The first Japan trip update!

So I am currently in class, but I have decided to update you on the what’s been going on in my life. I promised that I would finish telling you about my crazy summer. So after the exhausting but exciting trip to France with ILL-Abilities I had been asked to go to Japan on July 4th for my first time. I was approached by Nippon Television to work on a 24hrs TV show that would be aired at the end of August. This trip was an initial meeting for the presentation of the performance and a possible collaboration with a boy band.
Japan, wow! It was a dream come true when it has been two years that I told myself I would go to Japan with my dancing career and I finally did it. Even if it was a very short trip I got to visit more than I expected. I landed on the next day July 5th met with the producers and a translator named Saigon. After landing in Tokyo Narita we drove to a smaller airport in Haneda, spent the night in the Airport hotel and left the next morning early to Sapporo. Sapporo is a northern city in the island of Hokkaido, Japan. We went to Sapporo to meet Arashi one of Japans biggest boy bands. The plan was to collaborate with ILL-Abilities and Arashi on a live 24hrs television show that raised money for disabled children in Asia. After seeing there concert live at the Sapporo dome with 50,000 Japanese ladies cheering for Arashi I was motivated to make sure we came out with a good show for the end of August with ILL-Abilities. I met with the band discussed some basic ideas and we agreed that we will come up with an entertaining and powerful show for the 24hrs television show.
Later that evening the producers took me out to a real sushi shop…the food was amazing…I do not know half the tings I ate but they were delicious. The producers were excited to show me around and have me try all different types of Japanese things, especially the Sake!

The next morning we left for Tokyo and it was my last day, but a free day to visit. My translator Saigon took me around to some famous spots in Tokyo such as Shibuya and Shibuko. While in Shibuya I bumped into some bboys from Seattle. 

They had informed me about an event that evening. I had to go…It was a little difficult to convince the producers to let me go to this event, because they did not want me to be filmed before the TV show would come out. Some usual TV worries, because they like to be the “first” to cover a story…We finally were able to convince the producer to let me go to the event. Let me tell you the structure for event in Japan are completely different than in North America. The event was on a Monday night it started around 1am and there were over 160 competing bboys from all across Japan. The format and structure was very organized and efficient for the amount of competitors and the small size of the venue. I entered the competition, but did not get to far because of the amount of competition, but had an amazing time. It was 4 in the morning and the event was still not over, but I had a plane to catch the next day to go back home to Canada so we went back to the hotel without knowing who won. After waking up from an exhausting evening woke up packed ate some good real ramen noodles and headed for the airport. The past three days in Japan were a great success and the Producers were excited to have me come back at the end of August with the rest of the ILL-Abilities crew.
I flew back home and realized I needed to rest for several weeks to catch up on all the excitement that had just occurred between Europe, No Limits, France, and Japan. Next updates will include the Halifax Buskers Festival, Korea, and Japan again.

June Updates...More to come soon...Promised!

What's up What's up? I know it has been a really long time since I have checked in with all of you. Let me tell you it's been one crazy and hectic non-stop summer. I just started school again (Concordia U.) the plan is to graduate April 2009. I will fill you in right now on what's happened for the month of June and then I will write up another blog for July and august including (Japan, Halifax, Korea, and Japan again). Right now will tell you more about Germany, "No Limits" and France.

So let me fill you in on what's been going on these past couple of months. I never got to write about my Germany trip back in June. I went to Reutlingen, Germany a small town near Stuttgart for a culture festival. I taught some workshops, performed with a live percussion group called the "Beat Stompers", and I performed my first ever 10-minute Contemporary/Break Solo. It was my first time ever in Germany and I had an amazing time my guide/translator Alex was a real cool dude that showed me around town and taught me to order beer in German...

Right after Germany I flew to Rome, Italy to visit my Grandmother.

Since I did not have a real chance to visit my family I decided to take advantage of the fact I was already in Europe to visit the Family. I had a really nice relaxing time catching up with the Grandmother, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins etc... and the food was incredible as usual.

Organizing No-Limits
Literally getting off the plane from my Germany/Italy trip I was straight into "Event Organizing" mode. Before leaving for my trips in Europe at the beginning of June I had decided to organize a fundraiser event for ILL-Abilities. I planned to bring Checho and Tommy Guns to Montreal during the end of June so we would have a chance to practice together before our first big battle together in St. Brieuc, France (June 28). With the occasion of the other two ILL-Abilities members coming to Montreal I decided to bring Kujo as well and make a world debut event called "No Limits". This was the first time that the whole ILL-Abilities crew was actually together. Neither Kujo nor Tommy have met or worked with Checho before. This was the test that the crew could work together even if we didn't know each other especially considering that neither Tommy or Kujo speak Spanish and Checho does not speak English hahaha we were worried about the communication, but when everyone met each other we did not need to communicate with each other to know that we each share the same passion for the dance which created an immediate bond with all the members. The event was a major success, there were many stresses and worries the event was not going to work out, but in the end everything came together and could not have imagined to have been any better. I would personally like to give a big shout out and thank you to: Clare Li, Nikki Spinelli, Marc "Dekoy" Briffaud, Side C, DJ Static, DJ ConnSeanary, Nik B, Flavio and Laura Patuelli, and to everyone else that helped and supported the crew...

Crazy France Trip

Three days after "No Limits" Tommy, Checho, and myself flew out to France for the 3on3 battle. Jed Klemow the director of the ILL-Abilities documentary met up with us at the airport to film our first international battle together. This trip was an experience. We landed on Friday early morning June 27 the organizers picking us up at the airport told us the bus picking us up was stuck in traffic. While at the airport (Charles De Gaulle) we had to meet up with Rox-Rite and Kevo to American bboys dancing for the bboyworld team after getting to know each other at the airport lobby we decided to start practicing in the middle of the airport while we were waiting for the bus. The bus finally arrives four hours after landing. We start driving and the driver decides to cut through Paris because of the traffic, but because it was "Holidays" in France traffic was everywhere. Driving through Paris we realize the driver was getting lost, because we started circling the same statue three times. The driver decides to feed us and then tells us we need to go back to the airport to pick up Kusso the third American bboy for the bboyworld team. We were getting furious, because we felt the driver was just taking us around to waist time. By now it's about 4:30 in the afternoon we are all exhausted and grumpy... I forgot to mention that the bus picking us up was the most uncomfortable vehicle I have ever been in...the windows did not open, there was no air conditioning, and church seats are more comfortable than these seats. After picking up Kusso we start hitting the road for a 5-hour journey to St. Brieuc in the Brittany regions of France. At this time the driver was on a highway heading a certain direction and we (the dancers) all passed out from exhaustion. About 2-hours later around 6:30-7pm we wake up to honking horns and the smell of exhaust fumes, I remember looking up at a traffic sign saying Paris Centre (CDG airport) the driver had gotten lost again and went the wrong direction, after driving 1-hour the wrong direction the driver had to go back towards Paris for the right direction. By now it's been about 12-hours in France we have not gotten to our location and we were stuck in a bus for a minimum of another 5-hours. Everyone was furious and they were all looking at me to translate to the driver for them. After arguing for 5 minutes the radio starts playing Bobby Mcferrin "Don't Worry Be Happy" there is an awkward silence that for a moment and then a burst of laughter from all of us. What a perfect time to play such a song! We all realized there was nothing we could really do and that song helped change the tone of the atmosphere. We finally got out of the Paris traffic and started heading in the right direction. We arrived in St. Brieuc after 19-hours of waiting at an airport lobby and driving around in circles in Paris Traffic. The next day was the event it was a very well produced and fun event. 8 invited teams from U.S, Japan, Morrocco, Spain, France, and Russia where competing. ILL-Abilities won the first round and lost to the U.S team (Rox-Rite, Kevo, and Kusso) in the Semi-Finals. It was an amazing first battle and even after a hectic ride the day before the bonding for the crew and the stories to share after were priceless. "Don't worry be Happy"

Thank-You for Your Support for NO LIMITS!

The World Premiere of ILL-Abilities at the NO LIMITS Fundraiser was a huge success thanks to all of you who came out and showed your support!  As Tuesday was St Jean Baptiste, we knew that it was a bit more challenging than usual to come out, but we really, really appreciated all of you that did!

I just wanted to say how happy we are  that we had so many people come out and enjoy our show! We had so much fun doing the show!!!!!

Tonight (Wednesday) at 6:20pm on CTV, we will have a bit of coverage from NO LIMITS and we hope you will have a chance to watch it!

Another huge thank you to our sponsors Wings for Life, Bierbrier Brewing, and 8 Count Dance Center for helping us make this happen, and to the Montreal ILL-Abilities Support Team (you all know who you are) for being there 24/7 to help out with anything and everything!

We're heading off to France tomorrow to compete in our first International 3on3 Battle! Wish us luck!!!!  Keep coming back to check out our latest developments and I'll keep you posted for events in the near future! 

NO LIMITS: ILL-Abilities World Premiere Fundraiser June 23, 2008

ILL-Abilities - No Limits World Premiere Fundraiser Event!!

I would like to announce the Fundraiser Event "No Limits" hosted by ILL-Abilities, an International Breakdance Crew on Monday, June 23rd, 2008 at 8pm!

This evening features a 2 on 2 breakdance battle where two bboys/bgirls compete against another two, special guests DJ Static, and DJ Conn Shawnery local Montreal DJs, Side C, a live band featuring Montreal based members and the never-seen-together-before showcase performance of ILL-Abilities.

ILL-Abilities is comprised of Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli from Montreal, Tommy “Guns” Ly from San Francisco, Sergio “Checho” Carvajal from Chile and Jacob “Kujo” from Los Angeles. Each member has made a worldwide impact by adapting their lifestyle to become disabled professional dancers. 

The funds raised from No Limits will support the group in travelling expenses and allow the group to continue to make appearances and inspire their audience worldwide.  

On behalf of my crew, we would like to see everyone come out and support this upcoming unique show and help make the first time, the best time!

This event will be at the Just For Laughs Museum (The Loft) located at 2111 St-Laurent Blvd - 5th Floor (corner Sherbrooke)  

Tickets are available at OFF THE HOOK CLOTHING at 1021 Ste Catherine St West for $10 each starting Wednesday June 11th or $15 at the door.