8 Asians

Randy Jackson’s America’s Best Dance Crew (or as I like to call it, Debunking the Asian Nerd Myth Show) is back for a third season. The show premieres this Thursday, January 15th, and introduces 9 competing dance crews, all vying to be America’s Next Top Model. Wait, my bad. Wrong show.

I’m not embarrassed to admit that I enjoy the show; while it doesn’t always hold my attention (there are only so many times I can watch J.C. Chasez say the most inane things EVER), I like to know that there’s at least one show filled with so many Asian faces that isn’t Beauty And The Geek or Heroes. Or Ninja Warrior. Basically, we’re showing that Asian people can seriously dance.

This season’s crews include some new and old faces (courtesy of the official MTV blog)

Crew Name: Quest
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Style Of Dance: BBoy
Description: The Artsy (and Hilarious) BBoys from L.A.

Crew Name: The Strikers
Hometown: Tallahassee, FL
Style Of Dance: Steppers
Description: The Intelligent University Step Crew from Florida

Crew Name: Ringmasters (previously MAINEVENTT)
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Style Of Dance: Flexing
Description: The Contortionists and Freak Show

Crew Name: G.O.P. Dance
Hometown: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Style Of Dance: BBoy, Hip-Hop Choreography, Salsa
Description: The Boys from the Streets of Puerto Rico

Crew Name: Dynamic Edition
Hometown: Springville, AL
Style Of Dance: Clogging
Description: The Backwoods Country Cloggers in Need of a Big City Makeover

Crew Name: Boxcuttuhz
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Style Of Dance: Hip-Hop Choreography
Description: Underdogs in Dance and Life

Crew Name: Team Millennia
Hometown: Fullerton, CA
Style Of Dance: Hip-Hop Choreography
Description: Combining Hip-Hop with Rock and Roll

Crew Name: Fly Khicks
Hometown: Miami, FL
Style Of Dance: Jazz Funk
Description: The Former Miami Heat Dancers with a Mission

Crew Name: Beat Freaks
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Style Of Dance: BGirl, Hip-Hop Choreography, Locking, Popping
Description: Finally — the Ladies Will School the Boys — and Be an Inspiration for Girls Everywhere

Filipino Rynan Paguio from the former champions, the JabbaWockeeZ, is also standing in as a guest judge for the season premiere.

And what the heck is “clogging”?  Can we have an Asian American equivalent with “rice padding”?