Come and dance with me this New Day in this New Year as I share my most recent "Billie Jean" Prisma Dance Showcase at Ala Moana Centerstage.
I coined my "Billie Jean" routine the "Rhythm and Moves" showmanship "Time Machine" that bridges beatboxing, singing, and dance, all, at the same time.
It was not, because people told me I can. People told me I could not.
Many people, DOUBTED me.
Told me to STOP.
DON'T DO IT. QUIT IT NOW.
I said to myself, I will commit to beatboxing no less than five years. Five years turned into sixteen years and still counting. I ain't about to stop now.
For my dance steps, I apply mathematics and geometry.
I often go to the drawing board to clean up and hone a dance part, a vocal part, and a beatbox part.
It requires timing, skill, cardiovascular health, breathe control, diaphragm support, and coordination.
As a child of the 1980s, "Rhythm and Moves" is my "Time Machine" showmanship homage to the greats before me, the 1980s, and "Billie Jean" in the world of music entertainment, hip hop culture, and beatboxing.
I use geometric angles for my boogaloo and popping funk dance movement.
I used mostly the backslide that became popularly known as the moonwalk in the earliest stages of this routine. From 2009 onward, I included the side glide. 2019, I included the circular moonwalk or circle glide, which is the real moonwalk. These dance steps are the ones that Michael Jackson learned from the Electric Boogaloos and Jeffrey Daniels.
Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers is also seen performing these dance moves in the movie Breakin'.
JASON TOM RHYTHM AND MOVES
PHOTO CREDITS: JOE MARQUEZ (1, 2, 4), JEANNE MARIE (3)
"RHYTHM AND MOVES IS MY TIME MACHINE SHOWMANSHIP HOMAGE TO THE GREATS BEFORE ME..."
— JASON TOM
Bobby McFerrin, voice music genius. I love his "Spontaneous Inventions" concert!
Michael Jackson, a human beatbox composer. He beatboxed "Who is It" during his 1993 live televised interview with Oprah.
Michael Winslow, Man of 10,000 Sound Effects.
Doug E. Fresh, brought in the clever rhymes with the click rolls, fills, and flavor.
Buffy of the rap group Fat Boys, brought in the power behind the kick and the snare.
Biz Markie, brought in the personality, humor, and witty production. Biz Markie was featured on Biz' Beat of the Day on Nick Jr's "Yo! Gabba, Gabba!"
Rahzel, Godfather of Noise, former member of the Roots, introduced singing and beatboxing, at the same time. Featured on MTV Hip Hop Week. My favorites of his? I have so many. To name some... I love his rendition of Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy," Ozzy Osbourne's "Iron Man," Aaliyah's "One in a Million," and "If Your Mother Only Knew" from Aaliyah's "If Your Girl Only Knew." And of course when he does the Wu Tang Medley. Rahzel is a huge influence for me musically and beatbox wise.
Scratch, former member of the Roots, vocally emulates turntables and records.
Kenny Muhammad the Human Orchestra
Leejay Abucayan won Beatbox Battle TV's Austria Beatbox Championship and was featured on Stir TV.
Beatboxer Elaine Chao rocked the mic on the Showtime at the Apollo.
They've raised the bar. Unique. What was the journey of Rhythm and Moves like? I went to the drawing board, many times.
I first introduced an early rough draft of Rhythm and Moves when I competed at the Fall 2004 Kapiolani Community College Student Talent Show. I attempted to perform a Michael Jackson medley of
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
"Rock With You"
"Billie Jean"
"Bad"
"The Way You Make Me Feel"
"Smooth Criminal"
"Black or White"
"Who is It."
It was my first ever live stage beatbox performance.
I froze colder than the movie called Frozen.
I experienced tremendous "stage fright."
I felt uncomfortable on stage.
I was way out of my comfort zone.
It was nerve wrecking.
I felt like I went through a train wreck.
I felt I humiliated myself. I felt shame, and vulnerable.
I did not place. Discouraged.
It was scary. But ultimately, I am so glad I did it. I challenged myself to commit to beatboxing for no less than five years to see how it goes. All the while, I juggled college.
I went to the drawing board.
To the drawing board I go.
To the drawing board I went.
To the drawing board I go.
I felt determined to flip the script.
In mathematical terms, I wanted to do the additive inverse, and the multiplicative inverse of my adversities.
To make and cause...
.. what was out of my comfort zone, my comfort.
.. what was uncomfortable, comfortable.
.. what was difficult, effortless.
From 2004 on I performed to test out my material at open mics on Oʻahu in Chinatown, Manoa, Diamond Head, and Haleiwa.
2005, I enrolled in voice 1 from professor Lina Doo at the University of Hawaiʻi at Kapiʻolani.
To the drawing board I go.
To the drawing board I went.
To the drawing board I go.
I felt determined to flip the script.
2008, I reintroduced and simplified my Rhythm and Moves routine to win first place at the semifinals of the Word of Life Emerge Talent Show.
To the drawing board I go.
To the drawing board I went.
To the drawing board I go.
I felt determined to flip the script.
2009, I took private voice lessons from vocal coach Cat Wong of Cat Wong Studios.
To the drawing board I go.
To the drawing board I went.
To the drawing board I go.
I felt determined to flip the script.
2009, I performed my Rhythm and Moves routine for a perfect score to win first place at the semifinals of Pipeline Hawaii's Got Talent.
To the drawing board I go.
To the drawing board I went.
To the drawing board I go.
2010, I presented my Rhythm and Moves routine at the 6th International Human Beatbox Convention, and 1st American Beatbox Championships among 100s of beatboxers all over the globe. They loved it. I then performed my Michael Jackson medley in Waikiki. They loved it.
To the drawing board I go.
To the drawing board I went.
To the drawing board I go.
I felt determined to flip the script.
I WAS MADE FUN NO MORE WHEN I SANG..
"She was more like a beauty queen
from a movie scene.
I said,
don't mind,
what do you mean?
I am the one.
Who will dance,
on the floor,
in the round."
To the drawing board I go.
To the drawing board I went.
To the drawing board I go.
I felt determined to flip the script.
I worked on it.
And then.
To the drawing board I go.
To the drawing board I went.
To the drawing board I go.
I felt determined to flip the script.
To the drawing board I go.
To the drawing board I went.
To the drawing board I go,
