Analysis of the Editor

"Distortion is Buck" (June 8,2006):

Last night I was at a krumping session and I noticed differences between dancers but I'm not sure if the difference comes from existential states of the dancer's consciousness due to sociocultural conditions (e.g. ethnic differences of African American instead of Latino; class differences; ooppressed psychology arising from different forms of racism in different parts of LA), generational differences (e.g. krumpers from the movie Rize, which are first generation krumpers, or recent second/third generation krumpers) of those conditions or environmental condititions that arise from community differences (e.g. Los Angeles or San Fernando Valley). These structural conditions inform the cultural expression of the dancers but how? These research questions need to be examined.

So, anyway, the differences of dance forms I noticed arose from younger dancers demonstrating a generally more aesthetic form whereas the first generation krumping school of thought is based on strength and force. The first generation dancers did not nurture the new krumpers and a comment was made on "newbies" by a younger krumper trained by the firsts generation dancers. The first generation dancers do not attend SFV sessions even though this practice session was in the Valley. Another krumper responded, when asked why he didn't show up to sessions anymore, was I have been busy with work through auditions and paid dancing gigs for music videos and media.

"Distortion is Buck." A young first generation krumper said that. Youth have a fresh perception of culture and are trying to come to terms with it constantly as well as create it as participating in it and reshaping it to their own style.

If a krumper comes from a middle class strata then it suggests, but needs verification, the dancing style is more aestetic rather than rugged. When I say rugged I mean postures that show strength, agressivness, forcefulness by chest popping, arm swinging and yelling. When I say aesthetic I mean movements that are include strenght postures but addionally have jolt popping, foot moves and have combinations. Music includes not only rugged, played in a minor key with distinct beats but remixes of popular culture theme songs (e.g. Inspector Gadget, and Rugrats). Both show their skill in the crispness and acrobatic quality of body movements

This has an impact on my efforts to create a graphical representation of krumping in the 818. Right now I am leaning towards the graffitti art theme but alternatives lie in the distortion theme taken by Krump Kings web site or a more militaristic theme like this web site begins to adopt (though not successfully). The use of colors, graphics, images and visual imagery create and reinforce cultural aspects of krumping. They also will spawn similar and dissimilar graphics to come so what will be the precedent? What implications does this precedent hold? How far will graphics extend into other avenues of the krumping community? For example, are some graphics more economically marketable than others; do some graphic styles offend mainstream sensibilities more and do those sensibilities deny the oppositional nature of krumping; how many krumpers really know and embrace tagging and graffitti artist ideals: etc?

Violence and War (June 6, 2006):

What is the relationship between the military themes in krumping and non violent tendencies towards gangs.

This has an impact on the graphical representations of the web site and promotion material for krumping. Even though the Bush political regime tends toward extreme militarism as social solutions (some say Facism) the unquestioned societal assumptions allow military motifs, even in krumping. But what is to be said about the anti-gang path that krumpers definitely ascribe to? Most krumpers want to dance in peace without hating or being hated upon. It is rare for that to occur and on the surface it does not happen at 818 sessions. But, it is a factor when one session is located in the heart of gang territory. African American krumpers are aware of the dangers when they travel through public transportation to arrive at an area they do not feel safe. Gangs in the area confront them as they get off the train calling out gang names and asking if they dance krump using perjorative words.

Tolerance to ethnic differences in SFV krumping as I have seen it has been acheived but why is this the case? Could it be because the locations I run are in ethnic white and economically affluent neighborhoods? Is it just the sites I have chosen for krumping or is it the Valley at large? Unlike the high profile reports in some Los Angeles High Schools, and gang related hate crimes seem not to be a factor in violent altercations in schools here--at least they are not reported. It cannot be that SFV is a perfect multicultural utopia amongst Latinas/os, Chicanas/os, African-Americans, Armenian-Americans, European-Americans, and Asian-Americans but it does not have the severity of Los Angeles context (though I don't have first account observations).

Gangs are separate from krumping and it has no place in krumping but what is the meaning with the other military themes in krumping? Krumping is not pacifist, it does not endeavor to end confrontation but it does not encourage violenct acts either. Physical violence has no place in krumping but the non-physical release of frustrations are dominant in the krump dance performance. The fact remains that krumping is a negotiation with abstract violent sociocultural frustrations arising from

Analysis of the Editor

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