weekend essentials Oct. 7 to Oct. 10 ON STAGE Paul Taylor, one of the major players in the creation of American modern dance, is com- ing to the Power Center with his Paul Taylor Dance Company. Taylor is known in the dance world for emotion, beauty and complex works. Tonight's pro- gram is "Speaking in Tongues" with music by Michael Patton and Bach's "Esplanade." His company will perform a different program on Friday and Saturday, starting each night at 8 p.m. Tickets from $18. AT THE MIC This Saturday at the Kerrytown Concert House, a husband-and- wife duo will perform cabaret songs as part of the venue's new, informal Kerrytown Club series. Renowned composer and pianist William Bolcom and his wife Joan Morris, an adjunct curator at the Clements Library, will perform popular songs from American history. The show begins at 7 p.m. and student tickets are $10. FILM Time to cross another movie off that list - Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" is playing tomorrow at 7 p.m. in the Lorch Hall auditorium as a part of the Center for Japanese Studies fall film series "Re-Viewing Kurosawa." Widely regarded as one of the best movies of all time, the film follows a group of samurai warriors hired to protect a vil- lage from bandits. Free. MICHIGAN'S BREAKDANCERS HIT THE FLOOR WITH HEADSPINS AND WINDMILLS BY ANKUR SOHONI, DAILY ARTS WRITER undreds of people gathered in the Anderson room of the Michigan Union last Sat- urday, forming a giant circle. Some spectators stood on chairs around the edge of the huddle. Police officers stood guard around the back. Others gathered toward the middle, leaving a small section of floor exposed like the center of a stadium. In front of them were two teams of three on opposite ends, each waiting for its turn to throw down. An MC took the mic and spurred on the battle. One dancer after another, passing from team to team - the b-boy competition had begun. This was the Diag Hip Hop Festival - relo- cated to the Union due to rain. The event was planned by a brand new group on campus called Hip Hop Academy as a way of generat- ing attention. The festival was straight out of a dance film, and overwhelmingly impressive for being witnessed in reality. During the b-boy com- petition finals, the dancers used their turns, timing and teammates to perfection. Every big move inspired a collective "Oh!" to sweep over the crowd. While the competition was isolated to six participants at a time, there's no question the b-boy performances get everyone involved, no matter the age and no matter the experience. From the DJ to the dancers, from the MC to the crowd - everybody elevates to the same level. In their Element The words "b-boying" and "b-girling" con- stitute another way - many would say the proper way - of referring to the style known as "breakdancing." While considered a street dance style that values improvisation, it has concrete elements and aclearstructure within which performers work. And despite its ability to impress the crowd, b-boying can be a fierce- ly personal activity. Such is the case with campus b-boying group Element 1. A drastically less competi- tive atmosphere characterizes the mood at the Mason Hall posting wall every Monday and Wednesday night, when the group holds it meetings. Music blares through the building - sometimes three or more songs in different areas of the hall - and b-boys and b-girls prac- tice their moves while passers-by look on. There are no battles like those in the week- end's Hip-Hop Festival, but rather a casual air of self-discovery and collective positivity. Some are there preparing a specific routine, while others are purely practicing technique. In these past two weeks, as Element 1 has been bringing in new members, many of the partici- pants are learning the art for the first time. LSA freshman Eleni Zaras is one such new- comer. In her second week with the group, Element l's leaders could see Zaras beginning to improve. But as many are with newendeav- ors, she was nervous to start. "I came last week," she said. "It was the first time I came and I got there really early, which was a little scary." Zaras didn't have to worry for long, though, as an older member quickly helped to get her started on some basic moves.' Element 1 has resources for people of any level looking to b-boy. At the same time, it has an elite Performance Group for which the group holds tryouts every year. It dances at student and charity events, and uses its oppor- tunities to spread its art on campus. Every year, Element 1 holds an event called Master the Art, which draws crews to Ann Arbor from around the country for a competition and cel- ebration of multiple dance styles. In developing dancers' performance talent, Element 1 prides itself on self-improvement. "B-boying is really individual," said LSA junior and Element 1 President Jun Tai Kim. "In my opinion, b-boying is all about creating your own style. Everybody comes out and peo- ple can give you feedback on your stuff." Despite the perception of breakdancing as a male-dominated art, there is a healthy bal- ance between b-boys and b-girls at Element 1 practices. Megan Kao, a sophomore in the School of Engineering, is on the board of Element 1. "I'm a b-girl," she said. "Element 1 has inspired me to be a lot more creative ... and a lot more self-confident. You know, if you're not confident in b-boying, then it's not going to look good." Element 1 is an unconventional dance group, but its structure feeds directly off the personal nature of the art form. Unlike some hip-hop campus dance groups, which feature choreography and group dances, Element 1 See B-BOY, Page 3B PHOTOS BY: SAM WOLSON DESIGN BY: MARISSA MCCLAIN CONCERT If you've got a han- kering for crunchy guitar riffs and back- yard porch vibes, then head over to the Ark tonight to see Americana/alt-coun- try band The Steel Wheels. Complete with bluegrass vibes and a cool southern twang, this Virginia quartet is well on its way to becoming the next Avett Brothers. Be the first of your friends to jump on the (country) band- wagon. Doors open at 7:30. $12.50.