Arts and Culture
Tommy The Clown's Battle Night is Back!
Marti Bercaw, Socal.com Writer & Vid Journalist |
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Lamesha Vine, Socal.com On Camera Host
 After a near two-year hiatus as a monthly event, Tommy the Clown's Battle Night is back. In the interim, Tommy and The Hip Hop Clowns have been touring the world with their stage shows and workshops and entertaining at parties and large scale events on the local scene when not on tour.
On February 2, 2008, the Grand Theater at L.A. Trade-Technical College in downtown Los Angeles filled up with teenagers, krumpers, singers, comedians, professional dancers, children and families for a power-charged, three hour show that had enough spare energy left over to light downtown Los Angeles, and then some. Using show #1 as a gauge, imagine the entertainment kilowatts that are going to add up as Battle Night lights up the night once a month, every month for many, many months to come.
Opening Night
Comedian Eric Blake, a regular headliner on BET's Comic View and life-long friend of Tommy the Clown, opened the first show, revving up the audience with stand-up that had kids and adults laughing and cheering nonstop. Eric will be a regular contributor on Battle Night.
Rising rap artist, Roc'co, the Hip Hop Clown, and collaborator, DJ Sisqo, performed a set of original work. Smurf rapped and bantered with Roc'co in several pieces and Tiny Mite sang. The audience loved every minute of it. The multi-talented Hip Hop Clowns will be a part of every show.
"The Queen of Krump", Miss Prissy, blew the audience away with her finely crafted R&B songs, rich singing voice, great choreography and stellar backup dancers. Miss Prissy will be co-hosting on March 22 (the next show) and will continue to be an on-going presence in a variety of roles at Battle Night.
And then, there is Tommy the Clown, the visionary and human dynamo who makes all of this happen. Tommy runs the show from beginning to end. He fills the role of Master of Ceremonies, referee, joker, storyteller, singer, dancer; doing whatever it takes to build the momentum and shine the spotlight on the performers.
 Just like the original, Battle Night 2008 centers on the classic battle between two crews with the audience deciding individual matches and ultimate winning crew, except in the closest matches where the panel of judges calls it. Equally important to the show, past and present, is Tommy calling out kids from the audience for cameo grudge matches or to sing a quick song. Feb 2nd brought an amazing crew called the Misfits all the way from Oakland. Tommy invited them to the stage to show off their NoCal style (a variation on hyphie - watch the video).
The newest addition to the Battle Night program is segments showcasing performances by selected artists of all types who are chosen in on-going, open auditions. Every show will host a different line-up of talented performers that further enhances the dynamic theater experience Battle Night audiences have come to expect.
Tommy the Clown's Battle Night draws kids together from South Central and all parts of Los Angeles to show off their skills as individuals and crew members. Though organized battles take place in L.A. throughout the year, Tommy's events garner the most attention and gather the widest range of people and elements into the friendly, all-ages, all walks of life audience and performer equation.
The 2005 documentary Rize by David Lachapelle focused major media attention on Tommy, the Clowns, the Krumpers, the dance form and the battles. Fanfare subsided, eventually, but not the power of the expression and the magnetic charge it produces that pulls everyone from observer to participant in close. Clowning and Krump was already thriving in Los Angeles in 2002. Anyone who thought the dance form was a passing craze need only come to Battle Night 2008 to see that, in fact, it is an enduring and evolving creative expression that draws on the pulse and rhythm of Hip Hop but has carved out its own unique, permanent niche.
Feb 2, 2008 The Battle matched The Foundation against The Hooligans. Winner: Hooligans
March 22, 2008 The Battle pits The Hooligans against Kool Aid and His Buck Dancers.
Battle Night is but one aspect of a larger plan in development by Tommy the Clown and the Tommy the Clown Foundation. In the works are programs that include the continued partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District that provides workshops and panel discussions on clowning and krumping; the Battle Zone League, a program geared towards middle and high school students who teachers recommend based on good grades, good attendance and good behavior; and the re-establishment of the Tommy the Clown Academy in Los Angeles and outreach to more cities in the future.
All I can add to the on-going story of Battle Night as a writer, video journalist and a big fan of Tommy the Clown, The Hip Hop Clowns and all the amazing kids who are part of this movement is this: If you have not been to Battle Night at LATTC - GO! If you have been to Battle Night, you don't need me to tell you - Go Again!
The next Battle Night is March 22, 2008
Tickets are $10.00
The Grand Theater at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College is located at 400 W Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015-418.
Doors open at 6pm and the show starts at 7pm
For more ticket information and the current schedule go to
www.tommytheclown.com
www.myspace.com/tommytheclown
For directions and other info about LATTC go to http://www.lattc.edu/
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