"Everything Remains Raw"

Many of you know Moncell as a member of the Mop Top Crew from New York/New Jersey. They have performed at the SFHHDF for many years now. Moncell is also a filmmaker and has just completed a new film "Everything Remains Raw". This film will be screened at the 10th anniversary SFHHDF in November on Sunday Nov 23rd at 3:30pm. Here is his description of this film:
" a documentary about the deep-rooted structure and African retention present in dance practices throughout the African Diaspora. This film investigates and re-presents Hip Hop’s lineage. It also highlights an assortment of influential black cultural phenomena that helped construct and characterize the movement practices demonstrated in African-American expressive culture"

I also am including some of Moncells blog regarding his film. The following is written by him: enjoy!

"MIs-conceptions and realities."
"thought I'd share some view points on one of the sections in the film. "Mis-conceptions and realities. In this section I address many incorrect things about Hip Hop dance. One of those things is the marketing of classes. I've seen and heard of many named classes in the U.S. and around the world. Let me share with you some truths about this advertisements, which are just a means to fill a class by giving a creative name to the same old style of dance that was previously taught. One word "Integrity"
1) JAZZ-FUNK: there is no such thing as a Jazz-Funk class, why you may ask. Jazz-Funk is a music not a style of dance. The term comes from groups and artists like Miles Davis, Tower of Power, Herbie Handcock, Roy Ayers and many other musicians who where trained Jazz artist and fused the Funk bass sound of James Brown and the JBs into there sound and created Jazz-Funk Fusion. However, no new dance style was created to be called by the same name. The dances that where already out are the same ones done to this new fusion.
2) STREET-JAZZ: the true meaning of a Street-Jazz dance class would mean that the teacher is teaching the authentic style of "street" Jazz from the 20's, 30's and 40's. Remember Bob Fosse and the like are a codified form of movement that is not authentic Jazz, there movement is a more broadway performance based style. So, a Street-Jazz dance class would mean you are learning dances like the Truck, Apple Jack, the Dip, Slow Drag, Boogie Woogie, the Buck, Suzy Q and many, many others.
3) NEW-STYLE: there is no such thing as New Style: My question is what's new about it? all I see are people doing hybrid Jazz, modern, lyrical etc. or they say its just choreography. There is nothing new about those forms of dance. The term new style as I was informed comes from dancers in Japan as well as France, dancers who where inspired by the famous documentary "Wreckin' Shop...live from Brooklyn" with Mop-Top and Misfits in 1992. Instead of saying New York Style dancers began saying New Style to refer to the dancers from NYC.
4) MTV DANCE: there is no such dance as MTV style, MTV is a Music Television station they report news and show music videos. They have never created a dance and much of the dances you see in the videos they air are codified Jazz based movement, besides the few that show authentic hip hop social dances like "aunt Jackie, Soldier Boy etc.
5) PUSSYCAT DOLLS STYLE: the Pussycat Dolls do not have a style of dance they do Codified Jazz, lyrical and modern that is choreographed for them.
----and finally a few last thoughts. Choreography is not a style of dance. it is simply placement. A car chase is choreographed, a fight sequence is choreographed and neither of those are dances.
---and for all of you that love Michael Jackson, who is a great dancer, and was also taught by Popin Pete of the Electric Boogaloos and by Popin Taco, Taco who spend the better of 10 years teaching Michael how to isolate and pop. So for those of you who think you are imitating Michael your really imitating Michael who is imitating Taco."
peace and blessings.
ill Kosby. (Moncell)