DanceJam Goes Live

Wendy Garofoli | Mar 24, 2008 | 0

Me and Hammer kick it in Palo Alto

In the late 80s and early 90s, being a dancer for MC Hammer meant being part of an elite set. Hammer blazed a path for party dance, and his moves became just as famous as his pants. Busting a move since the 60s, Hammer opted to deepen his dance roots by launching a competition and social networking site called [DanceJam www.dancejam.com], which went live earlier this month. I sat down for an interview with Hammer a while back in Palo Alto (Bay Area, California).

Hammer's prodigies are now plugged into the fabric of the highly successful commercial dance scene, choreographing and performing for the likes of Beyonce, Omarion and Ciara. "They all came from under my umbrella," said Hammer, as he made a laundry list of connections with which he's populated his site. "In this way, dancers can rub elbows with the elite."

So how does DanceJam work? The site has become a gathering place for mostly hip-hop heads, though Hammer has marketed it as a tool for any genre of dance. DanceJam members can create individual or group profiles. They can sign up for online battles, post their own videos and vote on winners. Although details haven't been "hammered" out yet (awful pun, but I couldn't help it), Hammer is looking to provide competition winners with tangible benefits, such as a trip to perform at Superbowl halftime, or another high-profile event.

Beyond making dance friends alla Facebook, users can also search for instructional videos on styles ranging from krumping to Chicken Noodle Soup. While you can currently find dance tutorials all over the internet, Hammer asserts that his site will provide a centralized location, as well as high-tech functionality. "You can slow down the video or do a three-second rewind," he said. In addition to user-generated videos, DanceJam also features premium content produced by Hammer. He traveled the country and filmed dancers and choreographers doing their thing. "I'm plugged into the pulse throughout America," he said. "I got the best and the hottest dancers to contribute."

Hammer is currently running a promotion on his site for a free Flip Video Camera. Dancers have until April 1 to upload videos for a chance to win. Check out DanceJam.com for details.

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Hip Hop, Enthusiast, Studio, Competitions & Conventions, Performance (all tags)