Shine B-Boy Series: Fever One

By Tori Hampton

Break dancing is an art that captivates audiences everywhere. Whether walking down the streets in New York City, or seeing a battle as a young child, it's something you just have to watch. That was the case for Carter "Fever One" McGlasson, now a member of the most influential crew in the world, Rock Steady Crew.

It all began with a poppin' battle in Seattle. "Initially I was introduced to poppin', but it was too technical for me at the young age of 11," said Fever One. Nonetheless, it didn't stop there.

A martial-arts enthusiast, he moved into breakin', due to the similarities between the dance and Bruce Lee's moves. "I was drawn to the physicality of breakin' because I was a huge Bruce Lee fan," he said. And, by the age of 12, he officially started breakin'.

Once he developed the skills, it was time for a classic b-boy name. "When you have a fever for something, you just can't stop," said Fever One. "And I couldn't stop break dancing."

His big break came in 1984, when he joined the Seattle Circuit Breakers. He was given the opportunity to perform in an entirely different arena. From 1983-1986, he had various performances including the Seattle Car Show, Seattle Center's Bumbershoot Festival with Afrika Bambaataa, and the Soul Sonic Force.

He was stepping out there and getting noticed. "Back then, we just did it for fun and for the joy of battling," said Fever One. "If we made money during a show, that was just a bonus."

The 1990s brought Fever One more notoriety in the Seattle hip-hop community. He performed at local community centers and helped facilitate various after-school programs. During this time, he joined a group of DJs, graffiti artists, and b-boys to form Dropping Vicious Cycles (DVC). Together they performed throughout Seattle, mainly for the youth. He also hosted countless workshops for at-risk youth.

From here Fever One traveled to Europe and began performing around the world. "From Europe to Japan and all over the U.S., I've noticed that, in general, the scene has really preserved the original identity of the dance since its introduction to the world by the Bronx in the 1970s," said Fever One.

In 1997, he moved to the birthplace of hip-hop, the Bronx, to hone his craft. "When I moved to the Bronx, I was mentored by Lil Lep, of the original New York City Breakers." Here, he was introduced to the Bronx Rock Style, which "took my dance to a whole different level," he said.

After moving to the Bronx, Fever One was met with much opportunity. He performed at events such as Funk Master Flex's Birthday Bash at the Palladium with KRS-One and danced on the DJ Honda video "Check the Mic." He also performed at the 23rd Annual Zulu Nation Anniversary. In addition, during this time, he played a part in "The Invasion of the B-Girls" in Seattle, a battle recognizing women in the hip-hop community. "It was a joint event, but I felt I could help with that kind of event and show that b-boys support women in hip-hop," he said.

Soon after, he became a member of the legendary Rock Steady Crew. And there's no trying out for this crew, according to Fever One. "It's not a try-out. It's a straight up battle. The last thing you have to do is prove that you can hold it down in a battle against another Rock Steady Crew member," said Fever One. Consequently, he battled Heps Fury and thereafter became a part of RSC.

As a member of RSC, the doors were flooded with new prospects. "Being a member of Rock Steady Crew has given me the opportunity to travel all over the world, appear on shows such as BET's 'The Basement' and '106th and Park," he said. "And VH1's 'Hip Hop Honors and Fashion Awards,' as well as be featured in magazines, like XXL and The Source."

Accordingly, his "fever" is still running strong. "I never quit, from 12 years old until this very day," said Fever One. And, along with his fever for the craft, he doesn't rely on one signature move. "I have more than one signature move, because I feel that's what your contribution to the dance should be. Learn the basic foundation and then flip it to make your own."

Fever One said he's done this with his favorite move, the chair freeze. So he has several versions, the No Handed Chair, High Chair Bridge, and the Cutthroat Chair.

And, in spite of all this, he still has time for the youth he spent so much time performing for in the early stages of his career. According to Fever One, he participates in a lot of community outreach programs for at-risk youth, and has been teaching in after-school programs since the early 90s.

"Nowadays there aren't many programs that not only keep kids off the streets, but that kids are passionate about," he said. "Breakin' is one of the few. The youth today are motivated to do well in school and keep off the streets, so they can do well in school and continue participating in these programs."

With the 32nd Anniversary of Rock Steady Crew coming up, there is also new excitement in the air for Fever One. "Well let's just say, it marks my 10th year in RSC, so of course that's big for me…but I never miss a RSC anniversary."

As a result, Fever One is continuing to make his mark in the hip-hop community as a member of the Rock Steady Crew. "To keep it simple, when you read in books about Hip-Hop and it's history, Rock Steady Crew is always mentioned. So to be affiliated, is a great honor," he said.

RockSteadyCrew.com

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