An epic night. Been 20 years since these two shared the same stage. They decided to do it one night. One night only. Happened in Orem, Utah. Mckay Events Center at UVU. Packed house. Below is a video of some of the highlights. It was all shot from my iPhone so I apologize if the quality isn’t the best (I used Cycorder). Sound is loud cuz we were right in front of their speakers.
Your video guide:
0:24 – Hammer and Ice chilling at the front of the stage together.
1:03 – Hammer does some sick moves right in front of us.
1:36 – Vanilla Ice sees my hot wife &gives a handshake, or whatever that was.
2:00 – A chubby girl goes and gets freak nasty with Vanilla Ice. Kinda funny.
2:27 – You see Rachel and I for a sec. I turn the phone around.
2:44 – I have a bunch of Hammer’s moves, edited to just capture the good stuff
3:40 – Too Legit to Quit. One of Hammer’s classics
4:10 – Old School “Too Legit” choreo.
4:48 – One of Hammer’s background dancers looks like Sanjaya from American Idol a few seasons ago. Gotta pause it exactly on 4:48 to see it.
5:05 – Vanilla Ice doing his “Ice Ice Baby.” It was dark, so quality isn’t very good here. But you get the idea. I edited this…taking out all the really poor quality segments.
It was a friend of ours who hooked us up with the tickets. Thanks Matt Anderson. We appreciate it. Anyway, the concert was alotta fun. I knew Vanilla was gonna be entertaining cuz I had seen him perform at a house party while I was Princeton (I was front and center there too, believe it or not, giving him high fives left and right). And Hammer was awesome too. He brought a crew of dancers (including his son, very talented) and brought some moves of his own as well. We ended up at the very front of the stage after a lot of pushing, shoving, elbowing, wiggling our way up to the front of the crowd. It took a lot of angry people, looks, and murmers by the people around us…but we finally got there. It was well worth it.
Vanilla Ice was talked about how family/friends were the most important thing in the world; He also gave a huge shout out to soldiers who had recently returned from Iraq. Hammer told us that prayer was the solution to the world’s problems…and he did a nice song to it. Hammer also gave a Twitter shout out. I didn’t like it. I like how Twitter is not mainstream yet. I feel special on it. The underground party ya know.
Aside from playing ball early in the morning, watching a chick flick (He’s just not that into you), cooking our own Jamaican Jerk pizza (going to the store in preparation for that), and making out…this is what we did on Valentine’s Day. We did a dance video. This is a dance scene during the ending credits of Slumdog Millionaire.
View the what the original dance from the movie looks like. It’s cool.
While I was at Princeton, I was in a Dance Company called BodyHype. I loved it. It was one my favorite experiences at school. Some of the people I met there became some of my greatest friends. Anyway…today I was messing around on Facebook and I came across this video. It brought me back…I love those people. Body Body…
Since we’re on the subject of politics, might as well keep it going. When people ask me who my all-time favorite President was, my answer is simple. And the picture below shows why. That’s not Mozart he’s listening too. That’s Tupac.
I like to dance. I’ve always enjoyed doing it. I loved doing it in high school at the dances. And in college I was even part of a dance group (body hype). Anyway…my wife and I are big So You Think You Can Dance fans. The first episode was this week….and there was one dude in particular that I really liked. Amazing. Check it out.
So everyone and their dog is doing or has at least heard of Soulja Boy’s “crank that” by now. If you haven’t….then I don’t know what world you’re in. Joe and I have messed around with it a little at the office…but just briefly.
Anyway, last weekend (I think it was), Rachel and I went to one of her friend’s husband’s company dance party. Mainly young couples (some married, others not) in their 20’s, etc. It was a big ol’ dance party. They played Soulja Boy like three times, and everytime it came on we all got excited. Problem was that we didn’t know it super well.
So after the party, we resolved to learn it a little better so we’d be more prepared for next time. So we practiced and then we quickly just pressed record, hit play on the music, and danced our hearts out doing the Soulja Boy. I hope you enjoy.
p.s. And if you can’t already tell, i’m not taking this at all seriously.
Well there you have it. Our Soulja Boy. Hope you enjoyed it. For those who really wanna learn it, make sure you check out Soulja Boy’s Instructional Video on Youtube. It’s crazy how that video has been viewed almost 17 million times…whatever marketing dude behind the rap artist Soulja Boy that had this idea is freakin’ genius. Song is number 1 for who knows how many weeks now. The dance has everyone talking about it. It’s the ghetto Macarena. It’s pretty tight.
Anyway, a ton of people have posted videos of their Soulja Boy dance. Here are a couple that i’ve enjoyed. Check ‘em out. They are pretty sweet.
+ A bunch of young kids in a dance studio doing it. They rock.
+ Texas Longhorns doing the Soulja Boy at their football game. Yes, these are the actual players.
+ Golden State Warriors basketball players doing it on center court. “I am loving your national anthem!” Golden State’s Latvian power forward Andris Biedriņš was heard shouting. Haha.
+ A bunch of college dudes doing the Soulja Boy at Millsaps.
+ Barney doing the soulja boy. Yes, it’s not legit until Barney does it. He did it. It’s legit.
All I can say is Wow. Today was amazing. The closing night of the BodyHype show was an absolute riot. I hate to get too colloquial…but i’ll say it anyway….the 10 o’clock show tonight was “sick”!!! It was “ridiculous.” It was “tight.” It was the best! The crowd was off the wall. We were easily able to feed off of them. We had back to back shows tonight…one at 7 and the last at 10. After the 7 o’clock show our energy was completely gone. However, once we felt the energy of the audience at 10….it all came back. It was better than any red bull or powerbar. It was sweet.
The last show was just so much fun. We all knew the choreo. We all knew the moves. It was just about having fun and performing. Realizing that it’s the last show of the year…and just putting your all into it. And indeed we did. We had a blast. Alot of BodyHype alumni was there as well….and they were quite rowdy. The entire show was non stop cheers, chants, and hoots. Someone was always saying “body body”…..and the crowd would join together to finish it off saying “hype hype.” It was so much fun. There were also alot of drunk people in the crowd which made for some interesting loud commentaries and funny moments. Tonight was something special.
BodyHype is alot of fun. Some of the best friends i’ve made at Princeton are people in BodyHype. I’m really glad I got into it. It’s been a fabulous experience thus far. We spend so much time together that it seems almost impossible to not appreciate one another and learn from their experiences, backgrounds and beliefs. Asians. African-Americans. Latins. Whites. Jewish. Protestant. Catholic. Atheist. Etc. People of all different religious backgrounds are represented. People of all different ethnic backgrounds are represented. I’ve come to be friends with some amazing people. Some dudes on the company are gay. I’ve gotten to know one of them pretty well. We’ve had some great conversations about what his views on life are…and what mine are. We’ve shared life stories and experiences. We’re open with eachother and we talk about what we believe….what makes us tick….and what we ultimately want in life. Sometimes we agree with eachother. Sometimes we don’t. But we respect eachother and for the most part we’re able to understand eachother….trying to see from the other’s perspective. And that’s the beauty of it all. Appreciating differences. Learning from eachother. Growing as individual because of it.
BodyHype is a smorgasboard of all sorts of different people. The diversity makes it so much fun. There is something to learn from everyone. There is something to love about everyone. Though we are all so different…at the same time it’s amazing how similar we all are. We are all brothers and sisters…battling through life…..trying to survive….trying to excell…..often times facing the same temptations…the same struggles….the same weaknesses. We all seek happiness. We all seek victory. We all seek some sort of special oasis at the horizon…that sometimes never seems to get closer. Some reach it quicker. Some reach it slower. But we all seem to be on some sort of common path seeking for a better tomorrow…yet at the same time cherishing the special moments that NOW have to offer.
BodyHype has been alot of fun. Not merely because of the dancing…but as i’ve said…it’s because of the people. It’s a family. As we did our usual pre-show chants and cheers backstage…..since it was the last show there was a time where the seniors were able to give their last words. It was very similar to what I experienced in high school with sports teams. After the last game of the season….as a senior….i’d have a chance to speak up and share my feelings, reflections with the rest of the team. Tears were shed. Emotions were shared. It was a special moment. Tonight was the same thing…except it was with dance. And it wasn’t me giving my last words…cuz i’m just a freshman….rather….it was Z, Marisa, and Kris. It was a special moment. Tears were shed by many. It was their absolute last performance as a Princeton student. So you could imagine how emotional it could be.
Repeating again…the last show tonight was amazing. The entire year with BodyHype has been a blast. I love to dance. I love BodyHype. And I love my fellow bodyhypers. That’s really all there is to it. Nuff said.
Here are a couple pics from today. Not many….like I said before. Once I get pics from other bodyhypers….i’ll have alot more to share. But this will have to do for now.
My parents helped me do some packing today…oh boy….it was ridiculous how much stuff I have. Alot of clothes. Alot of books. Here are some of the boxes full. I’ll be sending it home UPS and it’s gonna cost a ridiculous amount of money.
Me just chillin’ in the dressing room…gettin’ psychologically prepared for the two shows. Word.
The ladies gettin’ ready in their dressing room. Ooh la la…Tash and Chels are so sexy.
Thomas and I chillin’ in the dressing room. Thomas is a fellow Christian. He’s a stud.
The BodyHype after-party at Ivy. It was sweet cuz I was able to bring my older brother, Brad. He enjoyed it. We were able to hang out with fellow bodyhypers, alum, and friends. Everyone knows we don’t drink….but we certainly got the groove goin’ on the dance floor….everyone loved the Mormon bros shakin’ the booty. It was sweet.
Tash and I….oh so sexy. In the picture you can’t see it….but I was actually holding her up completely. It was so cute. She’s basically the crush of the week…no doubt about it.
Well….it’s been fun. Today was great. Had lunch with my fam and some friends at a Mediterranean place at Palmer Square. My parents & bro were able to get to know better some of the dudes that might work on the potential business project with me. My fam seemed to like them. We talked business strategy and got some great feedback from my fam. After that I showed my fam around campus. They bought some souvenirs for my other bros in Utah. Then they helped me do some packing. Then I went to the dance theater while they watched some NBA playoffs. Then my parents were able to watch the 10 o’clock show. They once again LOVED the show. After that my bro and I went to the after party. Had a blast. Stuck around there for a few hours…then hit up Frist for a late poweraid. And now i’m home…ready to go to bed….get up early and go to church….then work on my darn History paper non-stop the next few days. It’s due on Dean’s Date (tue)….and I haven’t even started….oh dear. Oh well….life is good. I had a great time with some of my family…..had an awesome time with bodyhype…..this week was just an all-around great week. But basically now it’s time to get down to business. I gotta finish my academic stuff. Then i’ll get to really focus on potential business opportunities with some buddies. Then i’ll go back to Provo and chill with my homey g’s….and of course a really cute girl named Rachel. That’ll be fun. Word.
Much love,
Mickey
p.s. holy smokes….I have a gazillion emails that I still need to respond to…
I don’t have much time….it’s late and i’m tired. But basically today was another sweet day. My parents are in town, along with my oldest bro. I was able to spend some time with them…and later they were able to watch my BodyHype Show.
Here’s the run down of the day along with a couple pics.
I met up early with my parents and bro. We hopped on NJ transit…headed up to NYC….and chilled there for the afternoon. We ate at Bubba Gump’s in Times Square. Then we went and rode the buggie/horse carriage thingie for awhile….around Central Park. It was relaxing….an overall enjoyable ride. Here’s a quick pic.
After that we headed down to China Town and did some shopping. I bought some sweet ties, some hats and some bling bling. Here’s a pic of my bro wheelin’ and dealin’ with a street hustler. The dude’s tryin’ to sell a “rolex” to my bro. Yes oh yes….we know it’s all fake. But nonetheless…if the watch works then it serves its purpose. Word.
After that we came home. They dropped me off at my dorm….I prepared for the show….headed over to Theatre Intime. The show went great! It was alot of fun. Here are a couple pics.
Joe and I gettin’ ready for Ice Ice Baby….back stage.
The cast in a piece that’s quite provocative.
The dudes….gettin’ ready for our gangsta crypt walkin’ piece. Yes…that’s me actin’ all tough in the middle. And hey….Princeton nerds don’t get much more gangsta than that.
After the show I was able to introduce my fellow bodyhypers to my parents. Alot of the bodyhypers were anxious to meet “Mr. and Mrs. Hagen…the Mormons.” My parents really enjoyed meeting them. Alot of the bodyhypers were teasing me saying that cuz my parents are so conservative christian, etc…they’d be offended by some of the “edgy” pieces. However, I told them that my parents are very open minded. They’ve been around the block a few times. They know it isn’t Utah. So I think alot of the bodyhypers were quite surprised to see that my parents were really excited about the show and really enjoyed it. And indeed my parents really did enjoy the show. They were very entertained and they absolutely loved it. So much so….that they are gonna come again tomorrow. I think it’s funny.
So tomorrow’s plan is to basically hang around here. I’m gonna introduce my parents to some of my buddies. We’re gonna go eat a nice lunch. After that i’ll show my parents (and bro) around campus….buy some Princeton souvenirs….etc. If we have time we might go catch a movie….then later I have two shows, 7 and 10. After the show at 10….we’ll hit up the “after party” at Ivy. I’m gonna bring my older bro…he’s gonna get a feel for how Princeton kids party….at the big mansions on “the Street.” It’s gonna be fun. He’s excited. It’ll be different from what he’s used to…that’s for sure.
Well. Another good day. A day with some of the family. A day with BodyHype sweetness. A great overall day. Time to get some sleep. Peace.
Well….I just got home from our opening night show. It was awesome! The theater was packed, the crowd was wild, and the dancers were hot. It was an overall great opening night. It was alot of fun. And from here we’ll only improve. So i’m definitely excited for this weekend. It’s such a rush to be up on stage performing…playing with the audience…and dancing. Ain’t nothin’ better, nerds.
Here are a few pics from yesterday. We had a bunch of dress rehearsals. After the dress rehearsals we watched the show (cuz we had filmed it) to critique it and learn from it. Then from there we all headed out to Denny’s. That was awesome. It was super late at night…but it’s BodyHype tradition. It was alot of fun. It’s fun to “bond” with the company. I like them alot.
Soon enough i’ll put more pics up online….from bodyhypers that took tons of pics. They’ll share them with me soon enough. But here are a few ghetto pics taken from point-and-shoot cams.
On the way to Denny’s.
Me in the Dressing Room.
Warming up on stage before dress rehearsal.
Here are a few pics from today…show day.
Before the show…messin’ around on stage.
After the show, we went and grabbed icecream.
Me and Rachman just chillin’..
I’m tired. Time to go to bed. My parents just got in town tonight…straight out of the ghettos of Provo, Utah….to come and see lil’ Mickey perform. I just finished speaking with them. Tomorrow we’ll head up to NYC…chill for the day. I gotta be back kinda early though…another bodyhype show tomorrow night. My dad and brother will probably go to the Nets/Heat NBA playoff game tomorrow night….but my mom will stay and watch tomorrow’s bodyhype show. Then on Saturday my dad and bro will watch the BodyHype show (and my mother again of course). It’s gonna be interesting to see their reactions. Alot of the dance pieces are a little provocative and somewhat scandalous. I’m not in any of those pieces….obviously……but it’ll be interesting to see what my parents think about it. I’m not too worried…simply because they’re open minded. But ya gotta remember we’re a super Christian and conservative family. So i’m sure that during some parts of the show they’ll feel a little bit uncomfortable. After all, I do. But like I said…i’m not really too worried about it because they are very open minded people. They’ve been around the block a few times. They know what’s in the world. This isn’t Brigham Young University. It’s a bit different. So yeah…i’m excited to hang out with my parents and oldest bro for a weekend.
Peace out. Now for some Sportscenter….then bed time. Peace.
Much Love,
Mickey
OF THE DAY AWARDS…
Highlight of the day: An AWESOME opening night show w/ BodyHype. Lowlight of the day: I’m not making much progress on my final papers….cuz of BodyHype activities. Biggest Surprise of the day: I pretty much “nailed” all the choreo….booyah! Biggest nerds of the day: Chris & Max. Sweet stage managers for our show. Sweet diggity Dogs of the day: Rachman & Timon. Gun strappas. We have a sweet piece together in the show….along with Tiff, Amira, and Chelsea. Crush of the day: Alex Ripp. She’s hot. I need to get to know her. Song of the day: “Ice Ice Baby” – Vanilla Quote of the day: “Wise men make proverbs, but fools repeat them.” — Samuel Palmer
Well….this week is crazy. For those of you who don’t know…i’m in a dance company. It’s called BodyHype. Our run of shows is this week. Thursday, Friday & Saturday. We do hip hop, lyrical, jazz, and some modern. And maybe more…i’m not really that big into the dancing world….so I don’t know what all the genres are called. This year is my first year in an organized group. I’m used to just dancing with buddies, in front of the mirror, or at a school dance. But indeed I absolutely love to dance. And I feel like i’ve got some rythm….from my mother. My mother’s Guatemalan. And my father’s as white as white can be. So basically I feel like I can shake my booty cuz of my mother’s genes….not my father’s. It’s the Latin flavor…know what i’m sayin’? But you gotta see my dad dance…it’s hilarious. Pure gringo. Pure whitey. So yes folks…..I love to dance. I wrote a really cool blog entry about it called “The Dancing Angel…” a few months ago. You should read it sometime. It basically talks about my love for dancing.
So anyway…this week is very intense, to say the least. We’ve been basically living inside Theatre Intime the last couple days…and will continue to do so until the shows. A week of lots of ‘cleanings,’ rehearsals, tech stuff, lighting, spacing, costume stuff, and dress rehearsals. We basically stay in the theatre from early morning till late at night. It’s insane. It’s about 1am and i’m just getting home. Last night I left the theatre at 2am. Nuts. It’s crunch time so basically we’re killin’ ourselves to put together a great show.
That’s a poster I made….the main one we used for advertising. If you can’t notice…the people say bodyhype.
I have rehearsals for a piece at 8:30am tomorrow…so I really need to get to bed. So this blog is gonna be short. Basically all I wanted to say is that this week is crazy. Dance dance and more dance. The show is gonna be hot…but we really need to pay the price and put the finishing touches on it to make it complete. I’m in some really sweet pieces. I’m in the two company pieces (first and last of the show)…but my favorites are the others that i’m in: Vanilla Ice (word to your mother)….choreographed by Jillian our Artistic Director; Tiffany’s and Amira’s (my mini-bac) piece, called “gun strappa”; and the Dudes piece (which is all crypt walking), choreo by Billy & Dave. So it’s gonna be fun. I’ve enjoyed BodyHype and hopefully i’ll always be able to make time in the future years to continue with it.
So anyway…this week is crazy. My apologies if I don’t write that much this week….hopefully you understand. I’ll try to get some sweet “behind the scenes” pictures of everything with my ghetto point-and-shoot cam. And i’ll for sure put ‘em on the blog. So stay tuned.
Basically after the shows are over…i’m home free. I have a couple papers due early next week but after that my school year is done. I’ll be stickin’ around a couple weeks though to really put things into full-throttle with the business ideas we’re doing. I’m really excited about that.
