Jul 28 2017

Buildabeast Re-Cap 2017

By sparkleslund | Convention, Dance, Work | No Comments

Buildabeast was a huge success this year! For those who are new here, Buildabeast is an animal convention……lol…..annual convention put on by the owners and co-founders of ImmaBeast: Willdabeast Adams and Janelle Ginestra, aka: Mama and Papa Beast. I have been training under this newly engaged couple for going-on 4 years and I have learned so much. They ask us to bring improvement to every class. One thing for sure, they brought enormous improvement. Will and Janelle have probably improved more in the past year than any dancer or choreographer that I know. It’s a blessing to witness and completely inspiring to work with immaBeast.

With that being said, let’s get into the recap.

with Mallory Jul

Our whole team began rehearsals weeks ago, to ensure a phenomenal show. On the Friday before the event started, our crew arrived at the venue in Pomona to block the show and smooth out traditions. We rehearsed from Friday until Monday, and then on Tuesday, the event that we had all been looking forward to finally began! The first class was taught by Laura Edwards, followed by Noelle Marsh, etc. That night, we had show rehearsal once again.

The next day, class, etc. After a long day of classes, we had rehearsal for a very special concert that I will get to later…. The next day, same schedule, except now it is the night of the concert for none other than Jordan Fisher! I met Jordan the first time I auditioned for immaBEAST back in 2014, and we’ve kept in touch ever since. He is killing the music game right now so make sure you check him out. The next day, we had a super early rehearsal before class even started and after that rehearsal I took a real good nap. I mean a girl’s gotta rest right? After my “recharge” I assisted Allison Holker which was so life changing! We ended the day with the spectacular Sean Lew’s class. Then it was finally the night of our much-anticipated immaBeast showcase!

Our show opened with the world renowned Chapkis Dance Company. Their set was absolutely insane and set the bar very high for the rest of us. Seeing their greatness just motivated the rest of us to dance our best, which we sure did! The show went great and we finished off the night with a fun after party DJ’d by the one and only DJ Marv.

The final day consisted of the heart and soul of Buildabeast: AUDITIONS FOR 2018 IMMABEAST! We had to audition Will’s combo from earlier in the week so everyone had a chance to practice before-hand, but the extra time also raised the standard because everyone rehearsed the combo to perfection. The audition was stressful, but overall a great experience. The last part of the day were the immaBeast awards, where I received “On the Rise” which means I show “constant improvement and really on the way to greatness” – once I got a “Girl On Fire” award – feels the same.

with Jordan Fisher

This week was so very inspiring and I can’t wait for next year. – To see the faculty members – click to check out this post –

Next Up……..

DPAC has their annual summer show at the Clark Center called Eat, Sleep, Dance, Repeat. That is a must see event for locals! Tickets at the door – 6 PM Curtain Up.

I am looking forward to working with #teamcapezio at DancerPalooza! Watch @capezio on instagram for the live streaming all weekend during Beat Street. I will be interviewing Tate McRae, Melinda Sullivan, Emma HellenKamp, Kalani Hilliker, and photographer Jordan Matter. You will also be able to watch behind the scenes of my photoshoot with Jordan! Of course, I will also be doing spot interviews with my other favorite dancers and choreographers – some special guests guaranteed!

Jun 23 2017

1

Road to Buildabeast 2017 – inside scoop

By sparkleslund | Convention, Dance | 2 Comments

Now on its third year, Buildabeast 2017 #babe17 is set up to the the biggest and best hip hop convention on the planet.

If you follow my blog, I have written about the first two Buildabeasts here. The short recap is that the first event was held at the Marriott Burbank, a popular dance convention hotel. It’s one of the largest convention spaces in all of Los Angeles and Buildabeast sold out the first year. Last year, they moved the event to the Los Angeles Fairgrounds facility – Sheraton Fairplex and convention center. The place is massive. Last year, they sold out half of the building. This year, they are taking over the whole building and will be running two stages!

Here is a little inside scoop – the theme for Buildabeast this year is School.

You will see all of the immaBEAST company members following a costume plan. Wednesday is Rubix Cube day. All of us will be wearing colors from the Rubix Cube. Thursday is Black and White with immaBEAST turquoise flair. Friday is sports day, and if you know Willdabeast – you can imagine that there will be a lot of Golden State Warriors gear!

If you have not already purchased you ticket, be sure to do so now! They are not sold out yet, but it looks like they are on track to sell out soon. Buy Buildabeast tickets here. BTW – the Convention hotel at the Sheraton Fairplex is sold out. Reach out to the Buildabeast staff to get information on the secondary hotels. There are lots nearby. Don’t camp – its too hot in Pamona.

Eight of the faculty members have been announced. But here is a quick list : Brian Friedman, Tricia Miranda, Twitch, Allison Holker, Hollywood, Andye J, Laurie Courtellemount, FrankieJ, Amanda Grind, Robert Green, Andrew Winghart, Willadabeast, Janelle Ginestra, Taiwan, Jade Chynoweth, Noah Tratree. It is an excellent blend of the top working choreographers and teachers along with some of the greatest dancers in the world who are now teaching – Jade – Noah….. and you can be sure that Taylor Hatala and Sean Lew will both be teaching too.

Oh – and another inside note – the Friday night gala is amazing and will be full of celebrities. Bring your fancy clothes. Aside from hundreds of the top choreographers in the game – there will be some superstars. For example, Usher showed up last year.

The entire immaBEAST team has already started rehearsals for different pieces. I will be in a ladies piece choreographed by Janelle Ginestra. I have never danced with such extraordinary dancers in my life. Love Love Love. Gorgeousness

Of course, when Buildabeast is over, the immaBEAST auditions begin. Every year, Will and Janelle rebuild their team from scratch. No current team member is guaranteed to be retained for next year’s team. I have loved being on the team as a lilbeast, and now teenbeast. The training, friendships, and career development have been extraordinary. I will be busting my butt to make the cut.

Help Teen Beasts Get Dinner At Mastros!

Our company video this year is awesome – the teenbeasts and lilbeasts each have their own. Will told us that he will buy dinner at Mastros for the team that has the most views. Please watch our video.

First ImmaBEAST audition

Jun 19 2017

1

Janelle Ginestra Choreo to Marian Hill Down

By sparkleslund | Dance, Stuff I Like, Uncategorized, Work | No Comments

Janelle Ginestra Crushes This Choreo to Marian Hill – Down

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I was training last week in Los Angeles. Every Monday we have IMMABEAST company class, and the rest of the week I took class at Millennium and IMMASPACE. IMMASPACE has really begun to attract some of the hottest choreographers on the planet that are innovating in dance. (download IMMASPACE app here to see class schedule). It has become a special place to train, not only because of the great choreographers, but the IMMASPACE itself has developed a special character. Most of all, the general dance public does not know about IMMASPACE yet – so the dancers that it attracts for training are typically a combination of IMMABEAST dancers and that choreographers’ biggest fans. The room caps out at 60 dancers, so there is lots of room to move.

Of course, when you think of IMMABEAST, you think of Willdabeast. But when you dig in, you see that IMMABEAST is as much about Will Adam’s fiancé Janelle Ginestra as it is Will. They are truly partners in everything. Like yin and yang. It is outstanding to witness. Each of them make powerful contributions to the dance industry in so many ways, but most importantly – they help dancers like me to get better and to focus on the things that will help drive success both personally and professionally.

Stylistically, I think that my style of dance is closer to Janelle’s than it is to Will’s. Ginestra blends the hard-hitting style of hip-hop with contemporary movements of powerful female bodies. You feel like a strong woman when you dance to Janelle’s choreography. Some hip-hop is so strong that it drops the femininity that women bring to dance. Janelle’s style lets girls be girls, and lets boys be boys. I love it.

About Marian Hill

Marian Hill is actually two people: Jeremy Lloyd and vocalist Samantha Gongol. The two hale from Bryn Mawr Pennsylvania – outside of Philadelphia. They met in junior high, and really became relevant artists in 2015 when the release of their single “One Time,” leading up to their debut album; Once Act in 2016. Apple gave them a big boost when they debuted their iPhone 7 + AirPods to this song, “Down” during the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks playoff game. The commercial featured Lil Buck gravity dancing to “Down.” The combination of Samantha’s iconic voice with the creativity of Jeremy’s electronic musicality makes for excellent dance music. (If you need some good solo music – check this out. If you have not seen the YouTube video for “Down,” you gotta check it out .

The director for the video was Jack Begert of Psycho Films – produced by Sam Canter and Tyler Sobel-Mason. What they did with the elevator was truly outstanding. Awesome work in post production too! Graphics editing was WOW!

Janelle Ginestra did an outstanding job developing choreography for the song. Its quirky, artistic, and both hard and soft at times. There is a lot of intricate movement with hands, and great opportunities to play with the choreography as a dancer. I loved the class and am so excited that Janelle featured our group in her class video.

Check it out here – I come in at about the 2:44 min mark – Front Row, Far right – yellow shirt.

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Jun 17 2017

2

Summer Has Started With a Roar

By sparkleslund | Dance, Stuff I Like, Travel | No Comments

The last day of school was Friday, June 9^th. We celebrated the graduation of seniors from A.G. High School that I have danced with my whole life. It is astonishing to see them move on to the next chapter of their lives. As for me, it was a 6 a.m. departure to Los Angeles for a……long…..one day music video shoot for Dylan Diamond. We were on location for most of the day on location of “Pimp My Ride,” at West Coast Customs – will share when the video comes out. It was great to work with so many immaBEAST dancers. Our small group was Jordyn Jones, Natalie Bebko , Phoenix, and Jason Hancock. It was fun to meet celebrity YouTuber Logan Paul.

After driving home on Sunday, I returned to LA again on Monday for immaBEAST company class with Cat Cogliandro. It was transformative. I cried a lot. THANK YOU! After a busy school year, I needed that therapeutic release. I was so stoked by her combination of movement and message that I took her class again at Millennium on Wednesday – ahhhhhh – so good.

I am falling in love with Ventura Boulevard – the amazing restaurants and my favorite shops. Last night after immaBEAST class I was able to reconnect with my good friend Kennadi Boese and her mom for dinner at Granville. The angel hair pasta with chicken is soooooo good. It really hit the spot. Of course, YogurtLand near Laurel Canyon is the best way to finish a long day. I absolutely love where I live and all of my friends in AG, but it is especially wonderful to have more friends and my special places in Los Angeles.

For the first time, I will be presenting my original choreography at Hollywood Vibe Nationals competing for Teen Dancer of the Year. It’s the next step on my journey as a dancer to gain skills and confidence creating choreography and collaborating with so many amazing people who influence me. Through the process of finding your own style, you realize that you are a product of the great dancers and teachers that you work with. Dance is truly a craft that is passed from generation to generation. Thank you to all of my mentors, especially Brooke Lipton, Heidi Asefvaziri, and Janelle Ginestra. You are all goddesses and you shine a light on my path.

Sorry School of Rock. I would have been great to work with you today. Wish it would have worked out. Many thanks to MSA for the effort. But when one door closes, another opens –

This month is Pride month in Los Angeles. Instagram worked with luxury designer Paul Smith to convert their famous pink wall into a rainbow to celebrate Pride. It made a perfect backdrop for my monthly Capezio photo shoot, and I found the most fantastic hat at the Burton store.

I will be on location at DancerPalooza this summer as a spokesperson for Capezio. I will be webcasting live interviews with the world’s greatest dancers – can’t wait! Be sure to follow Capezio’s channels on Instagram and Facebook if you want to see what that is all about. I will be around their booth whenever possible.

Jun 01 2016

3

BuildaBeast 2016 Choreographers Announced

By sparkleslund | Convention, Dance | One Comment

I am so excited for the 2016 BuildaBeast Experience!

Last year’s event was epic. Here is my post from a year ago. This year’s is going to be even better.

Here is the promotional video that was just released with the teachers lined up for this year. This is probably one of the best intensives in hip-hop you could ever attend – not only because of the great teachers, but also because of the great dancers. It is such a privilege to train with Will and Janelle and the immaBEAST family of dancers. Every single one is a working professional dancer and the top 10 minis, teens, and immas are among the top dancers in the world. Look at any job and you see them. I was at an audition last week with 200 dancers. At the end of the audition, there were 15 people who went to video. 11 of them are #immaBEASTS.

If you want a career as a professional dancer, come to #buildaBEAST2016. I have discount codes available if you message me. I am only able to give out so many, so first come, first serve.

Remember, the #buildaBEAST2016 event is also the warm up to audition for the team. The team changes every year as Will and Janelle only pick the best. Everyone auditions, including current team members. They do not play favorites – just pick the best dancers.

2016-2017 will be an amazing year of growth for #immaBEAST. Every year the team gets more and more opportunities. What began as a popular YouTube group has grown to booking jobs on TV (Ellen, SYTYCD, Voice, DWTS, BET and other Award Shows), Movies (Straight out of Compton and others), and Commercials (too many to mention). #Immabeast is represented by BTB Management, and BBR Agency.

Get Your Tickets NOW athttp://immabeast.co/buildab…
BuildaBEAST is a 5 day long dance camp event in Los Angeles, California taking place on July 18th- July 22nd 2016. Come take Master Classes from WilldaBEAST, Janelle Ginestra, Tony Tzar, Kinjaz, Kay Kay, Twitch, Hollywood, Andrew Winghart, Frankie J, Laure Courtellemont, Codie Wiggins, BDash & Konkrete, and MORE.

Get your tickets NOW before they sell out! http://immabeast.co/buildab…

Here is the promo for the event – you must be sure to come!

Nov 01 2015

1

Happy Halloween

By Alexandra Lund | Dance | One Comment

Hi fam! I have three super fun things to tell you about my Halloween. First off, I was Flo from Progressive. Perfect, right?

Second, huge thank you to the Clark Center Performing Arts Foundation Board who provided me a scholarship to attend a ballet program this summer. As you might expect, these intensives are expensive.

Third, right after Hollywood Vibe in San Diego, we started work on a special YouTube video for Halloween to the song Animals by Nabiha (https://youtu.be/yT1bW3Cproc). The choreography was done by #immaBEAUTY Janelle Ginestra. We released the video on Halloween Day at noon.

A lot of my YouTube videos have been solo performances. Recently I have been changing that up because it is way more fun to dance with other kids. I cannot thank my friends enough for the hard work and time that they put into the video. There is normally one or two days of learning choreography. If you know Janelle, then you know that each rehearsal is about four hours and you go full out the whole time! If you think that taking a 1 or 1 ½ hour class at Millennium is intense – you have not lived. On top of that, they came back for a full day shoot directed by Helton Brazil Sequeira – or @directorBrazil.

I love every one of these girls and cannot thank them enough for their work #lilBEAST family rocks!

Jadyn Hernandez (@JadynHernandez715)

Jenna Z Alvarez (@JennaZAlvarez)

Savanna Kubat (@Savanna.Kubat)

Sofia Wylie (@Sofia_Dance10)

Tahani Anderson (@Tahani_Anderson) **Second Appearance – love her!

Vivien Lopez (@VivienLopez569)

Here is the video

Ok, wait – there is a fourth thing. 1 Million Views on YouTube – crazy right?

Nov 04 2014

0

WilldaBEAST Launches Trey Songz Video

By Alexandra Lund | Dance, Friends, Uncategorized, Work | No Comments

I am so lucky to be able to work with so many great choreographers like Los Angeles based Willdabeast. I am on his kids hip-hop crew #lilBEASTS. He has an older team that he works with called #immaBEAST. As I mentioned in my post last week – I have a secret…..

WilldaBEAST with his awesome partner Janelle Ginestra filmed an amazing dance to a new song called Touchin, Lovin by Trey Songz featuring the AMAZING Nicki Minaj. Janelle choreographed all of the parts with the girls in it and Will choreographed all of the parts for the boys. Janelle is the one in the gold shirt with the cute tall bun. I just love her style – she is SO full out! I think this song is going to be a hit and that all of us will be learning to dance to it this year.

I was on set when they were filming and had a chance to interview WilldaBEAST about what he calls “a concept video/music video.” He told me “The inspiration for this piece was big, clean – line choreography with the new swaggy style of 2014. ” If you follow WilldaBEAST, you know that his career is taking off in a huge way. He just won the Next Generation Award at the World Dance Awards 2014 signaling the industry’s view that he is the next exciting up and coming choreographer. All of us who know him already know that he is the BEAST!

I am so happy for Will. The new video is below. Be sure to click on his DVD offer at the end of the video. I was in that! You know that all of us dancers need all of the help we can get!

It is so great to be on Will’s team. I’m having so much fun!!!

If you want to download the song from iTunes click here. I gave you the link to the “clean” version by the way – the only one I’m allowed to listen to!

I will be releasing some new stuff that I worked on with WilldaBEAST in the next few weeks. Be sure to subscribe to my blog and/or subscribe to the Sparkles Lund YouTube page if you want to be notified when it drops.

Here is my #lilBEAST story