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‘Groovaloo’ set to  wow with hip-hop show

“Groovaloo” features the hip-hop dance of The Groovaloos, the L.A. freestyle crew that also made an appearance on the finale of “So You Think You Can Dance.”

ENLARGE PHOTO

"Groovaloo"

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Andrew McGinn, Staff Writer 4:31 PM Thursday, January 14, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — Bradley Rapier grew up skiing and playing hockey, the son of a doctor in Calgary, Alberta.

He’s black.

One night at a school dance, he saw a guy locking — a funky style associated with black urban Americans — and was amazed.

The guy was white.

As if Canadians weren’t weird enough, with their loonies and universal health coverage, they’ve got their stereotypes all messed up, too.

But stereotypes are meant to be broken, and that’s exactly what Rapier is doing with “Groovaloo,” an acclaimed new theatrical showcase for freestyle hip-hop dance — breaking, popping and locking to those in the know.

Break-dancing to everybody else.

The show, which embarked on its first national tour this week after an off-Broadway run, will play Kuss Auditorium later this month on Jan. 29.

Now 48 and the leader of a decade-old Los Angeles dance crew called The Groovaloos (the stars of the show), Rapier wanted to do two things with his stage show — to share the “incredible feeling” he felt when he first saw the human body twisted beyond what seemed humanly possible and to “break with the stereotype of what hip-hop is.”

It’s not about thugs or pit bulls.

It’s not even about being American.

Or black.

“It’s not a racial thing at all. It’s not an economic thing at all,” he said. “I’m a doctor’s son from Canada. It’s a beautiful thing that way.”

Here’s a guy — a black man brought up surrounded by white culture — who, upon his arrival in Los Angeles, was nominated for the title of King of Hip-Hop by the Dancers Alliance of L.A.

Not bad for a dude from Calgary, eh?

“There was no hip-hop culture,” Rapier recalled. “I had one family friend who would come over occasionally, and he could do the robot.”

It was a lonely existence for the Canadian b-boy and his multiracial crew, StreetScape.

“There was no one to battle,” Rapier said.

For all intents and purposes, Calgary was a million miles from the Bronx or Compton.

“Yes,” he said, “there are people that have done this dance that are from tough areas. You don’t have to come from that.”

All you need is some respect for the culture — the traditions, the music and those b-boys who came before.

“If you want to be down with it, if you don’t have that respect, you’re not down,” Rapier said.

Or to put it another way, Rapier calls on the words of his friend and influence, Popin’ Pete of the legendary Electric Boogaloos dance group — “If you’re funky, you’re in.”

“In Japan, there are more kids doing it than ever,” Rapier said. “Once a year in Germany, there’s a battle where 10,000 kids gather for no money, just a title.”

But before this tour started, Rapier was warned in advance that, “in some of the markets, hip-hop is a negative word.”

Funny, considering that hip-hop culture has engulfed the whole world for at least a quarter of a century now.

Those on the inside know it’s huge.

“It’s humongous all over the world, but we’re in it,” Rapier said. “It’s like architecture. If you’re into architecture, you realize there are 7,000 architects in your area.”

The “Groovaloo” show isn’t just a dance revue, Rapier said.

“It’s a lot of incredible dancing,” he said, “but it’s also a story.”

The story is culled from the members’ own lives.

“It’s a trained art form,” Rapier said, “but very early on, you are asked to put your own stamp on it. There has to be you in it. You very quickly get to see individuality. That’s why people think, ‘I can do that.’ ”

Last year, The Groovaloos got their best exposure yet when they were selected to help represent the United States on the NBC show “Superstars of Dance.”

The Argentinean team had people dancing the tango. The Irish team had step-dancers. The Russian team featured a soloist from the Bolshoi Ballet. And so on.

The American team had The Groovaloos.

“Some of the baddest breakers are in Korea,” Rapier said, “but the heart and soul is still here.”

The U.S. team at first was considering the Alvin Ailey ensemble, Rapier said, but instead it tapped a group of street dancers who’ve popped and locked alongside Michael Jackson, Madonna, Beyonce and countless others.

“It made sense,” Rapier said. “It’s a dance that’s captured everyone.”

The Americans won the NBC competition.

“This dance style, like jazz music, is an American creation,” Rapier said. “It is worldwide. It is underground and commercial all in one.”

Unbelievably, hip-hop dance has survived all odds.

It’s been exploited — remember the “Breakin’ ” movies back in the ’80s? — and it’s been used to help sell everything from Chicken McNuggets to iPods.

And yet it’s still cool.

“It’s got that wow factor,” Rapier said. “I’m still wowed by it. ‘That guy’s spinning on his head!’ ”

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0352 or amcginn@coxohio.com.