Every show on the Las Vegas Strip is designed for its venue. In some cases, the theater or showroom space plays a major role in the overall entertainment experience, and in others the room is more of a blank canvas for the performers to use as they wish. But whether you’re seated among a few hundred showgoers in an intimate environment enjoying an up-close-and-personal presentation or sharing a massive communal event in an arena-sized venue, place is important and thought-out.
Globally famous hip-hop dance crew Jabbawockeez has shared its talent and creativity in every type of venue imaginable. These artists have toured the world with major pop stars and captivated audiences from the small screen while winning MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew.
In Las Vegas, their natural home is a cozy 350-seat theater just off the casino floor at MGM Grand, a sort of high-tech cabaret space that allows complete connection with the audience and serves as the backdrop for an energized dance party. But Jabbawockeez hasn’t been able to perform there since March 2020 when the crew unveiled its latest innovative production, a celebration of beloved music called Timeless.
Instead, the show has taken up a temporary residency at the cavernous MGM Grand Garden Arena since November, taking a break through the holiday season and returning to action in March. Even though the arena environment has been adjusted to create a smaller but still spacious area for the Jabbas to do their thing, it seems a daunting task for these unique entertainers to adapt to such makeshift surroundings.
But the dance crew makes this version of Timeless look effortless, energetic and infinitely fun. The audience may be a bit more spread out, but the Jabbas have no problem making that all-important connection, and the impeccably curated soundtrack of the show spanning various eras and genres of popular music thunders through the venue.
Bounding between small satellite stages and an impressive multilevel main stage, the masked dancers leave no signature move and no favorite track out of the mix. The foundational hip-hop music that inspired b-boy culture and the roots of break-dancing that brought Jabbawockeez together is thoroughly explored, and the crew pays homage to the genre’s regional styles, legendary artists and trendy moves that came along with them. But that’s just the beginning. Generations of American pop, soul and R&B are well-represented with a tip of the hat to the Jackson 5, James Brown, Frank Sinatra and other icons, and the Jabbas even dip into punk rock, grunge and personal favorites from movie soundtracks.
Above all else, the temporary setup at the Grand Garden Arena allows Jabbawockeez to show its full capabilities and why its show is so different from anything else you can experience in Las Vegas. State-of-the-art video screens, lasers and special effects add exciting layers to the crew’s uncanny ability to create boldly cinematic visuals through ultra-precise choreography. Sitting in the bleacher seats at the arena gives you a full perspective on this production that you might not get in their smaller theater, and the athleticism of the performance and striking snapshot images during Timeless tells the story of how big the Jabbawockeez show has been all along.
It’s no wonder MGM Resorts recently signed the crew to a four-year extension that will keep the show onstage at MGM Grand through 2025. Jabbawockeez has showcased singular creativity for more than a decade headlining on the Strip, and the group’s resilience and dedication over the past year is another accomplishment to add to the collection. It will be great to see the Jabbas back on their home stage soon, but it’s also amazing to see them perform right now at the Grand Garden Arena.
MGM Grand, 866.740.7711
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