America’s Best Dance Crew is back! Kayode & Jon break down Season 3′s contenders (in order of performance):

STRIKERS ALL-STARS
J: I’ve always wanted to see a stepping crew, but these guys are a little more flamboyant than I expected.

K: It’s definitely an interesting chance of pace. Seeing steppers in the mix definitely threw me for a loop. We may need to see a little more variety though. They’ve got just about everything else going for them.

BEAT FREAKS
K: Oh snap, I’m in love! Seeing an all-girl breakin’ crew is great, and these girls certainly have the skills. Not that I haven’t seenmore complex routines, but let’s face it, you rarely see this with females. I’m looking forward to seeing if they can prove themselves beyond the novelty of them being all girls.

J: Agreed. Gotta love an all b-girl crew.

G.O.P. DANCE
K: So far, these guys have been the most versatile. They incorporated a lot of styles, especially doing the salsa bits, as well as having a little bit of showmanship with the monk robes. I do agree though with Shane’s assessment, that given the fact that this is a competition, they could have come lot harder.

J: They took the robes off so soon that it seemed almost random to me so I would say there was a failed attempt at showmanship. I just wasn’t too impressed with anything they did except the salsa, which was actually pretty smooth and should come in handy in future challenges.

QUEST CREW
K: I remember Hok from So You Think You Can Dance. Glad to see he hooked up with a crew.

J: Ah, I knew I knew him from somewhere.

K: Unlike G.O.P., these guys managed to be versatile but brought the energy needed for the competition. They’re a lot better at working the crowd, as well. And they certainly pulled off some fantastic tricks. Stuff that required a lot of skill, not only to pull it off, but also to make it look effortless.

J: I was pleasantly surprised by Quest. They seemed so different that I couldn’t imagine them meshing together, but they did — maybe better than anybody thus far.

FLY KICKS
K: Well, they’re better than Sass x 7, but that’s not exactly saying much, is it? In all fairness though, they are pretty good with choreography. And yeah, a little bit of sex appeal never hurts. Still, they’re just a little too plain compared to the rest of the crews.

J: You know Shane will try to keep them in the game. He’s such a horndog. But yeah, they were pretty meh, especially considering they’re (former) professional cheerleaders, er, dancers.

RINGMASTERS
K: Their theatricality is amazing, that’s for sure. They definitely get points for that alone. You’ve got such a great mix of styles, especially with the contortionists. Hard to believe this is the first crew representing New York on the show. Where was NYC the last two seasons?!?

J: I know, right? I keep wanting to see a straight up b-boy crew from NYC, but maybe that’s too cliche for this show. Maybe you have to be freaking contortionists =/ Honestly you like these guys? They creep me out.

K: That backflip on the 10-ft. ladder was vicious, though!

J: Okay, I can give them that.

BOXCUTTUHZ
K: They’re very cute and quirky, and given Fanny Pak’s longevity over the course of Season Two, that quirkiness can go a long way. But skill is important as well, and these guys do have the skills. I really like their choreography, especially their footwork. It’s almost mesmerizing.

J: I got an FP vibe too, but I think they’ll prove to have their own style. For some reason I think they weren’t showing their real potential tonight. Then again, I thought the same about Supreme Soul last year and they never really broke .500 so we’ll see. Also, that lead girl is pretty cute.

K: That she is.

DYNAMIC EDITION
K: Hip-Hop clog dancing? And it’s actually good?!?!?

J: I am similarly flabbergasted. I think it’s safe to say they would never have made it on the show if it weren’t for Fanny Pack. In a way, I’m looking at them like this year’s Break Skate. I don’t see them going far, but I’d be surprised if they get cut tonight.

TEAM MILLENIA
K: I honestly don’t really know what to make of this crew. They’ve definitely got skills, showmanship, and energy, but they don’t stand out the way the other crews managed to. This probably has more to do with the fact that they performed last.

J: Last year I felt bad for them because they were in the same bracket as Supreme Soul, Fanny Pack and (I think) Supa Crew on the live auditon, so it’s no wonder they didn’t make the show. But now they come back and try to do this poseur rock crap? Take a lesson from So Real and stick to the slow & smooth style.

BOTTOM THREE
K: G.O.P. Dance, Fly Kicks, and Boxcuttuhz are picked by the judges for the bottom three, and I like the whole “Sudden Death” idea of each crew performing one immediately after the other in one set. I wouldn’t mind if they did this every week. I never liked the whole “judges’ comments” thing for each of the bottom crews.

J: I’m good as long Boxcuttuhz survive :) Although, if they can’t fight their way out of this then they probably don’t deserve to move on anyway.

K: In the end, G.O.P. Dance is the first crew to go, and I can’t say I’m shocked. Not that they’re not a good crew, but they were easily the least energetic crew out of everyone. Ya gotta go hard or go home, buddies. On a sidenote, wasn’t the first crew to get cut last season an all-latina crew?

J: Go hard or go home — that’s a L’il Mama-ism. Did you hear her say “characteristic” instead of “charismatic”? And when she broke into crocodile tears for Ringmasters, oh god :( I knew those boys weren’t gonna end up in the bottom after that outburst.

K: It wouldn’t be the first time she’s used the wrong word. I’ve come to accept it. And yeah, the whole crying thing was a bit much.

CONCLUSION
K: All things considered, I’m really looking forward to this season.There’s more variety this time around, and the best thing I can say thus far is that it really is anybody’s game at this point. Last season, I had Super Cr3w pegged as the favorite to take the grand prize from day one. But as it stands, I really don’t know who has the edge, if anyone. I’m gonna have to wait until after next week’s show to make a real prediction.

J: Well, I won’t call it a real prediction, but right now I’ll say my Top 3 would be Quest, Beat Freaks and Boxcuttuhz. Maybe Dynamic Edition, then Strikers, Ringmasters and (sorry, fellow Asians!) Millenia. Fly Kicks is my pick to go next week. On a final note, I love me some Jabbawockeez, but Kid Rainen is just like another L’il Mama interms of his feedback. This show really needs JC — he’s the only one who brings critical analysis and real advice.