CAAMFest 2016 is coming up in San Francisco and Oakland, and the film that will have the honor of being this year’s first screening is “Tyrus,” a feature-length documentary that explores the long, fascinating life of Chinese American artist, Tyrus Wong. The documentary dwells into a number of events and experiences that he went through in his life, both good and bad. Without giving too much away, here are just five interesting points that will be covered in “Tyrus” to whet your appetite:
Tyrus was held on Angel Island upon arrival from China.
Born in Guangdong, China, at the age of nine, Tyrus and his father immigrated to the United States. However, due to the Chinese Exclusion Act still being upheld at the time, the two had to go through the immigration station on Angel Island in San Francisco. Tyrus was separated from his father upon arrival and stayed on the island for about a month. Upon his release, they relocated to Sacramento before settling in Los Angeles.
Tyrus began his journey as an artist in junior high.
Despite never being big on school, it was through one of his junior high school teachers who recognized Tyrus’s talent for art. Upon his teacher’s encouragement, Tyrus went out for and received a summer scholarship to the Otis Art Institute. He found the education there benefiting for him as his artistic abilities matured; which is why, with the assistance of his father, he left his junior high and became a full-time student there.
Out of all his works that he has done over the decades, the one that Tyrus is best well known for is his work on the 1942 Disney animated film, “Bambi.” His lush illustrations of evergreen forest sequences and whimsy, dreamlike drawings of animal inhabitants intrigued Walt Disney; enough to where Tyrus went from cleaning up other animators’ works to being the lead artist on the film. It was also his only stint with Disney, as Tyrus was fired following the outcome of the 1941 Disney animators’ strike.
Tyrus served as a storyboard artist for many live-action films.
Despite no longer working in the House of Mouse, Tyrus’s career in the film industry only grew from there. He went on to work with a lot with live-actions films, creating eloquently drawn storyboards that almost always translate precisely to how it appears in the final product. Films he served as a storyboard artist for include “Rebel Without a Cause,” “The Wild Bunch,” Wake of The Red Witch,” “The Helen Morgan Story,” and “Ice Palace.”
An exhibit on Tyrus Wong and his art at the WaltDisney Family Muesum – via sfartenthusiast.com
Tyrus also went on to becoming skilled at making kites.
Despite his skill for illustration, Tyrus expanded his artistic scope later in life when he started making these beautiful, elaborate kites. Originally initiated by his wife who told him to “go fly a kite” (because he was getting on her nerve one day), Tyrus borrowed books on Chinese kite building from his local library and ultimately taught himself how to do it. From soaring butterflies to goldfish out of water, he always goes to the beach close to where he lives at least once a month and flies them.
Did we mention that he’s 105 years old and still kicking butt?
“Tyrus” will be kicking off CAAMFest on Thursday March 10th at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco. Director Pamela Tom, Tyrus himself, his family and other members of the film’s crew will be in attendance. Tickets are on sale now.
It goes without saying that the 88th Annual Academy Awards ceremony was the most political yet. The #OscarsSoWhite controversy gave this year’s host Chris Rock plenty of opportunity to highlight the need to diversify the film industry by offering more opportunities for Black actors and actresses. Other industry honorees were also able to use the program as a platform to speak on their own agenda – Leonardo DiCaprio on climate change, Lady Gaga on sexual assault and even director Alejandro González Iñárritu gets in on the race issue with some poignant commentary. With the highly political atmosphere of this awards season and the idea of DIVERSITY being shoved in our faces for the entire show, I find it incredible that Chris Rock and guest Sacha Baron Cohen still manage to squeeze in their racist jokes about Asians.
Around halfway through the ceremony, Rock introduces three Asian children wearing suits and ties as the accountants from PriceWaterhouseCooper who are in charge of counting the votes. Without a beat, we all know he is making fun of Asians for being math geeks and playing on the harmful model minority myth. He also makes jokes about child labor, telling people that are offended to tweet about it with phones made by the same kids.
Sacha Baron Cohen also bashes the Asian community while presenting a Best Film nominee. Alongside Olivia Wilde (who was shaking with laughter the whole time, btw), Cohen in character as Ali G from his latest film made a joke about yellow people with small penises. “Minions!” he yells at a laughing audience, who all know he is making fun of Asian people and are laughing anyways.
Tell me which is worse: that Chris Rock planned on exploiting children in the joke without their parents knowing or that Cohen’s unplanned, unapproved remarks were so well-received. Either situation seems to speak volumes about how unseriously the Academy and its members regard diversity issues.
“We do not belong here. We are comic props. We are a punchline,” said Phil Yu in his take-no-prisoners response to the Oscars on Angry Asian Man.
With a similar sentiment, some took to Twitter to call out the Oscars and Chris Rock for preaching diversity while still playing on Asian stereotypes.
With all this conversation happening, the issue is far from being put to rest. Rock may have handled some diversity issues with some good comedy, but let’s be clear: It’s not okay to talk about how Wanda Sykes is always typecast as the “Black Friend” and then to turn around and typecast Asian children in a joke about accounting and child labor or to be okay with equating Asians with Minions. Don’t be a hypocrite.
To call 2015 an exceptional year for the KINJAZ would be quite the understatement. In between making mesmerizing dance videos for YouTube, crowdfunding for a new dance studio in LA, growing an apparel line, and traveling constantly to teach passionate young dancers around the globe, they somehow also found the time to perform at countless events, including Kollaboration’s STAR showcase in November and VIBE Jr. on the same day.
I felt very lucky to sit down and catch up with Mike Song and Ben Chung, two key members of the KINJAZ, who I’ve become familiar with through my years in Kollaboration. Decked out with their KINJAZ gear inside our sleek white interview room, the combination of the dark urban dancewear with their calm friendly demeanor embodied the humble confidence that has become their signature. I struggled to find the right question to begin the conversation.
KINJAZ Ben Chung and Mike Song with Kollaboration Executive Director Christine Minji Chang
Through deep breaths and a few laughs, Ben and Mike shared the long and intertwining narrative of how they found themselves coming together, along with their third major member Anthony Lee, to build the KINJAZ Empire. It is an awe-inspiring story of serendipity, growth, and above all, brotherhood.
The journey began when a teenaged Mike was living in Los Angeles in the early 2000’s and exploring his obsession with choreographed dancing, having long been inspired by the likes of Michael Jackson, Mr. Wiggles, and old school k-pop. Mike, like so many other youngsters before the invention of YouTube or any sort of shared social media, relied on attending live shows in the artistic community and school to connect him to the dance scene.
It was at a UCLA Korean Culture Night that Mike, then a 15 year old high school sophomore, first saw 19 year old Ben Chung perform with Breakdown crew, his dance group at the time. Mike became an instant fan of Ben’s skill and style, and he would actively search for any other opportunity to watch him dance again. One day in 2001, Mike’s sister caught wind of a new talent competition called Kollaboration and heard that Breakdown crew would be competing in it. She told Mike about it and he happily attended the show. Funnily enough, this would be the night that Mike Song appeared in his very first viral video, where he danced against a then unknown David Elsewhere in the Kollaboration freestyle dance competition. At the start of the video, before David takes the stage, you can see a slight and skinny Mike rocking the signature AZN style of baggy jeans, frosted spiky hair, and glasses wow the crowd with his fluid dancing skills. Though Mike today laughs at that battle as the day he got “destroyed”, that night he learned about “the level of skill that exists out there, so that I wasn’t just comparing myself to kids at my high school.” More importantly however, that night Mike met Mike Chong, a member of Break Down, and finally had a loose connection to Ben. Score!
Fast forward a few years, Mike enrolls at UC Irvine, eager to join in on the huge, thriving dance scene on campus that Ben was already involved in. Ben and Mike had collaborated a few years before for a performance that ended up not happening, but they’d stayed in touch. Ben would adamantly advise his young friend that, without question, his crew KABA Modern was the group to audition for. Mike, who had already done a ton of research through downloading KABA Modern’s videos online, accepted Ben’s invitation to KABA’s Welcome Week show. This seemingly small moment had a massive impact on where both men’s lives would head.
Sadly, the overlap in Mike and Ben in Kaba Modern would be brief as Ben graduated just as Mike joined the crew, but their paths were destined to cross again down the road. Ben graduated from UCI in 2005 and would move on to work in production for MTV, though throughout Ben’s corporate life, he never lost his love for dance or his dream to pursue it fulltime. Eventually, the call became too strong and Ben made the decision to take the plunge, quit his fulltime job, get an agent, and start teaching dance in LA’s studio circuit.
It was 2006, while Ben was teaching a class in a San Diego studio, when KB, a member from the infamous Jabbawockeez, would come to take one of his classes. At the end of this class, KB approached him to ask if he would join his new crew in San Diego. Despite it meaning a 2-hour plus commute for Ben from the San Fernando Valley to San Diego, Ben was all about it and it was a done deal. Over the course of the next two years, Ben would dance and hang out with KB and his friends from the Jabbawockeez. He’d be called in when they had a couple shows with an open spot, and he’d eventually be “battled in” to become an official member of the Jabbawockeez dance crew.
In 2008, MTV premiered an explosive little show called America’s Best Dance Crew which would bring a mostly underground dance scene to forefront of mainstream pop culture. The first season’s competing west coast crews included the Jabbawockeez and, as fate would have it, an elite crew from the current KABA Modern roster, made up of Mike and his crewmates Yuri Tag, Cindy Minowa, Jia Huang, Tony Tran (a future KINJA), and Lawrence Kao (also a future KINJA).
The ABDC Season 1 KABA Modern Crew – image via MTV
Ben and Mike’s crews would go head to head for numerous rounds with the Jabbawockeez ultimately taking the first America’s Best Dance Crew champion title. KABA Modern would come in 3rd place. Season 1 of ABDC was a truly groundbreaking moment not only for the dance scene, but also for the Asian American community. The series showcased that Asians can not only have jaw-dropping technical skills, but also, to some, surprisingly audacious and comical personalities that drew in fans week after week. This gave many Asian Americans youth across the country a tremendous sense of pride in a younger, more swaggerific representation of themselves on such a popular national platform. Because of the success of the show, everyone’s lives would never be the same.
After winning ABDC, the momentum of the Jabbawockeez would launch them full force onto a “rollercoaster of craziness” as described by Ben. The world was amazed by the synchronicity of the crew and intrigued by their powerful choice to cover their faces with white masks. Which they did so that viewers would stay attentive to their art as a collective unit instead of focusing on individuals. In 2010, after having performed on commercials, tv shows, and world tours, Ben and the crew would eventually head to the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas to become the first dance crew to headline their own Vegas resident show called “MÜS.I.C.”
Members of the JabbaWockeez dance crew perform during the opening night of their show, “MUS.I.C.” at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino May 7, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Tabu Ultra Lounge)
In the meantime, Mike would continue his dance career post college through teaching with KABA Modern. In 2010, Mike rallied a crew along with his best friend and former college roommate, Anthony Lee. Anthony had recently decided to move away and quit dancing, and Mike decided to create something fun as a “last hoorah” since they had never officially performed together. They called their one time project ANBU Black Ops, their name, and costumes, inspired by the Japanese anime Naruto. As a part of ANBU, Mike would grace the Kollaboration stage again for Kollaboration 10 in full ninja gear, highlighting an already incredible night at LA’s Shrine Auditorium that also featured the night’s winner Clara C, and audience choice winner Jason Yang. Though it was only their second performance ever as a crew, it became a turning point for Mike and Anthony as they realized that this could become something more. Mike recalls, “That was when we decided, maybe this isn’t just a one-time thing. Let’s do it again. Let’s friggin’ build this thing.” It was at this moment that ANBU Black Ops began its transformation into the KINJAZ.
As luck would have it, at the same time as this momentous epiphany, Mike received a call from Ben inviting him to be a swing dancer (like an understudy) for the Jabbawockeez Vegas show. The next morning, Mike and Tony Tran would get into a car and head out to join the Jabawockeez. Over the course of almost a year in Vegas, Mike’s conviction to dream big and build a dancing career and show on his own terms gathered steam. Mike reflects on this time, “The whole time I was there, I just couldn’t help but think, ‘Dang. I want to do this. I want to do this in the way that I want to do it.’”
After his stint in Vegas and a long supportive heart to heart with Ben, Mike returned to southern California to continue a solo dance career after an attempt to reignite the KINJAZ unsuccessfully. He’d link up with the likes of Terry “KRNFX” Im to develop their famous “Dancebox” routine, dropping by the Ellen Degeneres Show to show the world what’s up. Anthony Lee would also do the same, though they would always have the idea and dream of the KINJAZ in the back of their minds and hearts.
After several years of performing in Las Vegas, Ben returned to his hometown of Los Angeles, ready to explore opportunities for the next leg of his creative journey. Upon arrival in LA in 2014, Ben would get back in touch with Mike, as well as other old friends like Movement Lifestyle founder Shaun Evaristo and Anthony. Described as yet another perfectly serendipitous moment, together they would embark on a roadtrip to Arizona to reflect and explore where the road may be leading them next as artists.
It really was then in the late fall of 2014 that the pieces really started to fall in place for the KINJAZ to come to life. With Ben now permanently back in LA, and with years of solo careers and experiences under their belts, it was time to awaken the “sleeping beast” as Mike called it. And so they made the commitment to making the KINJAZ crew a reality.
After a few months as a newly cohesive crew, MTV announced a revival of America’s Best Dance Crew causing an uproar of excitement from dance enthusiasts. They’d go on to compete against the best crews in ABDC history with elaborate sets and striking black and white costumes that channeled urbanized martial arts fashion. They even brought back Mike’s frequent collaborator, Terry “KRNFX” Im to beatbox one of their sets in a viral video that floored the judges and the world. In the end however, the ultra dynamic Quest Crew would take home the top ABDC 2015 title.
In late 2015, the KINJAZ fanbase successfully crowdfunded an Indiegogo campaign for the KINJAZ Dojo, their very first studio out in east LA. Since its soft opening in early 2016, friends and well-wishers have come taken classes in droves. In addition to resident crew members, special guest teachers like Shaun Evaristo, Chris Martin, Jillian Meyers, Bam Martin, and Ian Eastwood have also made appearances. Not that running a studio or a wildly successful in-house clothing line has slowed them down as a crew, the Kinjaz were also selected as Company of the Year at the 2016 World of Dance Awards. No big deal.
The KINJAZ performing at Kollaboration STAR 2015 – photo by Anna Xian
The future is looking mighty bright for Ben, Mike, Anthony, and the rest of the Kinjaz crew. Their story continues to be one of providence and unwavering determination. While the KINJAZ do have plans to create their own hour-long show and expand their content and merchandise, their larger overarching goal is to create the dancer into an artist at the forefront. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to keep an eye on them for a reminder of not only how important it is to follow your dreams, but how possible it is too.
Ben reflects, “It becomes something more daily. We believe in this thing. It’s not just a gimmick, it’s not just a hobby. And those who believe in something to that degree are those that will make a difference. It’s until the wheels fall off.”
Recently, the New York Times released a feature titled “The Faces of American Power, Nearly as White as the Oscar Nominees” and revealed a startling trend. The feature compiled a list of “503 of the most powerful people in American culture, government, education and business, and found that just 44 are minorities,” which is approximately 8% of all the people surveyed. The categories stemmed from CEOs of powerful American companies, to leaders in government, education, and entertainment. Organized into a neat, visual list, the message was far from subtle.
Ever heard of the Glass Ceiling? In light of the new wave of social justice movements sweeping the country (particularly the Black Lives Matter movement), more and more Americans are becoming aware of just how difficult it is for minorities to grab a foothold in American society. According to the 2014 US Census, almost 6% of the Americans are Asian/Pacific Islander and about 23% of Americans are either a racial minority or of mixed race. Over the last decade, there has been some “progress” in representation: Satyha Nadella was appointed CEO of Microsoft in 2014, Kevin Tsujihara was named CEO of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment in 2013, and in 2008 Barack Obama became the first Black President of the United States. Shonda Rhimes, one of two minority heads (both of whom are black) in “People Who Decide Which Television Shows Americans See,” is responsible for hit shows such as Greys Anatomy and Scandal—both of which have cast minority actors such as Sandra Oh and Kerry Washington. But think about it this way—there are over 318 million people in the United States today (from the 2014 census data). That means there are 73 million Americans that are racial minorities and 19 million of those that are Asian/Pacific Islander. How is it possible that with 73 million people who are considered racial minorities, only 44 of them hold positions of power? And among those 44, only 10 of those are of Asian/Pacific Islander decent. Don’t even get me started on minority women.
So what does this mean for Asian-Americans? Despite accounting for 15-20 percent of the student population at Ivy League schools, there are currently no AAPI Presidents of Ivy League Universities (Jim Yong Kim left his position at Dartmouth in 2012), and AAPI’s lead only a fraction of the nation’s Fortune 500 companies. Even with groundbreaking shows like Fresh Off the Boat, Dr. Ken, and Master of None along with other AAPI stars in actual leading roles, AAPI actors represent less than 4% of all film and television roles. In athletics, less than 5% of AAPI athletes play in the largest sports leagues such as the NFL, MLB, and NBA. On top of this, AAPIs hold only 11 seats in Congress: 10 being in the House and 1 in the Senate. What about the other 19 million of us that are living in the US today? The message the New York Times highlights in their feature is not only a stunning lack of representation, but is also a nod to the larger conversation of systemic racism in America. Racism extends far beyond hate crimes or rude slurs. Racism is also the model minority myth, the refusal to understand our culture, and the bias that exists because of the color of our skin and the shape of our eyes. Sadly, where there is systemic racism, there will be a glass ceiling regardless of conscious intention. So what’s the solution?
It really doesn’t (and shouldn’t) take much effort to see that minorities are whole and varied people, just like everyone else. While many of us study to be doctors and lawyers, an equal amount of us strive to become artists, writers, and actors. Some of us like science, and some of us like humanities. Some of us strive to become leaders, while some of us don’t aspire to be, but most importantly, many of us are starting to realize that the game is rigged, and figuring out how to play on our own outside of the established status quo, looking for places (or creating them from scratch) where we will be valued for what we bring to the table. In fact, studies have shown that companies with diverse leadership perform better in general. Perhaps for those in power, it is time to stop asking minorities to merely “work harder” and “play along” for that non-existent carrot, and instead take a hard look at the systemic barriers that may be keeping their minority peers from unlocking their full potential. In the end, we’ll all be better for it.
