Jabbawockeez: Can You Spell It?

When we first started talking about Jabbawockeez I didn’t know what it was, and I couldn’t say it. I was told it had something to do with white masks, so I went out to do some exploring.

In 2003, there were a group of friends who wanted to show off their dancing skills. Each member of the group came with a different dance background and a variety of styles. They danced together and started a style called Jabbawockeez. The mission of the Jabbzwockeez was to inspire the world with their music and dance.

The idea of the Jabbawockee is the brainchild of Joseph Larot, Kevin Brewer and Phil Tayag also known as 3 Musky but the crew consisted of five other members who collaborated and created the "style" of the Jabbawockeez.

By the way,“Jabberwocky" is a poem of nonsense verse written by Lewis Carroll, originally featured in Alice in Wonderland.  Apparently the words have been around a long time; they just keep getting changed and getting new meanings.  Did Jabbawockeez come from Jabberwocky? Who’s to know?

The group actually became famous on America’s Got Talent, won $100,00 and went on to tour with American’s Best Dance Crew. The above photo is the Jabbawockeez performing in their show called “Prism” at the Luxor Hotel  in Las Vegas.

A year in the making, the Luxor Hotel  created an 840 seat Jabbawocke theater for the group. The  theater   features top-of-the-line acoustics complementing  the musical artistry of the show. The dance has changed the way people see dance around the world. The identical white, expressionless masks allow the audience to visualize and understand the music through the Jabbawockeez music and their dance. Their moves are intricate and unusual,

According to Wikipedia, The mask and glove motif was adopted as a tribute to the 1970's San Francisco strutting crew Medea Sirkas. Gary "Gee One" Kendall and Randy "DJ Wish One Bernal were both members of the MindTricks dance crew which were active in the SanFranscico Bay Area. The reason for the white masks, to make everyone look like one. When they perform, the idea is for everyone as a whole not individuals.

Yes, the group started a whole new dance trend and a way to look. It never ceases to amaze me how clever people can be.

Want to do your own Jabbawockeez?

Of course, you can get the white masks and the white gloves at The Costumer and decorate them anyway you like.

http://www.thecostumer.com/p-21038-white-plain-faced-mask.aspx

If you want to be true to the Jabbawockeez, everyone will have to wear the same color masks and gloves. It’s now beginning to remind me of the Harlem Shake. Everyone looks like they’re just existing and then the lead dancer starts in, and everyone follows. Suppose everyone were to put on their purple masks? How cute would that be?

Now I'm wondering about the Blue Men? Were they really the first Jabbawockeez only wearing blue masks? If you’ve never seen them, you are missing out.. The blue masks aren’t distracting; they allow you to create your own reality as you watch them dance and play their musical instruments. It allows you to fanaticize about the group. I would assume that’s the same feeling you get with the Jabbawockeez.

So why not a party with everyone wearing similar masks, you paint the white masks to look alike or you leave them all white? Maybe for Halloween everyone can go out in black leotards and wear white masks.

Maybe a wedding is a little too crazy? A prom would be cool. How about just a fun party and everyone dancing to the Jabbawockeez music? The possibilities are endless.