Dance Mogul Magazine • The Archive
America's Best Dance Crew — Season 3
January 15 – March 5, 2009 | MTV | Winner: Quest Crew
Hosted by Mario Lopez | Judges: JC Chasez, Lil Mama, Shane Sparks
The Season That Changed the Game
The third season of America's Best Dance Crew premiered on January 15, 2009, and would go on to produce some of the most influential dancers and choreographers in the entertainment industry. What made Season 3 special wasn't just the competition — it was the lasting impact. The kids who captivated millions of MTV viewers are now adults who have shaped global dance culture, from Emmy-winning choreography to K-pop's biggest stages.
Nine crews competed, the first time ABDC featured a crew from the Caribbean. Team Millennia, eliminated during the Season 2 casting special, returned as one of the nine official dance crews. The season also featured heavy crossover with So You Think You Can Dance — Quest Crew's Ryan Conferido was a Season 1 finalist, while Hok Konishi and D-Trix were Season 3 finalists.
On March 5, 2009, Quest Crew was crowned the winner, receiving the $100,000 prize. Beat Freaks finished as runner-up — the first all-female crew to reach the ABDC finals.
Where Are They Now?
The Legacy of Season 3's Competitors — 17 Years Later
🏆 Quest Crew — Season 3 & Season 8 Champions
Los Angeles, California | West Region
Quest Crew didn't just win Season 3 — they came back in 2015 to win ABDC All-Stars: Road to the VMAs (Season 8), becoming the only crew in the show's history to win the title twice. Their choreography on that season earned the crew three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Choreography in 2016, marking the first time a dance crew ever received that honor.
The crew appeared in LMFAO's iconic "Party Rock Anthem" and "Sexy and I Know It" music videos, performed at the 2010 NBA All-Star Game with Usher, and made cameos in films including Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and Battle of the Year.
Core members continue to shape the dance world. As of 2025, the crew remains available for live performances and speaking engagements, and their legacy as two-time ABDC champions continues to inspire a new generation.
Dominic "D-Trix" Sandoval
Quest Crew | Dancer, Choreographer, YouTuber, TV Judge
D-Trix parlayed his ABDC victory into one of the most versatile careers of any competition-show alumnus. He returned to ABDC as a judge for Seasons 6 and 7, served as an All-Star on So You Think You Can Dance, and later judged SYTYCD Season 16. His choreographic work with Quest Crew earned three Emmy Awards.
Beyond television, D-Trix built a massive digital presence. His YouTube channel, theDOMINICshow, has amassed over 3.4 million subscribers. He also choreographed for The Lab, which won NBC's World of Dance in 2018. He is the CEO of Dtrix Media Inc. and continues choreographing for crews including Rock Force Crew and the Stepboys.
Films include Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009), Battle of the Year 3D (2013), Breaking Through (2015), and Smosh: The Movie (2015).
Hokuto "Hok" Konishi
Quest Crew | Dancer, Choreographer
Hok choreographed LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" and "Sexy and I Know It" — two of the most-watched music videos of the early 2010s. A SYTYCD Season 3 finalist, Hok has continued working as a choreographer and performer in the Los Angeles dance scene. As of 2025, he remains active in dance collaborations and continues to influence the global dance community.
Victor Kim
Quest Crew | Dancer, Musician, Content Creator
Victor Kim graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in economics before pursuing dance full-time. Beyond Quest Crew, he was a member of YouTube group YTF alongside D-Trix, Ryan Higa (NigaHiga), and KevJumba. He appeared in LMFAO's music videos and the film Boogie Town. Victor is also a musician who sings, plays guitar, ukulele, and drums, and continues creating content on YouTube.
Beat Freaks — Season 3 Runner-Up
Los Angeles, California | West Region
The Beat Freaks were the first all-female crew to reach the ABDC finals, and their impact on women in hip-hop dance cannot be overstated. Formed in 2003, the crew included dancers who had already worked with Madonna, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, and Gwen Stefani. Their ABDC run paved the way for We Are Heroes to become the first all-female crew to win the title in Season 4.
Members have gone on to extraordinary individual careers — most notably Rino Nakasone, who became one of the most influential choreographers in K-pop history.
Rino Nakasone
Beat Freaks | Choreographer, Artistic Director, Actress, K-Pop Pioneer
Rino Nakasone's post-ABDC career is arguably the most globally impactful of any Season 3 competitor. Born in Okinawa, Japan, Rino was already a veteran performer — a former Harajuku Girl for Gwen Stefani and backup dancer for Janet Jackson and Britney Spears — before competing on ABDC.
In 2008, she choreographed SHINee's debut single "Replay" — a song widely regarded as one of K-pop's most iconic tracks. She went on to create choreography for Girls' Generation ("Genie," "The Boys"), TVXQ, f(x), Red Velvet, Super Junior, Taemin, SuperM, and NCT 127. She has served as artistic director and concert director for SM Entertainment's biggest tours.
In 2015, Rino won the Global Best Dance Actress award at the 15th Huading Awards in Macao. She published her art book Rinosophy in 2023, served as lead dance trainer on PRODUCE 101 JAPAN THE GIRLS (2023–2024), and spearheaded the "OUT of the BOX" artist development project in Japan in 2024. In 2025, she appeared at KCON LA to promote PRODUCE 101 JAPAN SHINSEKAI, and in January 2026 was revealed as a returning trainer for the show.
With over 340,000 Instagram followers (@rinokinawa), Rino continues to bridge Western and Asian dance cultures — a living testament to how ABDC launched careers that reshaped global entertainment.
Other Beat Freaks Members
Teresa Espinosa, Alison "Al*Star" Faulk, LindseyB, Lady Jules, Keeley "LockN' Key", Maryss from Paris, BGirl Shorty
Beat Freaks members have continued performing, teaching, and choreographing professionally. Teresa Espinosa, a former Britney Spears dancer, continued touring and teaching. Multiple members appeared in music videos for Justin Bieber ("Somebody to Love") and Diddy. Some moved into television work, including performing on Nickelodeon's Fresh Beat Band. The crew maintains an active social media presence, and their legacy as trailblazers for women in competitive dance remains a powerful influence on the culture.
Season 3 Crews
| Dance Crew | Hometown | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Beat Freaks | Los Angeles, California | West |
| Boxcuttuhz | San Diego, California | West |
| Dynamic Edition | Winfield, Alabama | South |
| Fly Khicks | Miami, Florida | South |
| G.O.P. Dance | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Caribbean |
| Quest Crew 🏆 | Los Angeles, California | West |
| Ringmasters | Brooklyn, New York | East |
| Strikers All-Stars | Tallahassee, Florida | South |
| Team Millennia | Fullerton, California | West |
Results & Elimination Order
| Rank | Crew | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quest Crew | WINNER |
| 2 | Beat Freaks | Runner-Up |
| 3 | Fly Khicks | Eliminated Week 7 |
| 4 | Strikers All-Stars | Eliminated Week 6 |
| 5 | Dynamic Edition | Eliminated Week 5 |
| 6 | Ringmasters | Eliminated Week 4 |
| 7 | Team Millennia | Eliminated Week 3 |
| 8 | Boxcuttuhz | Eliminated Week 2 |
| 9 | G.O.P. Dance | Eliminated Week 1 |
Episode Guide
Week 1: The Sudden Death Challenge
Aired January 15, 2009
JabbaWockeeZ's Rynan "Kid Rainen" Paguio temporarily guest judged in place of JC Chasez. Crews performed to a mastermix of their choosing. The bottom three battled for 30 seconds each to "Live Your Life" by T.I.
Safe: Strikers All-Stars, Beat Freaks, Quest Crew, Ringmasters, Dynamic Edition, Team Millennia
Bottom 3: G.O.P. Dance, Fly Khicks, Boxcuttuhz
Eliminated: G.O.P. Dance
Week 2: Fit Test Challenge
Aired January 22, 2009
Each crew incorporated a physical activity into their routine — kickboxing, spring backs, monkey rolls, side planks, high knees, soldier crawls, leap frog, and mountain climbers.
Safe: Quest Crew, Fly Khicks, Strikers All-Stars, Beat Freaks, Dynamic Edition, Ringmasters
Bottom 2: Team Millennia, Boxcuttuhz
Eliminated: Boxcuttuhz
Week 3: Britney Spears Challenge
Aired January 29, 2009
Crews took inspiration from Britney Spears music videos. Andre Fuentes, Britney's longtime choreographer, helped the crews with iconic moves. Quest Crew performed "Toxic" — blindfolded.
Safe: Beat Freaks, Strikers All-Stars, Dynamic Edition, Quest Crew, Fly Khicks
Bottom 2: Team Millennia, Ringmasters
Eliminated: Team Millennia
Week 4: Whack Track Challenge
Aired February 5, 2009
Crews performed to the most clichéd dance songs and had to make their respective whack dance crazes look fresh — from the Macarena to the Carlton dance to country line dancing.
Safe: Quest Crew, Strikers All-Stars, Beat Freaks, Dynamic Edition
Bottom 2: Ringmasters, Fly Khicks
Eliminated: Ringmasters
Week 5: Illusion Challenge
Aired February 12, 2009
Crews incorporated magic tricks and eye-popping illusions — levitation, passing objects through bodies, walking through solid objects, appearing out of thin air, and stretching like rubber.
Safe: Beat Freaks, Quest Crew, Strikers All-Stars
Bottom 2: Dynamic Edition, Fly Khicks
Eliminated: Dynamic Edition
Week 6: Battle of the Sexes Challenge
Aired February 19, 2009
The first time in ABDC history the Top 4 consisted of two all-male crews and two all-female crews. Napoleon and Tabitha D'umo choreographed a joint intro performance. The male groups performed Ludacris' "What Them Girls Like" and the female groups performed Beyoncé's "Single Ladies."
Safe: Quest Crew, Beat Freaks
Bottom 2: Strikers All-Stars, Fly Khicks
Eliminated: Strikers All-Stars
Week 7: Hip Hop Decathlon & Last Chance Challenge
Aired February 26, 2009
The remaining three crews demonstrated versatility across five hip-hop styles — threading, waving, tutting, housing, and krumping — with help from ABDC alumni including Super Cr3w's Ronnie, JabbaWockeeZ's KB, and Kaba Modern's Mike Song.
Safe: Beat Freaks
Bottom 2: Quest Crew, Fly Khicks
Eliminated: Fly Khicks
The Last Chance Challenge saw Beat Freaks perform "Freak the Dream" and Quest Crew perform "OrQUESTra" with original beats before final voting.
Week 8: The Live Finale
Aired March 5, 2009
All eliminated crews returned for judge-selected collaborations. Quest Crew and Beat Freaks teamed up for their final performance to "Beggin'" by Madcon. Quest Crew then performed solo to "On Top of The World" by T.I. featuring Ludacris.
Winner: Quest Crew
Runner-Up: Beat Freaks
Explore More Dance History
Season 3 of America's Best Dance Crew launched careers that continue to shape global entertainment. From Emmy-winning choreography to K-pop's biggest stages, these artists prove that dance is more than competition — it's a launching pad for greatness.
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