The Lab from NBC WOD: Where Are They Now?
NBC World of Dance season 2 may have ended, but the legendary season 1 comeback crew The Lab won not only our hearts, but the title of “Season 2 World Champions.” With their daring tricks and serious spunk, we all want to know: What are they up to now? We caught up with The Lab to talk everything from their experience on the show to studio life. Here's what they said:
What is your training process like?
We train nearly every day in dance, physical strength and emotional wellness. We trust in our directors and each other and a work towards a very clear and common goal!
How did you develop your skills as hip hop artists?
We train hard!! We train our bodies and our minds. Our practices are long and intense, but we know that being our best means we focus on supporting each other, pushing ourselves past our limits, never giving up and wanting to be an inspiration for others!
Why did you decide to audition for World of Dance Season 1?We auditioned for World of Dance Season 1 because the thought of competing on the world’s biggest stage in front of Jennifer Lopez, Neyo and Derek Hough was a dream! We were so excited when we found out about the show and wanted so badly to be a part of the legacy.
What was your favorite part about being competitors?
Our favorite part about being competitors was that we got to do something so incredible and life-changing together. First and foremost, we are a family and we help each other through the ups and downs of life, and we knew that what we were capable of together was far beyond what any one of us could do alone.
What was the most challenging part about being competitors?
The most challenging part of being competitors on the show was the limited time we had to put together each week’s performance! Just a few days to bring the vision to life as well as manage school and sleep!
What was your initial reaction when you were eliminated during Season One?
We, of course, were so sad but immediately looked at each other and realized that this wasn’t the end, it was just our beginning! We knew that if we wanted to show the world what we were capable of, we needed to train and prepare harder than we ever had before to show the world and prove to ourselves that we could reach our goal of being named BEST IN THE WORLD!!
Why did you decide to return for season 2? What was your strategy?
We returned for Season Two because we knew we were ready to come back better and stronger, and that now we had more to prove! We wanted to have the ultimate come back! Our strategy going into Season Two was “EVERY detail matters”. From the dancers, to the music, to the costumes, to our sleep/emotional/physical schedule, everyone from The Lab that was involved was 100% committed to the end goal and to helping all of us dancers do our absolute best!
What was your favorite routine you performed during season 2 and why?
We were really proud of our Divisional Finals routine to “Lemon” by N.E.R.D feat. Rihanna, because it was so challenging to build and had a lot of risk, so to be able to pull it off gave us a lot of confidence that we could accomplish anything!
What is one word to describe how you felt after you were declared the winners?
GRATEFUL!
What's up next for the team now that you are champions?
After winning such a huge competition like NBC’s World of Dance, the platform we have now is not one that we take lightly. We know what a team effort it was to get here, from the dancers, to their parents, to our creative team and directors, and our main goal is to continue the cycle of giving and spread the love to others who are trying to achieve their dreams. We are looking forward to starting scholarships and continuing to spread our mission as we perform in the future.
What advice can you give to aspiring young dancers like yourselves?
Our advice is to pay attention to what makes you happy and then surround yourself with people who are passionate and encouraging. Have a “do whatever it takes” attitude and push yourself to the limit – you are so capable of exceeding the expectations you have for yourself with support of others and believe that anything is possible with commitment and hard work.
