On February 23, Carnegie Mellon hosted the first ever Master Clash, an amalgamation of aspiring and professional dancers and pioneers of hip hop dancing from all over the country in a freestyle dance competition. The event was organized by 5LMT, a relatively young organization at the University. Master Clash was co-sponsored by numerous groups, including UC Late Night, Student Activities, Dean Church, Dancers’ Symposium, BboyDVD.com, and The Carnegie Pulse.

The activities began at 6 p.m. in the Weigand Gym where professional choreographer Bam Bam gave free dance lessons to everyone who chose to participate. Bam Bam has choreographed stars such as Jennifer Lopez and P.Diddy. There was also Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady Crew, who gave a closed master class before the show began.

Master Clash proceeded into the night with the main event, the two-on-two battles, where dancers paired up into teams to compete. There was an abundance of flair on the dance floor that night. While there was a great spirit among the dancers and sense of respect for the hip hop culture, there was also the subtle attempt to tease the opponent and invite competition. The semi-final battle between Dynamic Rockers and Lions of Zion was especially fascinating to watch as the talented dancers took on each other on the dance floor.

Some of the teams at the Master Clash were KungFu Hustle, Khalil & BDC, Teena Marie and Jess Rock, Floor Konexion, Lost Boys, The Wild 7, Goin Off Crew, Smooth Kriminals. Although the dancers from CMU in IFS and Dancer’s Symposium were eliminated in the early rounds, Master Clash has provided the impetus for improvement. Large scale events such as these go a long way in raising the bar as they bring a lot of exposure.

The event also gave the CMU turntable crew an opportunity to perform alongside recognized DJs and for a large crowd for the first time.

Dynamic Rockers, from New York and represented by breakdancers Kid Glyde and Whorah, stood in first place. They received sunglasses, sneakers, and $500 in prizes. Mighty Zulu Kings of Ohio came in a close second and they received sunglasses and $200. One of the crowd favorites was bboy Toyz, from Lions of Zion. The event was judged by Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady Crew.

There were raffles all night long giving away Kashi Kicks,sunglasses, and free gifts such as T-shirts and posters. The crowd was also encouraged to come dance in between rounds of the tournament, when the floor erupted in freestyle circles called “cyphers,” which made it an entertaining night.

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