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Breaking Will Finally Debut at the Olympics. How Will Competitors Be Judged?

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PARIS (AP) — A brand new sport requires latest rules at the Olympic level. And while breaking — commonly called breakdancing — has been around for a long time, it remains to be latest to the world of Olympic judging.

The fights, moves and culture are nothing latest — breaking is certainly one of the 4 fundamental elements of hip-hop, which celebrated its fiftieth anniversary last yr. International competitions are nothing latest either — the Red Bull BC One World Final has been around for twenty years, and the sport resonated with younger audiences at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. Still, many remain skeptical about adding anything Olympic as they watch the final days of the Paris Games.

“I think critics have the misconception that breaking is still something from the ’80s or something that’s just in the streets, and I don’t think they realize how much it’s evolved,” said Ronnie Abaldonado, a b-boy Ronnie, a breakdancer who has been competing, judging and teaching for 31 years. Abaldonado is certainly one of the official commentators for NBC’s breaking competitions.

“It will be undeniable when they see it on the big stage and see the spectacle, the level of talent, even the high level of difficulty,” he said. “You can compare it to gymnastics.”

At its core, breaking is an art form that unites mind, body, and soul. Judges will rating breakers using the Trivium scoring system, created for breaking’s debut at the Youth Games in Buenos Aires. A panel of nine judges will evaluate each breaker based on technique, vocabulary, execution, musicality, and originality—each accounting for 20 percent of the final rating.

Breaking is scored qualitatively as a result of its roots as an art form, with judges using a sliding scale to attain each round and battle, adjusting the scale to the breaker who wins in each of the above criteria. Throughout, a hoop announcer will provide commentary and hype the crowd. The judges for the Olympic events haven’t yet been revealed.

“What looks so appealing to the naked eye are the power moves, like the ‘in the air’ moves, the head spins, the ground power that are like windmills and the freezes,” Abaldonado said. “It’s the power, control and speed that are also visually appealing.”

The judge will, nonetheless, search for the technical side, “which is like the footwork and dancing to the music or the beat, because that’s like the DNA of breaking,” Abaldonado said. In addition, he said, there needs to be a component of improvisation, which affects the rating for originality. The DJ selects the music — and the breakdancers won’t know what soundtrack they’ll be competing to until they hit the dance floor.

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“We practice and practice everything, but we also have to adapt and improvise,” said Victor Montalvo, a b-boy for Team USA. “We try not to have a fully practiced round because it tends to look robotic.”

For Tony “Mr. Wave” Wesley, a Bronx breaking pioneer who rose to stardom a long time ago with the New York City Breakers, seeing breaking make its mark on the world stage has been validating. Now he’s attempting to pass on his institutional knowledge by making a virtual lesson plan that features flashcards on breaking elements and terminology for the digital learning platform Quizlet.

“I always felt like we didn’t do enough for the new generations. And then I saw my peers die, leave us, and all we had was their stories, and they took them with them. So someone has to write that story,” Wesley said.

Below is a breakdown of the five criteria that judges will use to guage the breakers:

Technique

Maintaining physiological control while specializing in physical fitness, form and spatial awareness.

Vocabulary

A spread of movements that exhibit variation, and the variety of times they occur, preferably with a minimum variety of repetitions.

Execution

The ability to land and move easily, without falling or slipping, while maintaining consistency and fluidity.

Musicality

The ability to maintain rhythm and synchronize movements with the rhythm of the music.

Originality

Ability to improvise, creativity, spontaneity, style and personality.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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‘Family Matters’ Star Jaleel White Admits to ‘Damage’ He Suffered Playing Steve Urkel

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Jaleel White opens up about the

Fan-favorite Family Matters actor Jaleel White was a fan favorite on the enduring ’90s sitcom, which ultimately resulted in damage to his voice.

White, who played Steve and Steffon Urkel, was a special guest at this yr’s 90s Con in Daytona Beach, Florida. On Sunday, September 15, he spoke on a panel moderated by “Halloweentown” star Kimberly J. Brown.

Jaleel White talks about the
Jaleel White opens up in regards to the “damage” he suffered while playing Steve Urkel on Family Matters. (Photo: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)

According to Peoplethe 2 discussed the 47-year-old’s run because the country’s favorite nerdy neighbor. White revealed that the “high-pitched, nasal” voice that has develop into synonymous along with his character actually “damaged” his voice.

He said he saw a physician and was told, “What happened was that I spoke in the same tone for a long time during puberty. If the tone had been everywhere, it wouldn’t have damaged it as much.”

He added: “It’s in remission and I feel good now.”White, who joined the solid of the hit series when he was 12, told Brown that his voice problems got worse when he was about “15 or 16.”

“I felt like I was really losing control. I kept getting messages from the network saying, ‘We can’t hear him. Please be more clear,’” White said. “It was terrifying for me.”

He told the audience that he didn’t work with a vocal coach during his time on the show, so he didn’t know the way to properly protect his voice. People magazine also reported that White, who’s now the host of the sport show “The Flip Side,” is now working with a vocal coach and a physician to protect his vocal cords and “get them under control.”

White expressed no regrets when asked if he would change Urkel’s famous voice. “I wouldn’t do anything differently. It was a great experience and a small sacrifice to make to leave a hell of a legacy,” he said.

Family Matters aired from September 22, 1989 to July 17, 1998. During this time, White’s voice was also very talked-about within the animation world, as he lent his voice to Sonic within the Sonic the Hedgehog series from 1993 to 1996.

Although he has played many roles in his nearly 40-year profession, White is best often known as the sensible pest Urkel. But it wasn’t meant to be.

On a 2021 episode of TVOne’s Uncensored , White revealed that his suspenders-wearing character was supposed to appear on the sitcom only once. But his infectious personality and “did I do that?” catchphrase caught America by surprise, and the writers kept him, unknowingly making him the star of the show. He confessed that the remaining of the solid didn’t prefer it.

“I wasn’t cast at all,” he says within the clip. “They knew what it was about… I didn’t think about being cast in ‘Family Matters,’ because it was just going to be a guest appearance, one and that was it.”

In this episode, White examines the initial resistance from the “three adult” solid members, who already had established careers but now felt they were being overshadowed by a toddler actor.

The “Three Grownups” featured Jo Marie Payton, who played Harriette Winslow, whose character was based on the TV series “Perfect Friends,” Vel Johnson, who played Carl Winslow and gained notoriety for “Die Hard,” and Aunt Rachel, played by Thelma Hopkins, who starred in the favored Eighties sitcom “Gimme a Break!”

“I didn’t see myself stepping on anybody’s toes, stealing anybody’s shine,” White said within the “Uncensored” special, later adding, “And I don’t have to keep telling adults that. They know what I mean.”

In 2022, Payton revealed that White “wanted to physically fight” her after she objected to a scene through which he portrayed Urkel’s “gangsta” cousin, OGD, which stood for Original Gangsta Dawg.

But she admitted that she’s had nothing but love in her life these days, something she revealed in an interview with Atlanta Black Star last October.

“I don’t like to repeat things. Things happen and we move on,” Payton explained, sharing that she expressed the identical sentiment during a performance at 90s Con this yr.

YouTube courtesy of People

“As I said on that panel, if I saw Jaleel today and he said, ‘Hey, Jo Marie,’ I would hug him. No hard feelings,” she added.

At the price of his voice, White made Steve Urkel one of the recognizable figures in American television history and a popular culture icon.

In his upcoming memoir, “Growing Up Urkel,” White recounts his life as a toddler actor and the way he became an adult star. The book is about to hit shelves in November.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Dolly Parton Enrages Beyoncé Fans with Controversial Comments Supporting CMA’s Decision Not to Nominate ‘Cowboy Carter’

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‘Get Out Here, B—ch, You Ain’t Stealin’ Mine’: Dolly Parton Has Strong Feelings About Beyoncé

It’s been over every week and Beyoncé fans are still outraged after learning that the singer’s album “Cowboy Carter” didn’t receive any nominations on the upcoming Country Music Awards.

But now the Beyhive’s fury has been stoked as country veteran Dolly Parton has had her own thoughts on the snub. The 10-time Grammy winner seemed to query whether Beyoncè’s lack of nominations was “intentional.”

“Get Outta Here, B—-ch, You Won’t Steal From Me”: Dolly Parton Has Strong Feelings About Beyoncé’s Performance of Her Country Classic “Jolene” (Screenshot: @dollyparton / Instagram ; Photo: @beyonce / Instagram )
Dolly Parton is seemingly defending the CMA Awards after Beyoncé failed to receive a single nomination for her album “Cowboy Carter.” (Photo by @dollyparton/Instagram; @beyonce/Instagram)

In the September 17 issue of Variety interview, Parton said, “Well, you never know. There are so many great country artists that I think probably in the realm of country music, they probably thought, well, we can’t leave out some of these guys who spend their whole lives doing this. But I didn’t even realize that until someone asked me that question.”

Parton, often known as a rustic music legend, is credited twice on the “Cowboy Carter” project. In the primary instance, Parton lent her vocals to the ninth track, “Dolly P,” which serves because the intro to the second track, Beyonce’s version of Parton’s 1973 hit “Jolene.”

The second song Parton participated in, titled “Tyrant,” is a rustic meets R&B track. In fact, Parton’s performance earned her first place on seven Billboard charts — six of that are R&B.

“But it was a great album,” the 78-year-old continued. “She can be very, very proud of it, and I think everyone in country music welcomed it with open arms and thought it was good.”

Parton concluded her thoughts on Queen Bey’s lack of nomination. She said, “So I don’t think it was a matter of exclusion, of intentionally doing it. I think it was just more of what the country charts and country artists have been doing, who have been doing it all along, not just a special album.”

Irate fans responded to Parton’s response, which was reposted on The Jasmine Brand’s Instagram.

“What do you expect from a woman on yt?” said one commenter. Another shared, “I love Dolly but stop talking crap. The new country slogan should be for white people only.”

“I love my Aunt Dolly but they only did this to send her a clear message,” wrote a 3rd fan.

A fourth fan chimed in: “Goodbye Dolly, with respect. We already know why and YOU KNOW TOO ‼️”

However, others seemed to agree with Parton and debated whether Beyoncé’s album must have earned the “diva” a CMA nomination. “I love Cowboy Carter, but She’s not completely wrong. Special album vs. shutting out someone whose only genre is country,” one fan wrote.

A fourth person said: “Beyonce herself said it’s not a country album. If it’s not country, why does the CMA have to add it to their categories? We need to stop seeking acceptance from people who will never give it to us.”

This is in reference to a post Beyoncè made in March, just 10 days before the discharge of “Cowboy Carter.” In the caption of the post, the “Obsessed” actress confirmed, “This is not a country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.”

She previously opened up in regards to the origins of the album, which took her five years to create. “It came from an experience I had years ago where I didn’t feel welcome,” the Houston native said, noting her performance with the Dixie Chicks — now often known as The Chicks — on the 2016 CMAs.

That same 12 months, Beyoncé was invited to perform the song “Daddy’s Lessons”, which was her first country song from her sixth studio album, Lemonade.

Sure, Queen Bey received loads of praise for her performance, but she was reportedly met with boos from the audience and racially aggravated attacks online. However, the “Run the World” singer didn’t let the mean comments and hate get her down.

Instead, she created an album that touched on all musical genres.

Continuing her post, Beyoncè said, “The criticism I faced when I first entered the genre forced me to push beyond the limitations that were placed upon me. Act II is the result of challenging myself and taking the time to bend and combine genres to create this body of work.”

The CMA Awards will air on November 20 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Fans Concerned Over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Strange Public Behavior Raises Health Concerns

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is probably the most famous and talented basketball stars. He left the NBA because the all-time leading scorer and broke records that LeBron James had already broken.

That’s why many individuals expressed concern after a video of Abdul-Jabbar and his slow movements while interacting with fans was reposted.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s appearance at Fanatics Fest left fans asking questions on the NBA legend. (Photo: @kareemabduljabbar_/Instagram)

Internet personality Darren Jason Watkins Jr., higher often known as IShowSpeed, met the Basketball Hall of Fame inductee at Fanatics Fest NYC 2024 in August.

Show speed broadcast live his experiences at a New York event for sports fans and collectors; and photographs of the 19-year-old streamer interacting with Abdul-Jabbar on TikTok.

“Yo, Kareem! Yo, Kareem! Kareem!” iShowSpeed ​​​​shouted repeatedly as he approached the 77-year-old sitting on the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

It took a moment for Abdul-Jabbar to show around, after which the YouTuber said, “Hey, what’s up, man? Nice to meet you. My name is Speed. I’m a big fan of yours.”

The six-time NBA MVP hesitated for a moment, but then reached out to shake Speed’s hand and replied, “Thank you.”

When the clip went viral last month, many commenters focused on Abdul-Jabbar’s appearance.

“I hope Kareem is okay, he looked a little out of it” wrote one in every of the TikTok users.

On one other TikTok videoone fan wondered, “Damn, is Kareem good?”

One joker said, “Bro hasn’t been the same since Bron broke his points record.”

Others took issue with the best way IShowSpeed ​​addressed the basketball legend and blamed IShowSpeed ​​for the awkward exchange.

“For fuck’s sake Speed, show some respect,” one person wrote. An analogous comment read, “Kareem ignored him. ‘Yo Kareem’ for an older man is wild.”

Another person defended Abdul-Jabbar, responding: “He’s known for hating it when people approach him in public.”

Another follower said: “Let’s not forget Kareem is old, old, lol he’s old, don’t you think he’ll be old.”

Abdul-Jabbar, 77, has battled a variety of medical issues throughout his life. The former “Dancing With The Stars” contestant has battled prostate cancer and leukemia. He was also diagnosed with a cardiovascular condition that required quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery.

In an interview with NIH Medline Plus Magazine, he explained that he had symptoms of “shortness of breath, fatigue, and dizziness” that he didn’t take seriously until 2021, when he became dizzy and unable to face on his own at a baseball game. He was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation shortly thereafter.

“I was ultimately diagnosed with atrial fibrillation when my symptoms sent me to the hospital. I was surprised because I didn’t know what AFib was before my diagnosis,” Abdul-Jabbar revealed.

“I’ve since learned that AFib is the most common type of irregular heart rhythm, which prevents the heart’s lower chambers from filling completely or pumping enough blood. Blood can pool in the heart, which increases the risk of blood clots forming and can lead to stroke and other heart complications,” he continued. “In fact, people with AFib are about five times more likely to have a stroke.”

He added: “I also had to accept that I could no longer do everything I did before.”

In December 2023 former Lakers player underwent medical procedure for a broken hip suffered after a fall at a concert in Los Angeles. His business partner, Deborah Morales, publicly thanked the Los Angeles Fire Department and UCLA Hospital staff for his or her help.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar was scheduled for all three days Fanatics Fest NYC 2024 from August 16-18. Participated in autograph sessions, photo ops and panels.

“Just got back from a long weekend in NYC for @fanaticsfest. Best sports show ever! Got to meet so many friends and hang out with so many fans. Thanks to the @fanatics team for all the new memories!” Written by Abdul Jabbar on Instagram.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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