Double Trouble” Star Keeps Kids Out Of Trouble!
Michael Roberta, co-star
of NBC’s prime time series
“Double Trouble,” recent
ly received a proclamation
from Mayor Tom Bradley
of Loe Angeles for his work,
as a celebrity helping
young people get of drugs.
Roberts, beet known for
his continuing role as Roos
ter on the popular long
running TV series Baretta,
is now playing Mr. Arre
chia on the “Double Trou
ble” series. In addition to
his many credits as a TV
and film actor, Roberts has
spent 8 years leading a
campaign against drug
abuse called Right Track.
Roberts was cited by
Bradley, joining with
Councilwoman Pat Rus
sell, on behalf of L.A.’s
citizens, for his “outstand
ing contributions to the
community and the dty in
promoting and encou
raging youth to resist
Right Track’s unique
approach is to use “cele
brity pressure” to encou
rage youth to resist the
“peer pressure” to take
(bugs, and to furnish re
McCray: ’
By Loretta Manago
Behind one of the doors of
one of the rooms in the
Little Children’s Theatre,
multi-positioned on the
hardwood floor, practicing
everything from a bead
spin to a hand spin were
Juan, “Boogaloo”, ‘'Red
man", Michael and “Lil’
J " while posed leader of
the group, Audrey McCray,
alisa **DJ Ice Luv” gave
instructions: “I want to see ’
everybody dance for a ftfll
minute, nonstop.” In the
background, the musk of
the Fat Boys and Nolan
Thomas blasted away.
This scene has become
the weekly routine of the
newly formed breaking and
rapping group, DJ and the
NC Breakers. In their
initial phase of the
aggregation, practice has
become the center of
concentration.
"We've been together
since the end of November
and we had been practicing
daily up until January,
then we went to a weekly
krhadule," commented Ms.
McCray. Realizing that
practice is a key element to
a successful group Ms.
McCray stressed that
practices are taken very
■eriously. "In order for
members to remain in the
group, they have to meet a
certain number of pract
ices."
With such commitment,
BJ and the NC Breakers
are sure to be ready for
their first public
appearance Although
MICHAEL ROBERTS
."Noted TV actor
sponsible, ethical, success
ful role models for them to
.relate to and emulate.
Right Track — with
Practice Is Key Element To Success
DJ AND THE NC BREAKERS
....Take a short break r
specific dates have not
been set, Ms. McCray Is
looking forward to an
upcoming engagement at
the Bethlehem Center,
sponsored by John James
Production. “It’s going to
be like the Fresh Festival
There will be other
breakers and rappers
included on the program.’’
Asa matter of fact it was
the Fresh Festival that
gave Ms. McCray the idea
to form Dj and the NC
Breakers. “When the
Fresh Festival came to the
CoHseum last year, the
first thing I noticed was
that there wasn’t aay
female rappers. After that
concert I began to develop
my rapping routine and
added the idea erf having
some breakdancera. In the
future I hope we can add
some girl breakers to the
act," explained Ms.
McCray.
While Ms. McCray
continued 'to relate the
origins of the group, she
added that most of the
members reside in North
Charlotte. "Coming up
with the idea of Dj and the
NC Breakers, I thought it
would be a good way to give
some young boys some
thing constructive to do.
And if we’re good enough
something worthwhile may '
come out at it Besides,
there’s no sense in New
York having all the glory."
Because the group
possesses creativity in
choreography, an inate
ability in dancing and a
singlemindedness in their
purpose. New York will
have to share the a bill of
having the best dancers
and rappers with D** and
the rappers with Dj and the
NC Breaker*,
Juan Westbrook, an 11
year old student at Windsor
Park has been break
dancing for about two
years. DJ and the NC
Breakers is the first group
he has danced with.
Although in love with every
aspect of breakdancing his
i favorite move is popping.
Michael as Chairman of tbe
Board — has recruited
many celebrities who
agree with Michael’s anti
drug stand. The Eight
Track program provides
these celebrities as guest
speakers at schools and
offers kids help in com
municating their feelings
and problems to parents
and teachers, rather than
withdrawing through
drugs.
“Right Track has always
viewed drugs,” according
to Mayor Bradley’s pro
clamation, “not as the pro
blem — but as the wrong
solution to the problems
faced by our young and has
provided answers to these
problems by giving yomig
sters alternative ways to
solve their *»«««■« and
by inspiring them to rise to
greater achievements in
their lives."
Michael himself is one of
those role models. He
admits that he himself was
a drug user in the ,60’s.
Then he found out about
Dianetics, the self-help
technology developed by L.
Eon Hubbard, and the
classic bestseller DIANE
TICS: THE MODERN
SCIENCE OF MENTAL
< HEALTH. 2
“With the sMktance of
DIANETKS I was able to
see dearly foe, the first
time in my life exactly
what drugs had done to my
life This made it possible
for me to inaugurate a
program which prevents
• others from falling into the
‘black pit of oblivion’called
drug prestige. (’We’re all
cool becaus* we’re getting
our heads smashed...’)
DIANETICS woke me up to
this fact," Roberts said.
With the help of DIANE
TICS, Michael is contin
uing to achieve his goals as
- a performer and contribu
ting to his community.
Michael studied drama
in high school in Los Ange
les, and later at the Cali
fornia Institute of the Arts
and the School of Perfor
ming Arts in San Diego,
and with instructors Jeff
Corey and Manu Tupo. He
made his feature film
debut in “Heartbreakers"
„ and starred in “Ice
Pirates” for which be was
Nathan “Redman”
Frailer at age H ia a
veteran to breakdancing
Having danoed for three
yara, Frailer has
performed with Gypay
Breakers and the Jr. Rev
olutions. He is a student at
Windsor Park and is fond of
both poppin' and breakin’
Michael Westbrook, age
IS, a student at Windsor
Park, has gotten other
offers from people to join
their group, but Dj and the
NC Breakert is the first one
he joined. What he enjoys
best about this group is that
they stick together. “My
favorite dance movement
in breakin’ is the
windmill.” >
Raymond “Boogaloo”
Davis age 15. a student at
Eastway Junior High has
been breakdancing for two
years. Having performed
with the Smurf Patrol he
l. Hkes the NC Breakers best
because everyone knows
bow to dance. He considers >
himself to be the best
popper there is.
Only 1* years old, Steven
• LU’ J” Donaldson has
been breakdancing for one
year. He attends Plaza Rd
Elementary School and
was once affiliated with the
group, Tic Toe of Planet
Rock. For him, the dance
step he does beat is the
windmill. Also a member
of the group is Shawn
McCray
nominated for a NAACP
Black Image Award as best
supporting actor.
He baa guest-starred in
episodes of “Jigsaw Join,”
“Medical Center," “The
Hulk," “B.J. and the
Bear," and has had the
rare opportunity of work
ing with Richard Burton in
an episode of “The Pall
Guy.”
His versatility as an
actor and refusal to be
typecast, playing such di
verse roles as the street
smart Rooster and the
impeccable Professor
Arrechia, is matched only
by his genuine concern to
provide rale models for
today's young people, and
to enable them to live a
better life.
Top BaDete
Premiere At
CPCC
Two new ballets created
especially for Dance Cen
tral premiere at Central
Piedmont Community Col
lege in March ' . ‘w
“Birthright’ ’ and
“Reverie” were created by
CPCC guest choreographer
and instructor James
DeBolt, formerly first dan
cer of the Norwegian Na
tional Ballet and soloist
and principal of the New
York City Ballet and the
Joffrey Ballet
Dance Central is CPCC's
dlfe:aS!^ybance Cen
tral’s winter performance
will include a dance by
renowned American dan
cer and choreographer
Doris Humphrey. CPCC
dance instructor Michele
Allen has written a score of
movements in the dance.
“This make us a part of
dance history. We’re lucky
to be able to do this,” said
Mary Aan Mee, advisor of
Dance Central and CPCC
modern dance instructor.
“This is a dance classic.”
Also on the program will
be “The Fragmenting,” a
psychological drama ia
dance choreographed by
Katharyn Horne, and
“Spring Sketch**,” choreo
graphed by Michele Allen
to the music of Mozart.
Performances will be in
Taylor Hall on the CPCC
campus on March 17 at 3
pm. And S p.m.; on March
16 and 23 at • p.m.; and on'
March 22 at 1 p.m. and I
p.m.
Performances are free,
but tickets are necessary
as space is limited For
details, call 37M436 from 8
A.m.-t p.m. Mondays
*
THE CHARLOTTE POST