Hideous Getups Loose

Sex sells anyday, unflattering 80's sequined getups, not so much. Last nigth I tuned on MTV and the hippest dance competition show was on. America's Best Dance Crew is on it's fourth season and the level of talent is seemingly higher than past seasons. For every show, the super hyped-up crews who come from all corners of the country are assigned a challenge, for the second episode, the crews were assigned a song from the none other, Beyonce. The list of songs were pulled from Beyonce's latest album "I Am...Sasha Fierce", but there was a kick, the crews had to incorporate some kind of move or prop into their routine, but most importantly they had to make that routine their own. One of the all-female crews who claim they represent the real women in America, Artistry In Motion, was assigned one of the most recognizable and hottest track on the album, "Diva".

The sassy and zaftig women who looked like one of the favorites to reach at least the finale episode, showed up in some hideous attires that had me at "hello". Surprisingly enough, they end up at the bottom as well as AfroBorique, a Puerto Rican/Cuban sexsified salsa especialized crew, who seemingly think they are doing a show at a "clothing-optional" resort somewhere in the Caribbean, which sounds logical. For the Beyonce challenge, the amazonic-looking women from AfroBorike women showed up in some skimpy silver tops and matching mini-skirts, that looked more like some scrambles from a Versace knockoff. The three guys sexed it up by performing shirtless, which I'm sure raised the blood pressure to lots of teen girls and middle-age women and a couple of gay boys out there. But at least they looked the part. Sex is such a predominant factor in the industry today, that it almost makes me think. Is there something else?. AfroBorike swirled and grooved to "Beautiful Liar" and the judges seemed to enjoyed it. Well at least, Shane Sparks, the "thugged-down" choreographer whose comments often make me question his sexual orientation. Shane mentions, "That's the sexiest thing I ever seen" as he calls for a "slow-mo" of when the girls sensually throw themselves to their partners, which leads to the guys grabbing the girls by the waist and lifting them so that their p--sy is in front of the guy's face. I thought, seen it in some porno flick, sort of like a standing 69, but it looked like the trick worked for their advantage. Artistry In Motion had to outperfrom the other crew for the last coveted spot for next week show, but the decision was made and their dream (or at least their hopes) were damped as Mario Lopez, shouts "AfroBorike!" as the one who is moving on.

I don't think the ladies from Artistry In Motion performed badly, but the outfits did not help at all. The leader of the group (who looks quite familiar, I think she was on a different dance show called So You Think You Can Dance?) was wearing this unflattering baggy, blindingly shiny mini dress, while the rest had these sequined super retro tops in outdated colors that look like they could've work at a Mardi Gra parade. In other words, their looks did not scream "Diva".

Personally, I don't believe the outcome of the show does not rest entirely on how well that certain crew performs, but I do believe that fashion had to do with the final say of the judges. Let's look at the first season winners "The Jabbawockees", who always performed in white "Phantom of the Opera" masks in order to intensify the difficulty on identifying who is who whenever they were performing on stage. Not taking anything away from their usual flawless performances, breath-taking moves and impeccable skills. Their mystery and uniqueness was a contributing factor in their rise to their success. Recently, they have appeared in clothing brands ads in magazines, music videos, and even movies, now that tells you the magnitude and how influential this show is.

I really hope this is not the end for Artistry In Motion, there is definitely talent within those moves that captivated America, even for that short period of time they were on the show, but one last thing, please ladies, get yourself a stylist.

Pix: mtv.com