January 2012
5 posts
Paranoid Android's Contender Program: A King... →
If you haven’t started following, get on it. Starting week 3 of the Contender Program, and we have our official sponsors…read more.
imnotyoursteppingstone:
When starting this project I knew I wanted to incorporate and collaborate with certain people. I made a list. At the top of that list was, “Kings Without Crowns”. I sent over a lengthy pitch and where my goals were for the...
Paranoid Android's Contender Program: The strength... →
imnotyoursteppingstone:
The point of this project is to better illustrate the complex nature of growing up in this art. The education that is available, the education you have to seek out, and the things that can’t be taught. As far as some specifics go, I will be the resident trainer for the project but I will not be…
Paranoid Android's Contender Program. →
This years new project at a new address.
Follow the new blog, and find out just what it takes…
…to be a contender.
My 2012 project has officially started.
Enjoy, follow, repost, and stay tuned for updates.
November 2011
2 posts
The King of Clean...
A Review of the 2011 Red Bull BC One.
BC One has ended and if you’ve only watched replays or YouTube and didn’t watch it live then you simply missed out. This years BC One was by far the best BC One yet, nothing short of miraculous.
However, the kick off was a complete lackluster as we opened with a starring contest between El Nino and Lagaet. If you were expecting anything like last...
Notes from the Underground.
“But the reason why he wants sometimes to go off at a tangent may just be that he is predestined to make the road, and perhaps, too, that however stupid the “direct” practical man may be, the thought sometimes will occur to him that the road almost always does lead somewhere, and that the destination it leads to is less important than the process of making it.”
-Fyodor Dostoevsky,...
October 2011
1 post
Who is #16?
This week Redbull BC One announces their last competitor, #16. So, who is number #16?
Well, to be quite honest, I don’t know. However, what I do know is that it isn’t me. This past year has by far been the most eye opening, once in a lifetime type experience. I set out on a mission to make it on Red Bull BC One, and I fell short. I had ups, I had downs, but I wasn’t alone. What...
August 2011
2 posts
The Turn.
Just got done returning Red Bull’s email about all things relevant.
Stay tuned, updates are on their way.
Nothing gold can stay...
Look familiar?
“Lilou’s Road to Red Bull BC One”
“Follow Red Bull BC One 2009 champion Lilou as he takes you through his training regiment and process prepping for Red Bull BC One. Be sure to check out the annotations at the end of the video for more info.”
http://youtu.be/Bgg6ODaqK9k
Who would I be if I didn’t say something about this? Am I to be...
July 2011
3 posts
Painting yourself into a corner.
It’s hard to know where to start. Truth is WBC was just embarrassing. I haven’t been that upset in a long time, flying too close to the sun. Reaching for the stars only to have the latter kicked out from under you. Perhaps there are excuses, but not worth the time to conjure, explain, or hold accountable. So what’s important then? What did we learn? Well, the most obvious is that...
All roads lead here.
So this is it. Here I am only hours away from competing at World Bboy Classics. In what may be one the biggest battles of my life. It took everything I had to get here, but much like life the competition is a gamble. I don’t know who my partner will be, but am excited and honored to share the floor with any of the other 16 invited guests. We only get so many chances in this life, and now in...
June 2011
6 posts
Floorwars.
I know what I did wrong this past weekend, and more importantly what I can do better. Ever since I hurt my ankle in April, I haven’t been able to run which I’ve realized has big one of the biggest factors in energy. I’ve simply lacked it lately and it has drastically affected my training. As a result my performance was lacking this past weekend. Truth be told, I needed a good ass...
Infinite.
I spent over 30 hrs. training last week, and I didn’t write a single thing about it. Mainly because I had absolutely nothing nice to say about it. I dragged my ass to practice, I dragged my ass home. Dragging the lake for fish that simply weren’t there. It was an awful practice week, there’s no way around it, and now it’s over. We fall simply to rise, we are deprived so we...
The Man of Tommorow.
I’ve been training for months now, I’ve had set backs, I’ve had leaps forward. I’ve gotten injured, I’ve spent time healing. I’ve had my spirit tested, I’ve had my muscles pushed past their limits. I’ve met with my fears, I’ve made peace with my demons. All the way I’ve pushed and pushed. You’ve gotta dig really deep into who you...
Passion running parallel.
A crew has to be more than gathered talent. It has to be more than competitions and battles. A crew has to be about friendship and brotherhood. It has to be a mutual understanding and appreciation between like minded artists. It has to be where your head and your heart put forth their talents. These are the people that march into war with you fearlessly. They are the ones that pick you up when...
Dog days.
I really had to take a loss this past week having gotten sick early in the week. I continued to put a few hours in every day which only led to worse health. There’s nothing worse than a summer cold. The lesson here, don’t try to train when you’re sick, just get the necessary rest. I don’t always listen to not only my own but other people’s sound advice. Guilty. Lesson...
Going the distance.
When approaching competitive breakin’ you have to fully understand what you’re in for so you can prepare yourself appropriately. Once you understand a more typical format and what is expected of you, you can further gear your practice to that effect. This is of course mainly oriented towards 1 on 1 competitions, mainly because they are the most demanding and enduring. Again, this is an...
May 2011
15 posts
Don't call it a comeback!
I’ve been here for years. I’ve been dancing the way I dance for a long time, constantly growing, learning and adapting. I’m not trying to say that I was ahead of my time but certainly displaced in time. The development of our scene is definitely circular now and again, trends become popular, lose popularity and then resurface. All the while there are many aspects of our dance...
Pit stop.
So every once and a while I really have to step back and take a look at it all. I have to evaluate the direction of things, and most importantly, where my head’s at. I have to make sure this project itself doesn’t become the reason for the project. As much as I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned I have to make sure I am doing this for me. It can’t be just about BC One, it...
Sweat the technique.
You can’t keep sprinting all the time, so it’s ok to ease off and let the body take the time it needs to heal and soak up all this new information. I do my best to get in at least 4-5 days a week, and even at 4 days a week 6 hours a day that’s 24 hours worth of training a week. I can live with that. On a good week at 5-6 days of training, 6 hours a day, that’s over 30 hours...
Stripes.
I think with all the information that’s being streamlined this day and age a lot of people know more than they’ve learned. So much information is accessible that it’s cutting out a lot of actual learning experience. Be conscious of the differences in this dance between those who live it and those who’ve experienced it vicariously through the internet. I’m not saying...
Pens & Swords.
Judging needs to be taken more seriously, I am thoroughly upset with some of the judging I’ve seen lately. Not just referring to “bad calls” but an overall attention and fulfilment of your responsibility. It’s bad enough we have judges that haven’t been in the scene for years, are sometimes a non-established bboy, or simply unqualified but in addition you’re gonna be unattentive?
Please do...
Famous last words.
I’ve been so inspired to dance lately, that I have been finding it more and more difficult to find time to write. As much as I love writing, dancing obviously comes first. Being artistically inclined is much like being in a relationship. There is good days and bad days, but there is passion. To really take those steps to self discovery you truly have to be self involved. If you don’t...
"Where there is fire, we will bring gasoline."
Something about going to New York really threw gasoline on the fire. I came home with a clear head and I’m as inspired as ever. My body feels fantastic, and it definitely wasn’t the “Garbage Plate” but thanks anyways Rochester. Had to work out double to work that off, but what I can I say, “When in Rome”. Maybe it was just the long needed vacation. Or maybe it...
Let's be clear.
When I get the chance I like to read feedback as far as some of my work goes. I’m always surprised about the amount of support I am receiving. There is also plenty of objections to what I’m doing, and things that come up in debate. Seeing as I don’t have the time to address each one individually, I just want to clear a few things up. I’m not here to become famous, or make...
Upstate New York This Weekend.
“The Journey Inward” continues to upstate New York.
This specific workshop and some of the things I will be teaching will be a limited run. Which means the way the workshop is being taught is exclusive to “The Journey Inward”. I will tour with these specific concepts and emphasis for the next few months, then I will redesign a new workshop. I will take few months or so...
Everyday.
Everyday is a struggle and a victory. It’s hot and cold, it’s limping and flying. We find ourselves thrown into a sea of wonder. Contemplating our futures, where all this hard work will get us. We question our ability as humans, our connections, how far our influence spans. How strong the ripples are in our pond. This journey, this trek to find our humanity, our place in this world...
Public Information.
The dispute between BBW or Super Moderator Teck and myself is now public knowledge. In addition I am not afraid to make this information public whereas he is. Now, not only has he refused to explain the situation but deleted the discussion, then moved it to a different section, put a lock on the discussion so no one could say anything else, and to top it off has renamed it “WTF? What’s...
Up in arms.
This is a quote from the BBW Forum where supporters have presented their issues with censorship for my project.
“There has to be a reason why, he’s being censored because at this point it’s not just arbitrary thread/post deletion. This Orwellian 1984, big brother system that seems to have run a muck needs to be stopped immediately. This man is a poet of our dance, a...
Circadian Rhythm.
If you haven’t noticed already, my circadian rhythm is off. I’ve been having more trouble sleeping at night, and as a result have been sleeping in later. This is obviously not the first time this type of internal timing has been off in my career. I’m sure many of you have had similar situations. I’m still getting in just about the same amount of hours but it’s just...
Road Blocks.
My interview with The BBoy Network that talks about some of the ideas of bettering our art, and preserving our culture, has been deleted from Bboy World. No matter how people try to bring me down, no matter how many times they delete my clips from BBW, no matter how many negative things they have to say, I press on. I don’t care about your ridiculous dispositions to oppose my ideas. Your...
April 2011
20 posts
Satisfaction.
Even I have to step back sometimes and re-evaluate my goals, and my methods. This project is changing everything I’ve known about myself, my body and this dance. Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains it’s original dimensions.” For as much time as I spend training and putting my body to the test I spend an equal amount of time...
Splitting hairs.
Another main focus this past weekend was eating well. Since I am away from my comfort zone I can’t train the same simply prepare for the competition to the best of my ability. However, I made it a major focus of mine to eat as well as possible. Mainly light foods, a Subway type diet, wheat breads, high proteins, a little Sushi, water, Chicken, more water, and energy bars. I try not to eat...
Back on the chain gang.
Started running a new method today I’m calling extraction. It’s the same premise as circuit training without the emphasis on stamina even though it’s enduring and requires quite a bit of stamina. The idea is to extract as many movements from freestyling as possible. Patterns, combinations, different levels and rhythms. You do want to take your time in doing so, but not so slow...
The Hitchhikers Guide to Breakin'.
I’ve been on the road every weekend for the last month, travelling takes it’s toll. I’m happy to be able to get back to training. There’s something to be learned out there that you won’t be able to find in your comfort places, your familiars. If you never go out there and see what there is, you’ll never be molded by new perspectives of the world. You’ll...
Logical progression.
Took it a bit easier today, allowing my body to heal and recover from all of the training. Letting myself rest and practice meticulously for this weekends competition.Listening to my body. For the last 4 months I’ve had to rearrange my rounds and range of movement based on a major injury. I’ll be throwing quite a few new moves and ideas this weekend. I know they aren’t at their...
Postcards from the future.
I talked about this at my last workshop, mainly because I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it myself. In light of injuries both big and small and the continuously pressing issue of aging in this sport there’s one question you have to ask yourself…
What will you do when your body gives?
For myself and so many others this is your life. This is what you’ve chosen to do,...
Am I sponsored?
I get this question a lot.
No, I am not sponsored. I’m not getting hooked up with boxes of free gear. I’m not doing this for Nike or Converse. I do not receive a pay check for working my ass off. I’m not getting travel, food or training expenses taken care of by anyone other than myself. No one has given me a contract for doing this, I’m not on commercials or in Adidas...
Elephant in the room.
As we have progressed further into a more dynamic age of breaking we are losing a lot of artistry and in turn culture. All these tricks, power and flips are the fast food of our sport. No one is taking the time to prepare a decent meal. Instead of refining our craft, it has become a race for power, no pun intended.
Again,
The best dancers are not winning battles, the best athletes are.
Why are...
225 Days, 3 hours, 34 minutes, 26 seconds.
I always tell my students, and in turn myself, everything can change in 6 months. You want to take your career and goals 6 months at a time. Evaluate where you’re at, where you want to be, and where you should be. Six months can change everything, the way you move, how fast you can be and your way of thinking. It’s not too short a time line, it’s not too long. When contemplating...
The philosopher's stone.
Today, something incredible happened, and it wasn’t the feel of my stamina breaking through, my arms reaching new strengths or my creativity travelling through the uncharted. No, It wasn’t any of these things. It was a basic human connection, the feel that we are all connected in this struggle. The belief that we can succeed, we can open new doors and reach new plateaus with each...
Line 'em up.
So the official list for World Bboy Classic has been announced.
1. Lilou
2. Hong 10
3. Yaman
4. Neguin
5. Nasty Ray
6. Hurricane Ray
7. Sunni
8. El Nino
9. James Puppet
10. Al One
11. AT
12. P.A.
13. Morris
14. Alkolil
15. Tawfiq
16. Nono
It’s a tall order.
Regardless of who I get paired up with, the one essential benefit I’ll have is that my specific style will be...
Just because I could.
I was done at 11 am this morning after biking 20 miles and then having my personal trainer make me do speed and agility training. My body was spent then, but I kept on. Today was perhaps the hardest I’ve ever trained in my life. Although I’ve done a 6.5 hour training day before, it was the hardest 6.5 hours I’ve ever endured. I ended the night with one of my sparring partners...
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow, I get back on it. I spent a nice birthday weekend taking time to enjoy my loved ones and celebrate my supporters. Now it’s time to continue to train until I can barely stand, barely move, barely imagine what life was like before these feelings.
“On the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers ...
Today.
Today I took some time to think about a question a friend Alfonso asked me this weekend. How did I get to the position where I’m at mentally. Where did I attain the knowledge I have or what it is I have to share? Well, I’ve listened, I’ve spoken up, and I’ve spoken out. I’ve learned when I’ve needed to learn, and I’ve taught when I’ve need to...
Yesterday.
Yesterday I turned 27 years old. I spent the day teaching workshops in Los Angeles. I sat there and watched young aspiring bboys try to better themselves in this dance and in this world. Getting to share my message, and being paid in attention is a gift worth receiving. My birthday was modest, simple and amazing. Every new face I meet, every talk I have, everyone I help, makes me that much better,...