Harry Shum Jr. & LXD’s Debut

If you were lucky enough to go to any of the Glee concerts then you were lucky enough to experience the LXD.  They are amazing and they are led (in part) by Glee’s very own Harry Shum Jr.  Thanks to Cory for sending this my way!

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From being one of the boogeying silhouettes in iPod ads to touring as a backup for Beyonce to attracting a cult following as Mike Chang aka “the Other Asian” on TV’s Glee, Harry Shum Jr. has found numerous outlets for his dancing skills.

But probably the most unique platform arrives Wednesday on Hulu.com when the web-only series The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers premieres. The 10 episodes with minimal dialogue that run eight minutes each and will premiere on consecutive Wednesdays is the brainchild of Jon M. Chu, director of 2008′s Step Up 2: The Streets and this summer’s Step Up 3-D — which both happen to feature Shum.

LXD, as it is known, is presented as a take-off on comic-book superheroes where dancers have incredible powers and engage in battles between good and evil.

Shum is Elliot Hoo, an average guy. “His superpower happens when he finds magical shoes,” he explains to USA TODAY’s Susan Wloszczyna. “He’s curious and ends up putting them on. They give him special ability.”

The hip hop-oriented series, co-choreographed by Shum and planned for three installments, also features other dance stars such as tWitch, who brought the house down last week as an all-star on So You Think You Can Dance, and “Madd Chadd” Smith, whose robotic popping routines are legendary. The first season is an origin story set in the present day and features different movie styles, including film noir and action.

Why do the series only on the Internet? “The blessing of doing LXD online is that we don’t have anyone looking over our shoulders,” Shum says of the troupe, which performed on this year’s Oscars and was the opening act on the Glee tour. “Whatever Jon wants to do, we can do with some of the best dancers around. It’s what we always dreamed of doing, not what is going to sell.”

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