
Street: 1192 Folsom St
City/Town: San Francisco, CA

All The Way Live Presents:
Renegade Rockers 26th Year Anniversary After Party/ Taiwan Fund-Raiser.

When:
Sunday, June 21st, 2009

Time:
8pm-1am

Price:
$5 all night long
21+ (W/ID)

Drink Specials:
$3 Beers/$5 well drinks

Where:
Icon Ultra Lounge
1192 Folsom St
San Francisco, CA

Main Room: (Hip Hop/Breaks/Funk)
Kool Raul (Beatz N Pieces/Supreme Soul/ATWL DJ’s)
Dennis Infante (DS Players/GrooveMekanex)
TomKat (ATWL DJ’s)
Lawly Law (Beatz N Pieces/ATWL DJ’s)

House Room: (Mind Body FLO.com)
Co-Flo (Flo-Ology/MindBodyFLO.com)
Scud Bloom (MindBodyFLO.com)
“FLO Radio”

*Come and share a memorable evening with the World’s famous Renegade Rockers as they celebrate 26 years of Hip Hop History. Click here for the COMPLETE RENEGADES SCHEDULE.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=59529298253&ref=mf

—————————————
***Proceeds of this event will help fund our Taiwanese program in November 2009***

2 Great reasons to come out and support!!

House Dance Cypher 12:45pm – 1:45pm

Performance by “House Of Flo” 1:45pm
delicious beats by DJ Cecil – “the People” party Oakland
Hosted by Mindbodyflo.com for Soul Nubian
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPiiWEy4opw[/youtube]
Seize the Time! The 9th Annual Malcolm X Jazz Arts Festival!
Saturday, May 30th, 11-7pm, San Antonio Park (18th Ave + Foothill Blvd)
EastSide’s 9th annual Malcolm X Jazz Arts Festival is one of the last free festivals in Oakland, so come and enjoy! One of the most important pieces of our festival are the community of local artists and food vendors.

http://thelxd.com