In her short career as a dancer, Japanese born Asami Hoshi has achieved successes that many dancers could only dream of. She is a member of the popular MTV \u2018America\u2019s Best Dance Crew\u2019 contestants The Boxcuttuhz. She has taught dance choreography to Japanese Idols \u2018Morning Masume\u2019. She has appeared in a hit Japanese movie and performed alongside stars such as the award?winning comedienne Margaret Cho.<\/p>\n
Asami decided that she wanted to pursue a career in entertainment as a child growing up in Kanagawa, Japan. When she wasn\u2019t in school, she filled up her spare time with piano lessons, singing lessons and performing in a marching band. The marching band took up most of her time as the troupe performed at festivals around the country, winning numerous competitions and awards.<\/p>\n
During her teenage years, Asami moved her focus to dance after being exposed to R\u2019n\u2019B and Hip?Hop music. She was inspired by all?round entertainers such as Usher, Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson. She would spend hours watching music tours and music videos on TV and teaching herself the dance routines. She enrolled in dance classes, studying a variety of dance forms including Jazz, Ballet and Hip Hop. After her studies, she secured herself a job as an assistant to one of Japan\u2019s biggest idols, the all girl band \u2018Morning Musume.\u2019 Asami taught routines to the girls and learned about staging performances and concerts. In addition to her work with \u2018Morning Musume,\u2019 Asami also found time to teach at a local dance school and enter dance battles, but she soon became keen for newer challenges in street dance. <\/p>\n
There weren\u2019t many openings for street dancers in Japan. Inspired by Rino Nakasone, but wanting to study from and dance with the performers of her dreams, in 2008, she decided to move to America.<\/p>\n
Based in Los Angeles, she began studying at the Debbie Reynolds Dance Studios and at the Millennium Dance Complex. She met her fellow dancers form the Boxcuttuhz and together they formed a dance crew, which appeared on \u2018MTV\u2019s Best Dance Crew.\u2019 Although the band didn\u2019t walk away with the final big prize, a whole range of opportunities opened up for them which included performing throughout America. Asami also decided to join an all female, all Japanese dance group called \u2018Honey Pot\u2019 which had success as a backup troupe for major recording artists.<\/p>\n
Today, Asami has danced with and for a myriad of major choreographers and stars, including comedienne Margaret Cho. Her biggest achievement has been dancing for the auditions for the Cirque Du Soleil Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour. Says Asami, \u201cI was invited to audition, which was a huge honor for me. It helped to validate my decision to become a dancer, which can be a difficult career choice. In the end, I wasn\u2019t among the final dancers chosen but the memory of the audition will remain with me forever\u201d.<\/p>\n
In 2011, she will perform with the Boxcuttuhz in the big \u2018Body Rock 2011\u2019 competition in San Diego and travel around the US.<\/p>\n
Asami:<\/b> When I started to dance in Japan, I was dancing on the street with my crew and other crews because they didn\u2019t have many dance studios in my hometown. The ones that we did have were so expensive to rent. So we all trained outside around the train station or outside desolate buildings with a ghetto blaster. There were so many different types of dancers \u2013 break dancers, hip-hop, body poppers, street jazz… It was like a dance playground and we all learned a lot from each other. This inspired me to undertake serious training so I went to dance school in the city so I could learn more about technique from professional dancers.<\/p>\n
In Los Angeles, I continued my dance education by attending dance studios like Millennium Dance Complex and Debbie Reynold\u2019s dance studio, which has some amazing dance teachers. All in all, I\u2019ve had training in ballet, hip-hop, and jazz. I also take yoga classes and work out at the gym to thoroughly condition my body.<\/p>\n
Asami:<\/b> Hip-Hop and jazz. I love hip hop music but I want to branch out and work more with other styles of dance.<\/p>\nASIANCE: Boxcuttuhz! Who are the members now? <\/h3>\n
Asami:<\/b> (Lando, Bam, JP, Troy, Aye, Jed, Cass, Chihiro Lilian and myself… We also have some other people in the crew…but everybody is busy, so we don\u2019t always perform at the same time.<\/p>\nASIANCE: Did you replace Lydia? <\/h3>\n
Asami:<\/b> No, because we\u2019ve always had other girls in the crew. Lydia is currently busy dancing with Quest Crew.<\/p>\nASIANCE: Who are your favorite Asian dancers male\/female? <\/h3>\n
Asami:<\/b> Female – Rino Nakasone, she is my hero. She is so talented. I love to watch her dance. <\/p>\n
Male – Sh**t Kingz and Quest Crew. The Sh**t Kingz are amazing. The crew is made up of four guys and they always perform identical moves to perfection. They\u2019re loved around the world and I have a lot of respect for them. I also love Quest Crew, as they are so entertaining. I know some of them and one of their members is from Japan. I\u2019m really proud of him.<\/p>\n
Asami:<\/b> Female – Jamaica. She\u2019s a choreographer for many famous artists and I dream of one day working for her. Also, Dana Wilson. She is incredible and a great inspiration to me. <\/p>\n
Male – Travis Payne. He was a dancer for Michael Jackson and is one of my heroes. Marty Kudelka. He works as a choreographer for Justin Timberlake. I also love Nick Bass and Misha Gabriel.<\/p>\n
Asami:<\/b> I love them too!!!!! They are so talented! They\u2019re an all female crew that can do every kind of dance, so I admire them a lot.<\/p>\nASIANCE: Do you know them\/dance with them? Rino? <\/h3>\n
Asami:<\/b> No, I haven’t danced with them yet but the dance industry is small and I\u2019ve met several of them and talked to Rino before. I like Rino\u2019s personality. She is very humble and unassuming even after all her achievements.<\/p>\nASIANCE: What artists have you danced for? <\/h3>\n
Asami:<\/b> I\u2019ve danced for stars in Japan and the US. My favorites include Jordan Knight from New Kids on the Block, comedienne Margaret Cho, The Bangz and Shahyad. In Japan, I worked for the superstar Japanese idols “Morning Musume”. I helped with their concert staging and helped them to learn their choreography. These girls were young but consummate professionals!<\/p>\nASIANCE: Any favorite experience stick out in your mind? <\/h3>\n
Asami:<\/b> My audition for Cirque du Soleil\u2019s Michael Jackson World Tour definitely sticks out in my mind. I danced a medley of Michael songs choreographed by Travis Payne. I love Michael Jackson and I\u2019m a great admirer of Travis Payne so this was a personal high point for me.<\/p>\nASIANCE: Any favorite artist? <\/h3>\n
Asami:<\/b> It\u2019s hard to pick just one, so I would say in no particular order – Justin Timberlake, Usher, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Kevin Cossom, Miguel, Tupac, Bone Thugs n Harmony.<\/p>\nASIANCE: Can we see you in any videos? <\/h3>\n
Asami:<\/b> Definitely check me out performing with the Boxcuttahz this year at World of Dance LA and Body Rock dance competitions.<\/p>\n
WORLD OF DANCE LA 2011-BOXCUTTAHZ<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=klG3raU9vOM<\/p>\n
Boxcuttuhz@Body Rock 2011(thatsfresh.com)<\/p>\n