Bringing the Light

MGM COTAI is kicking off the year’s entertainment lineup with the dynamic presence of world famous hip hop dance group Jabbawockeez.  Hailing from San Diego, California, the group will perform their high energy show JABBAWOCKEEZ – true to yourself, tailored specially for the MGM Theater, until March 31, captivating audiences with their slick choreography, blended seamlessly with a vibrant multi-media show. 

 

With a resident show currently in MGM Grand Las Vegas, this is the first time for the group to have a residency in Asia.

 

“Our show is ultimately about inspiration, it’s about light, and it’s about being true to yourself. So we’re just trying to inspire and bring the light out of everyone and our audience,” explains Joe “Punkee” Larot, one of the founding members of the group, which first formed in 2003 and skyrocketed to fame when they won the first season of America’s Best Dance Crew in 2008.

 

Having designed the show to fully utilize the state-of-art audio-visual technology of the MGM Theater, upon their arrival, the group’s first challenge was to familiarize themselves with their new home.

 

“The theater is amazing. It’s definitely a cool playground for us because the stage is so dynamic and the new technology that’s in there is wow!” says Joe. “It’s just like a big playground and a challenge for us too, to incorporate these new technologies that have never been used. We are definitely going to play with all the toys we have in there.”

 

As well as their tightly choreographed moves, the group is renowned for their unusual appearance, choosing to always wear distinctive white face masks to hide their identities on stage.

 

“We’re about unity, it’s about the art first, more than anything,” notes Phil “SB” Tayag. “So there isn’t one all-star person, one person that can outshine the others.  When we put the masks on, then all you’re paying attention to is the art and the dance and the message, as opposed to who physically looks like what, what colour they are and where they’re from.  It’s not about the background, it’s just about the art.”

 

Once the masks come off however, the members’ identities are revealed, along with their background, which is predominantly Asian American.  And while the group clearly doesn’t want this to be a focal point, at the 2008 AXA (Asian Excellence Awards), they did win the Favorite Reality TV Star, so clearly the fans do notice.

 

“At the time we really made it on TV for our debut, there was maybe a bit of a stereotype in the US that Asians couldn’t dance. We wore masks, and people accepted the art for what it was, so when we unmasked, everyone was surprised,” says Joe. “Ultimately that’s what it’s all about, there’s talent and beauty within everyone, and we just happen to be Asian American.”

 

Another intriguing aspect of this group is of course their name, inspired by the title of a poem by Lewis Carroll, the author of the timeless children’s story Alice in Wonderland. 

 

“The Jabberwock was a dragon in the Tulgey Woods, so we took that persona in terms of the dance culture we were in at the time.  We wanted to be that mysterious dragon, that figment of their imagination in the hip hop community, so we adopted that name,” explains Kevin “Kb” Brewer.

 

As part of their mission to spread light and inspiration, Jabbawockeez have also been involved in a number of community projects. 

“We all love people, so we are grateful to be able to leverage our talent and our passion for what we do in the hope that we can inspire that person who is going to affect tremendous change,” says Kevin.

 

In collaboration with MGM, the group is sharing their talent and passion with local fans and enthusiasts, by hosting some dance workshops.

 

“We’re just spreading love through music and dance, and vibing with the community of Macau and the youth,” says Jeff “Phi” Nguyen. “The youth are really important to us because we were those kids at one point, and now that we’re in a position to share our knowledge and wisdom with the youth, it’s a real blessing.”

 

A member of the local dance community, Yelo said after the workshop: “I have been practicing hip hop for five years and participated in many local dance workshops.  This is the very first time that is hosted by a hotel operator in which we can have such world-renowned dance crew to interact with the Macau community.  This is a rare opportunity that I can learn from Jabbawockeez.”  

 

Kevin “Kb” Brewer from Jabbawockeez commented: “I’m pleasantly surprised as the ability of the local dance community is beyond my expectations. I tried to do something that is of a medium level, not too easy and not too difficult to see where the people were at, and they all got it!” 

 

 

 

Date: March 2 – March 31

Time: Wednesdays to Fridays, 8pm

Saturdays, 6pm and 8:30pm

Sundays, 4pm and 6:30pm

Mondays and Tuesdays, Dark Days

 

Venue: MGM Theater at MGM COTAI

Avenida da Nave Desportiva, Cotai, Macau

 

Ticket Price: MOP388, MOP488, MOP588, and MOP988

Online Ticketing: tickets.mgm.mo

Ticketing Hotline: (853) 8802 3833 (24 hours)

Ticketing Office Operating Hours: 10:00-22:00

Hong Kong 006 800 8802 1888, (001 800) 8802 1888

China 4001 201 188

Taiwan (00800) 8802 1888