I am Ricky Carranza, a professional dancer/choreographer, and the producer & director of Sayaw Kalsada. I have been in the street dance business since 1981.

My former group called “The Funk System” was among the early street dance crews in the Philippines alongside our friends and contemporaries like the Mechanics, Knapsax, Mastermixes, Eclipse, Infoclash Rockers, Manouvres and Kool Kats.

These crews inspired a new breed of talents in the 90s like the Spindicate Posse, Universal Motion Dancers, the Streetboys and many more, who later motivated the dance crews of the 2000s like the Battle crew, The Philippine All Stars, Team Vibe and more…

There were other dance crews and extraordinary individual dancers and artists during our time and even before us (some have long been forgotten), who inspired us and set up the first pillars of Filipino street dance. Names like Monty Flores, Rommel Canlas, Darwin Tuazon, Francis Magalona, Ronnie Ong Herrera, Raoul Henson, Larry Moncado, Jungee Marcelo, Jerome Dimalanta, Uriel Policarpio and the cult-classic Dance 10 group of Ray An Fuentes and Mike Monserrat, Sandy Hontiveros and Poncy Quirino of the Penthouse 7 hosted by Archie Lacson, and of course, our very own national pride, multi-talented musician, Gary Valenciano, are among these pioneers who laid out the foundation of our urban dance culture.

Sayaw Kalsada is dedicated to the new generation of Filipino talents, who continue to enrich and represent our culture taking our flag with honors to the international scene. Multi-time champion world-class Philippines All Stars, crews from the University of the Philippines (UP) and Della Salle University, the FMD, the Rockstars, and many more are among the new heroes who tirelessly push and extend the frontiers of Filipino street dance beyond our known limits.

This documentary is the untold story of these dancers and artists, and their burning passion which paved a hard way to the establishment of Filipino street dance culture.

Moreover, this film features some of the best Filipino-blood street-style dancers, teachers and organizers around the world who have remarkably contributed and continue to share in the development of the street dance culture in their respective areas and worldwide. To name a few: Keone and Mari Madrid, Brian Puspos, Bboy Ronnie, Cris of Jabawoockeez, Justin “Jet Li” of Poreotics, Donna Sunny D Lock, Bailrok, Dave of World of Dance, Arnel Calvario of Kaba modern, Bboy Mouse, Jheric Hizon “Bboy Twist” and Cezar of Fresh Groove from Vancouver, Michael Flores from Sydney, Marco Selorio of Battlegrounds, CL from Dubai, Errol from Brisbane, Cyrus, Lucky and Lisa of Urban Force, Vince and Liz of Passion studio, Karen Jehodo of K-Star studio, Joel Gallarde from New Zealand & Melbourne, some forgotten heroes like Alvin Tuazon (brother of Darwin Tuazon), Don Sevilla from Los Angeles, Bboy Wrek of NASA crew & Rock Steady crew, and many more.

Through this film the whole world will know why Filipinos love street dance under any conditions!

THE BUDGET

Most of the work has already been done. And thus, there’s not much to raise and we don’t need an awful lot of money to finish it. I, and my family, have spent about 30k US dollars to arrive to this point. These expenditures include the travel cost, hotel, food, and local transportation in different countries (i.e. Canada, USA, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Philippines, Singapore, England) and cities within (take note: we filmed in more 20 locations around the globe), film equipment, production crew, computers, external storage, editing program and other relevant reasons.

We need to raise now a minimum of 10k US dollars for the post production work which includes the making of the soundtrack (take note: we will make our own music album for the documentary), video editing, graphic animation, promotion, marketing, making of dvd, and other relevant cost. That amount does not even include my salary for all those years of hard work and all those expenses we forked out from our own pockets.

Thus, if you are able and feel like giving more, please do so that we may somehow recover from our prior expenses. Come to think of it, it is not really a lot of money we are raising now. If only 100 friends share 100 US dollars each, this documentary is done! I know I alone have more than 100 friends who are wiling and excited to take part of this life-time worth endeavor. For this reason, I am sure we can finish this project in time.

I need that fund while I am in the Philippines, between 28 April to 30 May, during which period, I will sit in the editing room most of the time, if not filming the last scenes.

If we are able to surpass that 10k US dollar goal, we plan to use that excess to invest more on our earlier project, which we have put on hold – the narrative feature film – “Dance Boy”. We know a lot of you have been waiting for this. We decided to concentrate on this documentary project first, not only because it is lighter financially, but also to establish credibility that we are not only capable of doing what we say we can, but also to prove that we are legitimate street dancers and know our subject well. Our prayer is that this documentary film will inspire and unite Filipino dancers around the world to keep working together in representing our individual natural talents and our unique rich culture flowing in our veins.

THE SIGNIFICANCE

This documentary film means a lot to me, and my family, not only because it marks the beginning of a new chapter for us, but, more so, because, I know it will inspire and open up so many opportunities not only for our own people, but for others as well. Like many others, dance has “saved” my life and gave me a new purposeful direction. With this documentary, I hope to be able to give back to my own people and provide help and support to many talented Filipino dancers who have less chances of making a living of their craft.

If both these film projects will become successful, and generate funding and interest from financially capable individuals, I intend to set up the Street dance Institute of the Philippines, a refuge and haven for those who intend to make a career out of their passion and skill. This will be the first educational institution in Asia, which specializes on the vast street dance culture and will offer street dance as a degree both for those who want to become professional dancers and those who want to become respected degree-holder teachers. I have written the manual/curriculum for that matter as early as the 90s. This is not an overnight dream or wishful thinking. I have been working on this dream relentlessly for several decades now.

THE CALL

I am calling on my friends, relatives, former classmates, dance students, former dance students, co-dancers, friends of friends, all Filipino-blood dancers and everyone who shares the same interest and passion for street dance and close affinity with Filipinos, please join me and my family in making this a reality. Thank you. May God bless our efforts.

Much love,