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| {{Short description|American breakdancer (b. 1966)}} | |||
| :''for the Jeff Beck album see ]'' | |||
| {{Infobox artist | |||
| | image = <!-- Only freely-licensed images may be used to depict living people. See ]. --> | |||
| | name = Crazy Legs | |||
| | birth_name = Richard Colón | |||
| | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|1|1}} | |||
| | birth_place = ], ], U.S. | |||
| | nationality = American | |||
| | field = ] | |||
| | movement = ] | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Richard Colón''' (born January 1, 1966), better known by his stage name '''Crazy Legs''', is an American ] who was featured in the earliest stories on ] dancing to appear in mainstream press, and as president of the ] brought the form to London and Paris in 1983. Today he is also involved in community outreach, dance instruction, and dance theater productions. He has appearanced in fiction films and documentaries. Crazy Legs is current president of the Rock Steady Crew. | |||
| ] bearing his name.]] | |||
| '''Crazy Legs''' (born '''Richard Colón''') is a ] and ] artist, and is one of the original members of the ] and its current president. Growing up poor in the projects of the ], he saw the gang activity that his fellow ]s were involved in. Chosing to make something of himself, rather than getting sucked into the gang life, he got into breakdancing and has since become the dominant face of breakdance culture to the world. | |||
| == Career == | == Career == | ||
| Richard "Crazy Legs" Colón grew up in the ] section of ], ], where he was introduced to "breaking" by his older brother when he was nine.<ref name=F>Alan Feuer, , ''The New York Times'', August 27, 2002.</ref> He was an original member of the Rock Steady Crew after its foundation in 1979.<ref name=F/> Dance critic ] in an April 1981 piece on the form in the '']'' quotes Crazy Legs listing the best dancers extant and documents his accidental invention of the "W" move, in which the dancer sits with his legs double-backed behind him.<ref>Sally Banes, "Physical Graffiti: Breaking Is Hard to Do", ''Village Voice'', April 23, 1981. Reprinted in Cepeda, Raquel (ed.). (2004). ''And It Don't Stop! The Best American Hip-Hop Journalism of the Last 25 Years'', New York: Faber and Faber, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-571-21159-3}}</ref> The next month saw '']'' cover a three-day conference on "Bronx folk culture". "There is a system of apprentices: a 'Lil' Crazy Legs with Crazy Legs," the ''Times'' reported, "Dance steps are performed solo to an accompaniment called '']'' - chanting voice and percussion."<ref>Barbara Crossette, "A Three-Day Celebration of Bronx Folk Culture", ''The New York Times'', May 15, 1981.</ref> | |||
| His first film appearance was as himself in ]'s independent release '']'' (1982), followed by his featuring in the early documentary on hip hop culture '']'' (], 1983). As a craze for all things hip hop took hold, the 16-year-old Crazy Legs, now President of the Rock Steady Crew, took hip hop dance to ] and ] as part of the New York City Rap Tour, with recording artists ] and ], ] artists ] and ], and the World Champion Fantastic Four ] Girls.<ref>David Hershkovits, "London Rocks, Paris Burns and the B-Boys Break a Leg", ''Sunday News Magazine'', April 3, 1983. Reprinted in Cepeda, Raquel (ed.). ( 2004). ''And It Don't Stop! The Best American Hip-Hop Journalism of the Last 25 Years'', New York: Faber and Faber, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-571-21159-3}}</ref> Appearances in Hollywood films were another consequence: he was a street dancer and, as with ''Wild Style'', played himself in the fiction film '']'' (], 1984). | |||
| His first real commercial exposure was as a street dancer in the movie ], however he has appeared in many movies including ], ], and ] just to mention a few. He has also appeared in many television programs and music videos. He has appeared in many print magazines and newspapers including ], ], ], ] and even ]. | |||
| He has also appeared in television commercials for major corporations including ], ], ] Wireless, ], ], and ]. He participated in the ]-winning ] ''Dance in America: Everybody Dance Now', and co-produced and starred in the documentary movie '']''. | |||
| In 1991 he danced in ''So! What Happens Now?'', "probably the first hip-hop production on a mainstream dance stage in New York City," according to ''The New York Times'', which reflected that the production proved "] is an art as demanding and inventive as mainstream dance forms like ] and ]."<ref>Jennifer Dunning, "Street Dance Moves Up to Mainstream", ''The New York Times'', November 22, 1991.<br/>Jennifer Dunning, " Nurturing Onstage the Moves Born on the Ghettos' Streets", ''The New York Times'', November 26, 1991.</ref> The following year came ''Concrete Jungle'' as part of a program at the ] which the ''Times'' called "a turning point in the evolution of urban street dance," the piece itself being "extraordinarily affecting".<ref>Stephen Holden, " Festival Featuring Hip-Hop Dancing", ''The New York Times'', July 10, 1992.<br/>Jennifer Dunning, "Mo' Moves, Alice Tully Hall", ''New York Times, July 13, 1992.</ref> The "jubilantly hyperactive" and "astonishing" ''Jam on the Groove'' debuted in 1995, and in 1999 Crazy Legs instructed dancers of the Urban Youth Theater for their show ''Minotaur''.<ref>Jon Pareles, "Hip-Hop in All Forms, But Mainly the Dance", ''The New York Times'', November 18, 1995.</ref><ref>Laurel Graeber, "Family Fare", ''The New York Times'', July 30, 1999.</ref> | |||
| As a member of the Rock Steady Crew, Crazy Legs performed in a tribute to the ] at the ] Honors, the ] for ], the ], and in the ] Serious Fun! series. | |||
| Crazy Legs has hosted ] contests, appearances at live events, and staging of Rock Steady Crew Anniversaries. He provided voice-overs for the television comedy series '']''. He is also a character in the video game '']''. In 2006 he was invited by the ] to contribute to a collection for the ].<ref>Ben Sisario, "Smithsonian's Doors Open to a Hip-Hop Beat", ''The New York Times'', March 1, 2006.</ref> Crazy Legs officially retired from competition as of July 28, 2012 after competing at the Rock Steady Crew's 35th Anniversary at The Altman Building in ], NY. | |||
| He has performed in an off-Broadway play ''Jam On The Groove'' working with ]. He was also instrumental in teaching ] how to breakdance for his ]-nominated play ''Freak''. | |||
| He has choreographed music videos for ] and multi-platinum artist ]. He and some of the other members of Rock Steady Crew performed at ] on ], ]. | |||
| With other members of the Rock Steady Crew, Crazy Legs has toured extensively through the ], as well as ], ], ] and much of ]. | |||
| == Rock Steady Anniversary parties == | == Rock Steady Anniversary parties == | ||
| As president of Rock Steady Crew, Crazy Legs hosts and organizes the annual Rock Steady Anniversary, a community event that honors deceased members of the crew and celebrates |
As president of Rock Steady Crew, Crazy Legs and his Backspin Productions hosts and organizes the annual Rock Steady Anniversary, a community event that honors deceased members of the crew and celebrates ]. The parties feature ]s, ], ]s, and graffiti artists. The group also holds the annual Celebrity Basketball Tournament during the yearly anniversary celebrations to raise money for the ] Youth Council in New York. In 2003, New York Mayor ] proclaimed July 26 to be "Rock Steady Crew Day" in New York City during their 26th Anniversary Celebration at ]. Sportswear company ] debuted the "Rock Steady Crew 77" sneaker in April 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hiphoparea.com/breakdance/crazy-legs.html|title=Breakdance: Crazy Legs|website=www.hiphoparea.com|access-date=2019-04-03}}</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | == Awards == | ||
| 2004 was also a big year for Crazy Legs. He signed endorsement deals with ] Energy Drink and ] who was the first sneaker company to honor a breakdance group. FILA debuted the "Rock Steady Crew 77" sneaker in April 2004. | |||
| As part of the Rock Steady Crew, Crazy Legs won a 1992 ] for ].<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719024629/http://www.danspaceproject.org/about/pressreleases/CompleteList.pdf |date=2011-07-19 }}, retrieved on 15 July 2008.</ref> In 1994 he received the Hip Hop Pioneer Award from ]. He was presented with the Source Youth Foundation Image Award in 2003. He has also earned the 2003 AARTS Award from the Bay Shore Schools Arts Education Fund and was honored as the National Godfather of the 2003 Jersey City Puerto Rican Day Parade. He was nominated for an ] Award for Best Choreography for his work with ]. “Jam on the Groove” was nominated for best choreography at the Drama Desk Awards in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://crazylegsworkshop.com/crazy-legs/about-crazy-legs|title=Crazy Legs|website=crazylegsworkshop.com|access-date=2019-04-03}}</ref> His dance program at ] for young people in ] garnered him the “New Yorker of the Week” Award from New York 1 News.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.and8.dance/en/artist/richard.crazylegs.colon|title=Crazy Legs {{!}} 5,6,7 and8 - dance|website=www.and8.dance|access-date=2019-04-03}}</ref><!--please give refs for all awards--> | |||
| ⚫ | ==References== | ||
| As of 2005, Crazy Legs is the president of Backspin Productions and remains president of the Rock Steady Crew. | |||
| {{reflist|colwidth=35em}} | |||
| ⚫ | == Awards == | ||
| ==External links== | |||
| He won the ] ] for ] and the ] ] Pioneer Award from The ]. He was inducted into the ] in ], and was presented with the ] in 2003. He has also earned the 2003 AARTS Award from the Bay Shore Schools Arts Education Fund, and was also honored as the National Godfather of the 2003 Jersey City Puerto Rican Day Parade. | |||
| *, by ], ''The New York Times'', October 6, 1981. | |||
| He was also nominated for an ] Award for Best Choreography for his work with Wyclef Jean. His dance program at the Point C.D.C. for young people in the South Bronx garnered him the “New Yorker of the Week” Award from New York 1 News. | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| {{Hip-hop dance}} | |||
| ⚫ | == |
||
| {{Authority control}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Crazy Legs (Colon, Richard)}} | |||
| * http://www.rocksteadycrew.com/Bio/CrazyLegs/index.htm | |||
| ] | |||
| * http://www.daveyd.com/crazylegsinterview.html | |||
| ] | |||
| * http://www.sixshot.com/articles/4884/ | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 09:01, 13 December 2024
American breakdancer (b. 1966)| Crazy Legs | |
|---|---|
| Born | Richard Colón (1966-01-01) January 1, 1966 (age 58) The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | B-boying |
| Movement | Hip hop |
Richard Colón (born January 1, 1966), better known by his stage name Crazy Legs, is an American b-boy who was featured in the earliest stories on hip hop dancing to appear in mainstream press, and as president of the Rock Steady Crew brought the form to London and Paris in 1983. Today he is also involved in community outreach, dance instruction, and dance theater productions. He has appearanced in fiction films and documentaries. Crazy Legs is current president of the Rock Steady Crew.
Career
Richard "Crazy Legs" Colón grew up in the Inwood section of Manhattan, New York City, where he was introduced to "breaking" by his older brother when he was nine. He was an original member of the Rock Steady Crew after its foundation in 1979. Dance critic Sally Banes in an April 1981 piece on the form in the Village Voice quotes Crazy Legs listing the best dancers extant and documents his accidental invention of the "W" move, in which the dancer sits with his legs double-backed behind him. The next month saw The New York Times cover a three-day conference on "Bronx folk culture". "There is a system of apprentices: a 'Lil' Crazy Legs with Crazy Legs," the Times reported, "Dance steps are performed solo to an accompaniment called rapping - chanting voice and percussion."
His first film appearance was as himself in Charlie Ahearn's independent release Wild Style (1982), followed by his featuring in the early documentary on hip hop culture Style Wars (PBS, 1983). As a craze for all things hip hop took hold, the 16-year-old Crazy Legs, now President of the Rock Steady Crew, took hip hop dance to Paris and London as part of the New York City Rap Tour, with recording artists Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmixer D.ST, graffiti artists Fab 5 Freddie and Futura 2000, and the World Champion Fantastic Four Double Dutch Girls. Appearances in Hollywood films were another consequence: he was a street dancer and, as with Wild Style, played himself in the fiction film Beat Street (Orion, 1984).
In 1991 he danced in So! What Happens Now?, "probably the first hip-hop production on a mainstream dance stage in New York City," according to The New York Times, which reflected that the production proved "street dance is an art as demanding and inventive as mainstream dance forms like ballet and jazz." The following year came Concrete Jungle as part of a program at the Lincoln Center which the Times called "a turning point in the evolution of urban street dance," the piece itself being "extraordinarily affecting". The "jubilantly hyperactive" and "astonishing" Jam on the Groove debuted in 1995, and in 1999 Crazy Legs instructed dancers of the Urban Youth Theater for their show Minotaur.
Crazy Legs has hosted b-boy contests, appearances at live events, and staging of Rock Steady Crew Anniversaries. He provided voice-overs for the television comedy series Kung Faux. He is also a character in the video game Def Jam Fight For NY. In 2006 he was invited by the Smithsonian Institution to contribute to a collection for the National Museum of American History. Crazy Legs officially retired from competition as of July 28, 2012 after competing at the Rock Steady Crew's 35th Anniversary at The Altman Building in Manhattan, NY.
Rock Steady Anniversary parties
As president of Rock Steady Crew, Crazy Legs and his Backspin Productions hosts and organizes the annual Rock Steady Anniversary, a community event that honors deceased members of the crew and celebrates hip hop culture. The parties feature DJs, breakdancing, MCs, and graffiti artists. The group also holds the annual Celebrity Basketball Tournament during the yearly anniversary celebrations to raise money for the Greenwich Village Youth Council in New York. In 2003, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg proclaimed July 26 to be "Rock Steady Crew Day" in New York City during their 26th Anniversary Celebration at Pier 54. Sportswear company Fila debuted the "Rock Steady Crew 77" sneaker in April 2004.
Awards
As part of the Rock Steady Crew, Crazy Legs won a 1992 Bessie Award for choreography. In 1994 he received the Hip Hop Pioneer Award from The Source. He was presented with the Source Youth Foundation Image Award in 2003. He has also earned the 2003 AARTS Award from the Bay Shore Schools Arts Education Fund and was honored as the National Godfather of the 2003 Jersey City Puerto Rican Day Parade. He was nominated for an MTV Award for Best Choreography for his work with Wyclef Jean. “Jam on the Groove” was nominated for best choreography at the Drama Desk Awards in 1996. His dance program at The POINT CDC for young people in South Bronx garnered him the “New Yorker of the Week” Award from New York 1 News.
References
- ^ Alan Feuer, "Breaking Out Of the Bronx: A Look Back; A Pioneering Dancer Is the Last of His Breed", The New York Times, August 27, 2002.
- Sally Banes, "Physical Graffiti: Breaking Is Hard to Do", Village Voice, April 23, 1981. Reprinted in Cepeda, Raquel (ed.). (2004). And It Don't Stop! The Best American Hip-Hop Journalism of the Last 25 Years, New York: Faber and Faber, Inc. ISBN 978-0-571-21159-3
- Barbara Crossette, "A Three-Day Celebration of Bronx Folk Culture", The New York Times, May 15, 1981.
- David Hershkovits, "London Rocks, Paris Burns and the B-Boys Break a Leg", Sunday News Magazine, April 3, 1983. Reprinted in Cepeda, Raquel (ed.). ( 2004). And It Don't Stop! The Best American Hip-Hop Journalism of the Last 25 Years, New York: Faber and Faber, Inc. ISBN 978-0-571-21159-3
- Jennifer Dunning, "Street Dance Moves Up to Mainstream", The New York Times, November 22, 1991.
Jennifer Dunning, " Nurturing Onstage the Moves Born on the Ghettos' Streets", The New York Times, November 26, 1991. - Stephen Holden, " Festival Featuring Hip-Hop Dancing", The New York Times, July 10, 1992.
Jennifer Dunning, "Mo' Moves, Alice Tully Hall", New York Times, July 13, 1992. - Jon Pareles, "Hip-Hop in All Forms, But Mainly the Dance", The New York Times, November 18, 1995.
- Laurel Graeber, "Family Fare", The New York Times, July 30, 1999.
- Ben Sisario, "Smithsonian's Doors Open to a Hip-Hop Beat", The New York Times, March 1, 2006.
- "Breakdance: Crazy Legs". www.hiphoparea.com. Retrieved 2019-04-03.
- List of Bessie Awards at danspaceproject.org Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved on 15 July 2008.
- "Crazy Legs". crazylegsworkshop.com. Retrieved 2019-04-03.
- "Crazy Legs | 5,6,7 and8 - dance". www.and8.dance. Retrieved 2019-04-03.
External links
- "'Breaking' Indoors", by Jack Anderson, The New York Times, October 6, 1981.
- Interview at daveyd.com, 2001
- Interview at sixshot.com, 2005
- Crazy Legs pictured at E3 trade show, 2006
- Crazy Legs "Rock Steady Crew 32nd Anniversary" Interview, 07/09/09