<![CDATA[UMA PHILLY - Blog]]>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 15:22:07 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Hip Hop Battle]]>Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:03:42 GMThttps://www.urbanmovementarts.com/blog/hip-hop-battleStudent battles, open to all

HIP HOP BATTLE
June 28th
5-9pm
@ First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.)

Register to battle- $25
Spectator tickets- $20
Complete Battle Reg Form Here
Battle Registration Fee
Spectator Tickets
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]]><![CDATA[UMA Shows Up 2026]]>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:32:22 GMThttps://www.urbanmovementarts.com/blog/uma-shows-up-2026UMA Shows Up 2026
Students perform choreography from UMA instructors!

Saturday, June 20th
Show @ 8pm
@ Fringe Arts (140 N. Christopher Columbus Blvd)


Featured choreographers:
-Aaminah AR
-Alexis Curiel
-Dylan Smythe
-Emerald Sims
-Emily Culbreath
Tickets
]]><![CDATA[Street Dance Battle- ArtPhilly]]>Thu, 28 May 2026 14:40:49 GMThttps://www.urbanmovementarts.com/blog/street-dance-battle-artphillySaturday June, 13th
4pm-10pm 
Sedgwick Theatre
7137 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia
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Registration instructions
Please provide your personal information and then select the categories that you will enter. If you are doing the 3v3 please list your other crew members and the crew name if possible.  

Categories
All Styles 1 v 1 ($500 prize) (Judges: Rashaad, Dru and Rylee)

3v3 Mixed Funk Styles ($300 prize) (Judges: Rashaad, Dru and Rylee)
***Each crew must have one locker, one waacker and one popper.

Open to All Kiki Performance Category ($100 Prize) (Judge: Jahad)
Register to Battle
Flyer update: $900 n prizes across all categories
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]]><![CDATA[Why We Strut: workshop with Rashaad Hasani]]>Wed, 20 May 2026 19:12:19 GMThttps://www.urbanmovementarts.com/blog/why-we-strut-workshop-with-rashaad-hasaniWhy We Strut
Workshop with Rashaad Hasani

June 12th
6:30-8:00pm
@ 2100 Chestnut St

Price: $35
Sign Up Here
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]]><![CDATA[ArtPhilly Presents UMA in:What Now: 2026]]>Tue, 19 May 2026 14:14:09 GMThttps://www.urbanmovementarts.com/blog/artphilly-presents-uma-inwhat-now-2026
More Info + Tickets
Urban Movement Arts presents a series of events that honor the thriving legacy of Black American vernacular dance in Philadelphia, where the roots of club culture entwine with genre-defying exploration. Say Yes, Philly! is the cipher, battles, theater, interdisciplinary jams, and stories that express the boundless continuum of street dance culture, and will also feature Aidan Un and Vince Johnson’s film You Don’t Have to Go Home, But…

In Philly’s street dance scene, the line between the freestyle cipher and the journey of artistic conceptualization has blurred beautifully. Say Yes, Philly! leans into this exchange in full, honoring the city’s extraordinary history of generating communal art and culture, while shining alight on the range of artistry that stems from Black American vernacular dance roots.
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You Don’t Have to Go Home, But... is an ode to dancing bodies, a grimy love letter to Philadelphia, and a story about what to do when the DJ has played the last song, the club’s lights have come on and you gotta go... somewhere. Following three dancers at different stages of their lives, with legendary Philly dance party Second Sundae as backdrop, this documentary film examines the possibility of spiritual fulfillment in a socioeconomic configuration that ultimately doesn’t value the practices that make us free.
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]]><![CDATA[Popping battle 2026]]>Mon, 04 May 2026 14:44:38 GMThttps://www.urbanmovementarts.com/blog/popping-battle-2026Sunday, May 17th
@ First Unitarian Church 
6-9pm 
Come for the party, come for the hang, come for the entertainment and fun!


REGISTRATION FEE: $25* 
COMPLETE HERE: 
*(free for Battle Workshop participants)


To register, fill out the form below and then pay the registration fee. Registration is only official when the fee is paid
Complete Registration Form Here
Complete Registration Fee Here
Spectator Tickets
]]><![CDATA[Loops of The Unseen: Collective Show]]>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:01:04 GMThttps://www.urbanmovementarts.com/blog/loops-of-the-unseen-collective-showLoops of the Unseen feature works choreographed by Marcus Tucker and Rylee Locker performed by The Groove Collective and The UMAMI Collective. Each piece is unique to itself, but this show overall is meant to be more intimate, comedic, and offers themes of how advancements of technology can distort human life. On a lighter note, between pieces we will have dance party time in proper UMA fashion featuring DJ Rebel Foster.
Sunday, May 3rd
5-9pm 
@ First Unitarian Church
Tickets
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]]><![CDATA[FLow State- 2026]]>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:28:53 GMThttps://www.urbanmovementarts.com/blog/flow-state-2026FLOW STATE features physically daring and artistically adventurous dance works, fusing the worlds of street, contemporary theater and folkloric dance. Performance material is generated via workshops led by: Josh Culbreath, Chachi Perez and Tamar Gutherz. The choreographers share an aim of producing a dance experience that unites virtuosity, whimsy, the ethereal, surrealism and groove. Flow State is an immersive event, somewhere between a party and happening, set to the vibrations and sounds of DJs and live musicians inside an environment of projections and installations that stimulate the senses. ​
FLOW STATE
Sunday, April 26th
5-9pm
@ First Unitarian Church

Featuring choreography by Josh Culbreath, Chachi Perez and Tamar Gutherz, performed by UMA students!
Tickets- $20
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]]><![CDATA[Waacking & Locking Battles 2026]]>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:57:37 GMThttps://www.urbanmovementarts.com/blog/waacking-locking-battles-2026Student focused battles, open to all 

Sunday, April 12th
@ First Unitarian Church
5-8pm 

Judges: 
Rylee for Waacking
Dru 'Riot' for Locking
We invite all UMA students and beyond to battle or to join as spectacles and of course for the party. 
Complete Registration Form Here
Complete Registration Fee Here
Spectator Tickets
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]]><![CDATA[UMA People On Vide0: Chris Zeitz]]>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:54:37 GMThttps://www.urbanmovementarts.com/blog/uma-people-on-vide0-chris-zeitzUMA founder, Vince Johnson, interviews Chris Zeitz!

A note from Vince: 
The cool thing about UMA is that there are interesting people grooving through the studios all of the time. Everyone has a remarkable story. It is particularly interesting and inspiring to learn what leads folks to dance.

I had the unique opportunity of meeting Chris in the summer of 2024. He participated in the Dip, frequented classes and checked out events. He was in town, from San Antonio, Texas, for the summer, working at Penn. He is involved in coaching and preparing soccer athletes. In casual chit chat with Chris after class one evening, I discovered his passion for the science of skill development, learning movement and methods of teaching and coaching. Of course, this totally resonated with me. And since we were actively capturing UMA People Conversations, I thought a sit down with Chris would be wonderful for closing the 2024 series of conversations.

Even though we are nearly two years removed from our talk, the general overview of the discussion is still pertinent.

Chris stopped in just a few months ago. He is involved in both the street dance and salsa dance communities in San Antonio. It is always good to learn that folks are going deeper into the dance experience.
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Thanks so much for the chat Chris!
UMA, hope you enjoy!
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