A Note From Vince As more Waackers become part of UMA's community, it is critical that we think more about shoulder wellness. Waacking puts a lot of pressure on the shoulders. Most of us think most about shoulder flexibility. But I urge folks to consider mobility and fortification just as much, if not more. This video provides tips for conditioning the shoulders. The exercises that I share feature the use of a theraband. If you need theraband, visit our very own Will Robinson's store, Dancewear on Broad. Enjoy the video. And remember, do not just dance. It is important to prepare for dance too! Genesis teaches Beginner Hip Hop weekly on Wednesdays from 8--9pm @ 2100 Chestnut. Check out a note from her below about Crunk Music & her class! Crunk Music and some of my favorite artists/songs: Crunk music is defined as a subgenre under Southern hip-hop that is often up-tempo, energetic and has a club-like appeal. Common themes in crunk music are vocal calls and responses, 808 beats, and a focus on party vibes and creating an atmosphere for a great time. To be 'crunk' was to be energetic and hyped. As a Southern girl myself, this genre of music was everywhere in the early-mid 2000s. Granted, I wasn't old enough to be at clubs but pretending was enough for me to get hype. Some of my favorite pioneers in Crunk music are Lil Jon and the Ying Yang Twins. In my eyes, they are staples to crunk music I use a few of their hits in my class a lot during my warmups and across the floor. It sets the atmosphere for the party vibe I try to cultivate during the hour. My goal for Beginner Hip-Hop is to not only teach the foundation but also create a hype atmosphere for people to enjoy. Hip-hop was birthed in the parties. A lot of our favorite moves came from those parties where it was all about having a great time. Other than me hyping the class up with vocal chants, Crunk music is an essential piece to the energetic vibe I bring weekly. If you're looking to learn about hip-hop foundation and enjoy a party vibe, meet me on Wednesdays 8-9 PM! Here are some of my favorite hits of both artists Clyde Evans, founder and director of Chosen Dance Company Often reverence is given to the pioneering icons that were in the limelight in cities like New York or L.A. at the genesis of dance movements. In the funk styles, we remember the Original Lockers or the Electric Boogaloos. In New York, we sing the praises of Ken Swift and Caleaf Sellers. The praise given to these legends is legit. They deserve it. However, while singing the praises of famous pioneers from the most famous cities, we often fail to acknowledge hometown heroes. One of the most important Philly heroes is Clyde Evans, an original member of RHPM and founder of Chosen Dance Company. Clyde is immensely important for the standard that he brought to his approach to the dance and the mentorship that he offered to a vast array of millennial street dancers in Philly. Clyde is one of the trailblazers that set the bar for Philly dancers being able to hold down multiple dance styles. Clyde is proficient in everything. Most dancers tend to gravitate to a particular form. Particularly in the 90s and early 2000s, dancers that popped didn't also break. People were specialists. Almost all of the alumni of RHPM from the original class got busy across multiple forms. Clyde epitomizes versatility, particularly in his capacity to break and do the groove/stand up based forms. And out of all of Philly Gen X dancers, he is the most technical. Clyde knows how to bring the funk while being squeaky clean. And he lives to perform. He is an expert at communicating the traditional styles to a broad audience while honoring their integrity. Discipline and craftsmanship is at the heart of his practice. And he passed down these qualities to the next generation. Many leading figures in Philly street dance can trace some line back to Clyde. For example, the amazing Mark Boston and Virgil Gadson were central figures in Chosen dance company. Some other major figures that passed through Chosen include Shanika, Justin, David, Dre and Jon. This is only naming a few. And for dancers that weren't in Chosen, there was still a very likely chance that they would have received some sort of support from Clyde at some point along the way. For me, one notable memory that I have is catching a ride to the house dance conference at Club Shelter in NY once or twice with Clyde. He gave immense support to my generation of Philly dancers. I think of Clyde as the king of the lecture demonstration. In my opinion, most dancers in Philly got their lecture demonstration, swag from Clyde. For those of you that do not know what a lec dem is, for street dancers it is an educational performance in which the performers talk about the history of dances and offer demonstrations. Clyde perfected this form of performance and education. Along the way, anyone in his proximity gained a priceless skill: the understanding of how to speak eloquently and instructively about street dance. Clyde's meticulous attention to history, culture and vocabulary set a standard for everyone in my generation. Clyde, along with pushing us to be dope dancers, has taught us the importance of knowledge. There are many features in Clyde's legacy that I can continue to share. But I will conclude by reflecting on Clyde's impact on street dance professionalism in Philly. Clyde's mentorship and sharing of opportunity has presented me and many of my peers with a broad perspective of what is possible with our art. Clyde works across multiple platforms and institutions, ranging from mainstream media, theater to academia. His model of professionalism set a very positive example for my generation. As I mentioned above, one notable person that I've always admired that was a part of Chosen is Mark Boston of Phresh. Clyde's branch extends to Mark's and from there Mark has paved the way for so many younger millennials and Gen Z dancers to pursue fruitful careers. Keep in mind that this contemporary configuration of American Street Dance is still rather younger, not extending past the 70s. Clyde and other members of his generation are extremely important for bringing dignity and respect to what we do. For me, Clyde modeled the power and importance of our work as dancers. I confidently and proudly say that Philly dance would not be what it is today without the influence of Clyde Evans. Thank you, Clyde. Folks, this is my first Philly Street Dance Hero entry. I am truly looking forward to sharing more about the people that I've always looked up to. There's much more to come. Stay Tuned. Vince talks about the importance of deepening our relationship to the music associated with our favorite dance forms. Oftentimes as dance students, we put most of our emphasis into learning the moves. Spending time studying the music associated with certain dance forms is integral to our development as dancers too. The music often defines the shape and character of the dance. For example, if you can't vibe with 70s funk, it is going to be hard to tap into the character of locking. If you want to do the street dances of today, you should be well versed in the hip hop, r&b and pop that is on the radio and streaming on current playlists. The less you are in touch with the music, the more limited you'll be in trying to develop a strong voice as a dancer. I encourage everyone to do more close and active listening to the music that you would like to dance to. This basically means that it is important to make time to listen to music without it being in the background. Bring it to the forefront of your thinking and imagination. The sharpening of your ear will help to shape how the rest of the body moves. This article aims to offer the reader the following:
Introduction: Urban Movement Arts is deeply devoted to house dance education. This stems from the impact that house dance and house music culture has had on my life. My interest in house music began when I was in high school, stemming from prior interest in freestyle music and trance. Around the age of 14, I had the privilege of early exposures to dancers like Ron Wood and other OG Philly house heads. By age 18, I was able to more deeply immerse myself with Philly’s community, most of whom were 5-20 years older than me. It was through Philly’s house community that I became hip to New York pioneers. Although Philly had a bedrock of amazing dancers with a unique voice, I soon recognized that many folks turned to New York as an authority on the dance. From my current vantage point, after having a bit more life under my belt, I’ve developed more clarity and confidence for the perspective of history that I am interested in emphasizing. More and more, my goal is to shine the light on Philly’s contribution and to imagine fruitful possibilities for Philly’s future. The bedrock of this article is its celebration of regionality in vernacular forms, distinguishing between that which has emerged as an industry standard opposed to the nuanced and more personal features of a particular region. It is my hope that this article will catalyze my effort and capacity to provide growing access to Philly’s story. As a proud native of this city, I find increasing urgency to champion this great city’s cultural significance. This article aims to identify the global standard of house that stems from the New York pioneers, while giving the utmost respect and celebration of Philly and South Jersey. The beauty of many Black Vernacular forms ranging from Jazz to House is that although birthing places can be traced for all if not most, they quickly migrated through the country to other cities. Early on migration had to do with the movement of people. Now ideas move at light speed across social media networks. When considering Jazz, it is commonly held that New Orleans is where the music was born. It then migrated to New York where it took on the aesthetic that we commonly associate with it. Similarly house music was born in Chicago and then migrated to the East Coast. New York is a juggernaut in how the city has the ability to capture a social phenomenon and then export globally. New York’s market power as it relates to many American made cultural forms is what has made so many of them ubiquitous around the world. In the case of house culture, Philly and South Jersey have a significant story in house dance history too. I hope to share a brief perspective on Philly’s uniqueness, naming my influences and qualities that distinguished Philly dancers from NY. The end goal is to make a statement that celebrates the New York trailblazers while celebrating Philly’s distinctive qualities and encouraging continued exploration and inventiveness. Praise and Acknowledgement of New York Pioneers: The way that we understand house dance globally stems from the trailblazing work of New York pioneers. They have codified the dance. Their work is immensely important for the rightful establishment of Black America as the origin of house music and culture, acknowledging the communal resourcefulness and genius of Black American people. The O.G.s of what is commonly referred to as Street Dance can be seen as doing better than some of their predecessors in protecting their collective I.P. Their success is likely hugely due to advances in U.S. race relations, opposed to certain groups of their Black vernacular predecessors like the inventors of Jazz dance and Blues Music who were not honored for their inventiveness and cultural innovation at the time when they were most active due to an overwhelming presence of racism. Still, around the world, for some there remains some ambiguity around house and techno music originating in Black communities in America. Fortunately, the hip hop and house dance O.G.s of New York have succeeded in making sure that anyone that does their dances in Asia or Europe or anywhere else knows who made them and where they come from. The great fortune in this case is that the same story of Frankie Manning, a pioneering Lindy Hopper, who had a significant length of time when he was essentially forgotten globally, but eventually brought out of a career as a postman by eager Scandinavians hungry for Black American authenticity, hasn’t been the case for Mop Tops and Dance Fusion members. They’ve held claim to house dance from the jump, codifying the form for all of us to follow. This is a victory for American Black people. At UMA, we honor the New York trail blazer’s importance by teaching their language and celebrating their history. Many of these amazing contributors to the canon are alive and well. Hop on the Mega Bus and go take class with them and club with them. Here are a few that you should consider looking up (this list does not have a particular order and it certainly excludes other critical contributors. So it is important to go meet these folk in New York and hear stories from them directly. Also these individuals could be defined by their being classified as Mop Top/Elite Force and Dance Fusion. I will leave it up to you to look into who belongs to what): Majory Smarth (R.I.P) Buddha Stretch Mikey U4ria Adesola Brian Green Link Archie Burnett Shannon Whichway Sha Tony McGreggor Ejoe Wilson Seku Heru Spex Boogie Caleaf Sellers Voodoo Ray (R.I.P) Shan S. Brooklyn Terry (who lived in Philly for a period of time while performing in Rennie Harris’ Facing Mekka. Young Boul Philly cats, like myself, would see him at the gathering at the Rotunda. Philly certainly did not capitalize on the opportunity to grow with him when there was the chance for many in my generation. But a general theme in this article is that Philly has its own way and marches by the beat of its own drum, which I find beautiful.) Jazeartremote (a dope dancer, but mostly known for his work as a DJ. He was a major influence on how I listen and reflect on the dance.) I’ve had direct interaction with a handful of the people above. But overall, all of these individuals were a part of the lore that fed my development within this vernacular form. Lifting Up Philadelphia How I learned New York’s Language From Philly: Now looking back on more than 20 years of study of the dance and music, I am at a position where I can’t help but consider how I could have done more to study Philly’s unique language. In fact, I’ll go as far as saying that there was pressure by key Philly leaders to measure ourselves in the shadows of New York’s, not necessarily acknowledging that there is a special Philly thing that should be elevated into the canon. Currently, as an educator and sharer of my perspective in lieu of the dominant stories, shining a light on Philly’s significance is increasingly important. There are two individuals that are incredibly important mentors to my generation of Philly community dancers, namely in preserving and prioritizing vernacular codification across multiple Black American dance forms. This is Clyde Evans and Moncell Durden. If it weren’t for these Philadelphia mentors to predominantly young Black men and women, Philly would not have the overwhelming presence of native Philly and South Philly Black Millennials that are essentially historians of contemporary Black American vernacular dance. Clyde Evans is still local and folks should seek him out. Moncell has a ton of info online. The more prevalent figure in my life is Moncell. Moncell embraced me with compassion and love when I knew nothing and was very bad (not to claim that I have arrived at being good now). Moncell had a number of mentees that included Kyle, Dinita, Courtney, Tyger-B, the Hoodlockers and more. I was one of the worst of the bunch, but he still poured a tremendous amount of care, encouragement and investment into me as a dancer, artist and professional. I owe a tremendous amount to him. My relationship with Moncell was very much one that can be characterized by oral transmission, which is a staple in how tradition is passed down in vernacular practices. Moncell didn’t technically break down moves for me. Instead, he gave me exposure to wisdom, stories and information. He also gave me exposure to the pioneers of New York. He gave me and many of his other mentees a pathway for community and camaraderie. Moncell is MopTop/Elite Force family, so linked very closely with the New York pioneers. These dancers influenced him greatly, as his development as a house head from Harrisburg, PA was informed by his frequenting NY to party and build communally. He championed the New York dancers and as an invested mentee, naturally so did I. I am forever grateful for the path that Moncell set me on. It provided me with a knowledge set and perspective that I wouldn’t have otherwise accessed. My prioritization of Black American vernacular dance scholarship is a direct result of Moncell Durden. And given my current mindset and general constitution, my early teens and early 20s were the ideal time for this sort of focus. Although, I wish my attentiveness to Philly’s unique language and contribution were more pronounced, I am not sure whether I would have known how to maximize use of such perspective back then. Philly Power: Philly has always been a dance city, dating back to the days of hoofers. In fact, reaching back to the early nineteen hundreds, Philly can easily be argued as being at the forefront of dances like hoofing. So this is to say that Philly has a long tradition of having a local dance industry. There are many dancers that came up in the late 80s and 90s in Philly that were very much steeped in house and electronic music culture. Many of these dancers have had prolific careers. They were not in the global business epicenter of New York, nevertheless, these O.G.s have had very impressive careers. Most have not become the global ambassadors of street dance culture like the N.Y. pioneers. However, I can’t think of any other city in America in the early to mid 90s, aside from New York, that has given rise to the same quantity of dance professionals steeped in house culture as Philly. I often observe that Philly dancers have typically resisted adherence and strict observation of tradition and standards of many of the foundational Black Vernacular dances, ranging from popping, breaking to house. Philly cats do things with Philly grime and rawness. The grit and irreverence of Philly Black dance should be celebrated. Many of my house head O.G.s danced house their way. From my vantage point, my O.G.s as well as cats from my generation have typically become more adherent to standards imposed by O.G. West Coast Funk Headz or O.G. NY House or Hip Hop headz when there is a pursuit to assimilate into their industries. It can’t go without saying that Rennie Harris is a predominant force who has influenced how Philly vernacular dance communities have a way of straddling foundational standards and more regional grit and irreverence. Rennie’s personal language as a vernacular dancer has always had this tension between Philly-ness and the mainstream. In many circumstances, I’ve witnessed Rennie’s work lean towards service of the West Coast and New York pioneers. However, I believe the world would benefit from more Scanner Boy and GQ knowledge, because it has had enough exposure to New York and California’’s contribution in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Most of the O.G. Philly house headz that I grew up watching danced differently than the New Yorkers. It wasn’t and isn’t wrong. It is just Philly. Ron Wood, an important bedrock figure in Philly House Dance: Above, I gave a shout to the mentor that influenced my more scholarly approach to the vernacular. However, my current spirit and presiding ethic around house dance is more closely related to Ron Wood. Ron epitomizes a Philly dancer that came up in the late 80s and early 90s. Ron represents a well articulated expression of Philly’s mix of punk, club and hip hop culture. It is all wrapped up in him. He is also a representation of a Philly hybridized dancer. For dancers like Ron, as well as many of his contemporaries that came up in Philly, there is a potent intersection of many styles and influences. In New York, a dancer is either Bboying, Hip Hop or House. The New York dancers make clean and delineated transitions from one form to another. Philly dancers are infamous for being everything at once, mutts so to speak. I now have the greatest love and appreciation for myself as a Philly mutt and my peers. Even in my generation, Philly dancers often come up against criticism over whether they are pristinely confirming to a particular style. In the past, Philly was known to have tickers or pop lockers. However, this terminology was aggressively phased out by “foundational” indoctrination. One may agree that a unique language and approach that was native to Philly was pushed to extinction as a result of an overriding standard from another more dominant region. One might argue that the ticking of my generation was more closely related to the language of Rennie Harris and Scanner Boys. Returning to a figure like Ron Wood, he is a house head in and out. He embodies the music and club culture. However, he has done this on his own terms, remaining true to his voice and that which has stemmed from his community, a place that had a distinct cultural landscape from that of New York’s. Ron is also a prime example of a Philly dancer that has had a prolific career, not necessarily as a global ambassador of a particular form. Nevertheless, he represents the impactfulness of Philly grown dancers. From the standpoint of the global community, Ron as well as many Philly and South Jersey dancers are representative of a floor and groundwork vocabulary that is little known. In fact, many global dancers seek to insert the loft acrobatic stylings of someone like Ejoe into their dance, primarily modeling after him without a diverse source of references. Little do they know, there was a predominant Philly language of house dance that blent the water like flow associated with New York lofting with breaking, martial arts and gymnastics. Philly O.G.s like Ron Wood, James “Cricket” Colter and Brandon “Peace” Albright are examples of this Philly language. However, it has not been sown into the global language of house. Pound for pound or move for move, it would be very interesting to compare footage of Ron Wood to Ejoe Wilson when they were in their prime performance years. Both were incredible acrobatic dancers. Whereas Ejoe employed a more coy, flowing and laid back approach, Ron had a more intense attack. I’ll argue that Ron had more unique and sophisticated transitions between various ground move vocabulary as well as a robust array of transitions from up top to the floor, whereas Ejoe is known for his unique cadence and placement of explosive moves in synchronicity with the music. Both are giants. They never shared the same stage, but to my knowledge mutual respect is shared between the two. It’s just too bad that the global community has not been made more privy to Philly folk like Ron Wood. Shouts to Philly Dancers: There are countless individuals that have been on the scene that have made impact. I am going to do my best to name a few and possibly indicate my perspective on what they represent and their significant contribution. Like the NY list, there are going to be people that I miss. Gen X and Older **Not in any particular order Rennie Harris Ron Wood James “Cricket” Colter Clyde Evans Brandon “Peace” Albright Les Rivera Dwayne Holland Moncell Durden The above are all individuals that had close affiliation with Puremovement at some point in their careers. Some of these individuals were not full on house heads like Ron Wood and Cricket, but the language that developed from Rennie Harris Purement in pieces like Asphalt impacted the way that many dancers in my generation from Philly approach house dance. Others from this older generation are: Storm Dj Todd Otis Marvin (Jersey) KJ (Jersey) Michelle McPhee Crystal Frazier Rita Clark All of Montazh Crew Lex Chimel Tori and Flo Motion Crew Mike Gamble Lego Dave Austin (Jersey) Fabian (Lancaster) Calvin (Lancaster) Conway Casey (Jersey) Sammy Reyes Somewhere in between Gen X and Millenial Adrian Marty Jpin Kick Millennials India Bernardino Chad Benardino Bboy Rukkus Trizzy Stacks Bryant aka Diddy Phil Cuttino Josh Culbreath Emily Cultbreath Dink Brandon Boog Harris Fyness Mason Melissa Metro Bboy Cesa Tyger-B Virgil Gadson Melanie Cotton Kingsley Ibeneche Kai Rapelyea TJ Gate All of Versatile Crew -Vince, Lou, Dre Toney and more Face Da Phlave/ Hood Lockers Ricky, Brice, Marcus, Dru, Kenny and more Chosen Dance Family John Bullock, Dave and others Phresh Mark and Shanika Boston Danzel, Christian, Julian Sophiann and D2D Crew/ Temple University Crew Just Sole (Kyle and Dinta Clark) Tribal, Sketch, Jazmin, Brittany, Marcus Branch and more ***Kyle and Dinita are two of the foremost ambassadors of house dance globally that work in Philly. They are important authorities on the New York codified language. Along with being critical community dancers, they’ve played an integral role in educating many of the dancers in Philly that have received institutional training from local Universities like Uarts and Temple. In many ways, they are carrying the baton of our mentor Moncell Durden. Certainly the list above is not complete. There are many others that could be worked into such a list. Many of the millennials listed above may not consider themselves full blown house headz. And out of those that are not full blown house headz, you would never see them back off the floor when house tracks hit. They’d all kill it, some with more unique and special Philly-ness than others. There are many individuals listed above that come from an education lineage of Rennie,Clyde, Peace, Cricket, Ron and Moncell. Those particularly learning from Clyde and Moncell closely adhere to New York vocabulary. However, some that have learned from Peace might have more of a Philly twist on their approach and this is beautiful. Many of the people listed above are still in Philly. Seek them out! A Vision For UMA: This document has given some speculation on why and how Philly’s unique house dance history and language has not been celebrated more prominently. The primary argument is that Philly is not the global market epicenter that New York is. There has also been a habit of essentially undermining elements and characteristics that were once uniquely Philly in service of the New York standard. This turning the cheek on Philly aesthetics makes sense when considering market relevancy. By speaking the language that is becoming more globally recognized, dancers are able to expand career possibilities. And there is no denying the fact that the collective engagement around house culture was vastly more intense in New York. The hours that night light is able to function is an incredible booster to the nightlight economy and cultures that arise from it. New York is the heart of house dance culture. For Black dances in America from 1970-1990 it was only ever going to be LA or New York at the helm. In the age of digital media, more players have entered the game. With this said, UMA is devoted to teaching the New York vernacular and acknowledging the trailblazing achievements of its pioneers. The New York language presents a reliable way for newcomers to house dance and dance in general to learn. It is a way for folks to pay homage to the history while entering dance life more broadly. However, a sole alignment with New York aesthetics is only one direction. Where many ambassadors around the world will take an orthodoxical approach, I see scope for how my Philly-ness can inform an expansion of how house culture is nurtured in the humble illadelph, embarrassing a more heterodoxical way (as it always has been). For example, we are not like Western Europe, Asia or other regions of the world: Philly has had a Black centric community dancing to house music since shortly after its birth in Chicago. Furthermore, what is House Music without Disco? Some might argue that The Sound of Philadelphia is the seed of disco. The music and culture of Philly is a part of the tree that has given rise to house music. Philly has had its own house scene without the direct business based transactionalism that has led to the proliferation of the style to other parts of the world. And aside from dancing the codified dance language of New York, there is a growing presence of house and various electronic genres in Philadelphia. The scene is way more pronounced than its more underground status when I was coming up. Along with celebrating the achievements of New York, UMA aims to inspire people learning dance in Philly to continue to feed Philly’s unique regional identity. The truth is that folks that come to a studio like UMA to learn the New York vernacular or people that learn through University are liken to most people that have learned Jazz music post bebops hay day. Once North Texas opened its halls to Jazz music programming, the age of learning solely on the bandstand in clubs like Peps or the Showboat in Philly was over. Street Dance’s assimilation into higher education along with the rise of Europe’s professional class of competition dancers are sure signs that the club and social events are not the primary fertile spots for Black American house vernacular. The dance no longer maintains a grassroot existence as it is etched into institutional canon and the market. This achievement is particularly significant given the fist hand involvement of the New York pioneers in shaping the standard, naming the moves and staking claim to the dance as coming from Black people in NY. But as house music, techno and electronic music evolve and become more widely listened to among the masses, should there be no more branches in the evolution of the house genus?. In 2023, most of the off grid and grassroots house music gatherings in Philly are younger millennial and Gen Z anchored, mutli-racial, multi-ethnic and queer. The scene does not mirror the afrocentricity of that which I grew up in. In the end, the most interesting developments of house dance culture likely won’t be Making Time or some droning consortium of the modern day derivative of a Paul Oakenfold or Armin Van Buren fist pumper. In fact, with more dancers receiving technical and history based training in more spaces and with the limitless access to information via modern digital media and the stronger prevalence of social integration and multicultural exchange, the potential for the genesis of new forms is quite strong. Innovation and evolution can take place while traditions are celebrated and preserved. While championing the legacy of New York house, UMA strongly encourages dancers to build and fertilize communities that only can come into existence as a result of Philly’s context. Philly’s OG time frame of the 90s and early 2000s in house was a time of heterodoxy. Present day has the ingredients in perpetuating a heterodoxical path. UMA encourages folks to embrace and celebrate traditions while remaining curious and explorative. RHPM Performs Asphalt
Philly Legends Represented, including UMA's own Ron Wood. Although this piece focuses on "big" theatricality and physical feats, it nevertheless provides a glimpse into the vibe, energy, moves and people who danced in Philly clubs. ( Wednesdays 6-7pm @ 812 Chestnut Waacking is a dance created in the clubs of LA during the disco era. It was made and pioneered by Black men living on the West Coast. It was featured on shows like Soul Train and in movies like 'BreakIn’ Electric Boogaloo'. Currently, waacking is a global phenomenon, practiced by all walks of life. It's loved by many for its joyous, flirtatious and bold nature. It's a dance style about flair, character and sexiness. Technically, it is centered around poses, intricate arm maneuvers and grooves. It's a great style for experienced beginners and above. You'll walk away from waacking class feeling a sense of jubilee and love. Come get funky with Waacking at UMA Learn more about Dylan and what to expect from his class below! -When did you start dancing/ how did you get involved in dance? Since baby times, I have always been a lover of rhythm and movement. I entered the world of dance via the side-door that is capoeira and martial arts. I started training capoeira at age 11 and trained very seriously for a decade. I've always been a "dancer" and a performer but capoeira was my only formal movement training until my twenties when I fell in with a group of cool contemporary/acro dancers. Fun fact: I originally moved to Philly a decade ago (!!) to teach capoeira at my teacher's academy. -I first learned about waacking around 5 years ago here at Urban Movement Arts via the man himself Vince Johnson. #sparkletap. -How do you go about creating choreo for your classes? What inspires you? What music do you like to use? In addition to a dancer, I am a percussionist and a vocalist, and I'm always inspired and driven first and foremost by the music. One expression of my particular flavor of neuro-spiciness is that when I fall in love with a song (aka get obsessed), I will listen to it non-stop, sometimes literally on repeat, sometimes for months on end, because I have a desire to get fully inside it and feel and hear every nuance and every moment of rhythmic or harmonic complexity. Waacking to me is one of the best styles to really SHOW the music, and not just the sounds, beats, melodies, etc. but also to show how the music makes you FEEL. And I can't even describe how good it feels when you know a song inside and out, and you can just let the music take over and guide you. Waacking was born of disco culture, and disco is its original inspirator, but I listen to and am inspired by music of any and all genres, so while we will certainly use disco to find our groove, we will be dancing to lots more than just disco. -What draws you to the style of Waacking? As a queer person, the roots of this dance resonate deeply with me. This dance was created by queer Black and brown men+ in LA in the 70s in the one place they could safely live in and be witnessed as the fullest expression of their selves - in the club AKA queer church. I usually hesitate to make this comparison because I don't think anything can or should replace good ol' sit-down-and-process-your-shit-with-a-professional therapy, but in many ways, this shit IS therapy - which makes sense given the social conditions that necessitated its creation: the extreme racism, homophobia and transphobia that those Black and brown men probably experienced every day of their lives. In Waacking, you get to hone in on and dial up (or down) any particular part(s) or aspect(s) of your being you want. If you wanna turn up the volume on your sexiness, DO IT! If you wanna lean into how effing tired and exhausted you feel that day, DO IT! The opportunity to touch and express your rage, grief, joy, desire, pleasure, lust, sadness, quite literally anything you want, is an inherently foundational principle of Waacking thanks to its queer and non-white origins. It is ALL not only welcomed but encouraged here. Waacking offers a beautiful container to safely explore, feel into, or express and be witnessed in whatever emotion or part of you you want. -What do you want folks who take your class to take away from your class? And/ or what kind of vibe do you hope to cultivate in your classes? What Waacking offers, to me, is an opportunity to release and express, but also, possibly more importantly, an opportunity to connect and cultivate a deeper relationship with oneself via the music and the movement. I am not a person for whom self-esteem comes naturally, and Waacking was truly the key to my "fake it til you make it" journey into deep and authentic self-confidence and self-love (an ongoing process, of course). You know how people are always like "I love taking dance classes because I don't FEEL like I'm exercising while i'm doing it, but I am!"? Waacking is like "I don't FEEL like i'm cultivating deeper love and appreciation for myself while i'm doing it, but I am!" Like you're doing it whether you realize it or not because those things are inherently part of this style. As you learn to listen to the music in new, different and deeper ways, you start to listen to and process your own physical, emotional and psychological experiences in new and deeper ways as well. As you develop new neuro-muscular pathways (AKA coordination) by learning difficult polyrhythmic arm techniques, shapes, and grooves, you expand your capacity to move through the world because you have more choices available to you. No other practice has affected so many different aspects of my own life, in and out of the dance studio, as Waacking has. Not only will you become a better dancer, a better listener, a better musician, but you will also become a better YOU. -Anything you want to add? Dylly's pro tip: I tell all my classes, the quickest, easiest and most effective change you can make towards being a better dancer, mover, and a better human in general is to start brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand. NEW NEURAL PATHWAYS, y'all. PS You should film yourself doing it the first time you do.. iykyk! Thanks Dylan!
You can sign up for Waacking with Dylan via the 812 Chestnut Schedule page here using a drop in, membership, intro month, or class card pack! Tuesdays @ 7pm @ 812 Chestnut This class is designed for adults with limited or zero knowledge of Hip Hop dance, but have some sense of direction, balance, and coordination. The class begins with going through some very simple Hip Hop grooves and social dances. New moves and grooves are introduced periodically depending on the growth of the consistent participants. The class then moves to creating a simple choreography pattern to show how you can peice moves and grooves together in seamless transitions. Those that take this class for the first time may find challenges in rhythm or being comfortable in some of the foundation that is introduced. This is a very normal experience for beginners. The only way to get the most out of this class is to attend consistently, work on the foundation in your free time, and be patient. Learn more about Emerald and what to expect from her class below! Learn more about Emerald & her Hip Hop class! -When did you start dancing/ how did you get involved in dance? I started dancing when I was about five years old. My family is filled with dancers so I always admired them and tried to copy them, but a community member of my church opened a dance company and that's where I got started. -What is your training background? I actually started out praise dancing with my church and that was mostly contemporary movement. I did that for many years but I was also training in ballet, jazz, modern, and tap. I took hip hop classes, but I mostly learned hip hop from watching others and going to events with my family. Hip hop became my main focus for a minute. When I got to college, that's when I knew I wanted to take dance seriously. After college, I started to explore other styles like house and waacking, taking as many classes as possible! I am currently training with the Creative Reaction Dance Studio. -How do you go about creating choreo for your classes? What inspires you? What music do you like to use? I have a whole playlist of songs that I want to make potential choreography for! But sometimes when I randomly hear a song, the choreo falls into place and I just go with it! I draw a lot of inspiration from my peers and mentors because they all bring something so unique to the table and encourage me to level up in my movement or think about my approach differently. I've been in my Drake bag recently when it comes to music, but I've also been tapping into the UK rap scene! -What do you want folks who take your class to take away from your class? And/or what kind of vibe do you hope to cultivate in your classes? So far, I have been focusing on grooves and party/social dances, with the goal of cultivating a party atmosphere. I want folks to explore what it means to move with swag in my class. I use the word "swag" a lot but I feel like it's the best way to describe how this certain type of music or movement should make you feel. Of course, some things we learn from being out in the club or parties, but I want everyone to feel supported while finding themselves in their movement; I will always gas folks because that's the energy we need to bring to class! Thanks Emerald!
You can sign up for Beginner Hip Hop with Emerald via the 812 Chestnut Schedule page here using a drop in, membership, intro month, or class card pack! 2024 will mark our 4th year of doing outreach work in the Philadelphia School District and providing summer camp scholarships. This work is critical to our organization and we need your support to keep it going. In our previous announcements, I shared the numbers: between our winter and spring fundraisers of the concluding season we raised an accumulation of $18,000. Our organization contributed $15,000 of profits to give back. We aren’t only doing the work. We also have skin in the game. Altogether, to at least match the work we did last year, we need to raise $33,000. Your help is critical. We are the only organization in the region that is based in Contemporary Black Vernacular Dance that is doing outreach in underserved neighborhoods. We are also new to the game. In many ways, we are the underdog. The legacy players are the city’s modern dance and ballet companies. Often, these organizations hire hip hop dancers to do their teaching opposed to doing ballet or modern offerings in their outreach. This is a clear sign to the relevance and impact of living Black American Vernacular forms. The distinction between our organization is the depth and thoughtfulness of pedagogy and curriculum. I pledge to continue to push the bar and challenge what is expected of outreach art educators. My goal is for MoveMakers and Urban Movement Arts to be disrupters in this space, raising the bar for what we can offer in public schools. In order to continue to push the bar, we need your support. Give to I Am The Move, today! I Am The Move has been supported by our fiscal sponsor, Archedream for Humankind, since 2021. With are extremely thankful for ADHK director, Patricia Dominguez', continued support. *The hyperlink for donation will take you to our fiscal sponsor, ADHK’s PayPal page. You will initially receive a receipt that payment is complete. Soon after, you will receive an email notice that contains information for your tax filing.To donate by check, email kayla@urbanmovementarts.com Our Goals for 2024 Season
You can catch Kerry for weekly Heels classes at both UMA locations, and Street Jazz/ Jazz Funk classes at 812 Chestnut! You can see her full teaching schedule below: -Tuesdays 8-9pm HEELS (BEGINNER) @ 812 Chestnut. -Wednesdays 7-8pm STREET JAZZ/ JAZZ FUNK @ 812 Chestnut -Saturdays 2-3pm HEELS (BEGINNER) @ 2100 Chestnut Heels Classes: Beginner Heels offers the opportunity to slow it down, embrace your sexuality and sensuality, and build the technique needed to dance safely in heels. Participants will be unpacking how femininity can support them in their movement and used to empower. Use this class as a way to fall in love with yourself! Note: The best heels to bring are non- platform heel with ankle support. Sneakers are welcomed too. Street Jazz/ Jazz Funk Classes: These classes will allow participants to feel like they've landed somewhere between a music video and the So You Think You Can Dance stage. This class aims to build confidence and expand the horizons of performance quality through intricate and upbeat choreography with varying shifts of rhythm and dynamism. General understanding of head tail connection, use of pelvic articulation, and constant weight shifts are key for sequence execution. Learn more about Kerry & her weekly classes! -When did you start dancing/ how did you get involved in dance? I started when I was 8 and it was sort of an accident. One of my friends decided to quit dance mid year and her mom offered me the her spot in classes for the rest of the year because she thought I was a dancer. I was like “sure?” -What is your training background? I grew up dancing at your typical competitive dance studios. When I got to high school, I decided to take my ballet training more seriously, training 5-6 days a week in addition to taking contemporary, jazz, and hip hop. I trained in contemporary dance and ballet in college, educating myself on street and commercial styles on my own time. So I’ve dabbled in a bit of everything. While I still engage in contemporary dance as a performer, these days I’m focused on the study of vogue. -How do you go about creating choreo for your classes? What inspires you? What music do you like to use? I rely on visualization any time I create choreo! I can create choreo in my mind anywhere when the inspiration strikes me; on a walk, in the shower or in my bed falling asleep at night. I very much go with my gut instinct and don’t question my first thought when I create. I’m mostly inspired by music and whatever movement impulse it creates in me. Right now, some artists I’m loving creating to are Tinashe, Bree Runway, and Victoria Monet. I also really love dancing to 2000s jams and you’ll find a lot of songs from that era in my classes! -What do you want folks who take your class to take away from your class? And/ or what kind of vibe do you hope to cultivate in your classes? So far, in my classes I’ve been focused on delivering my technical knowledge to students in a way that feels exciting and accessible. I want students to recognize that they don’t need years of what we call “technical” training to achieve a clean turn or jump! I’m also hoping to equip folks with nuggets of street dance knowledge in each class so they can understand what we are referencing. The combination of these concepts is what really makes my classes unique! I’m hoping that students will walk away from my classes with a sense of empowerment. Thanks Kerry!
You can sign up for Beginner Heels with Kerry at both UMA locations! Saturdays 2-3pm @ 2100 Chestnut (sign up via 2100 Chestnut schedule here) Tuesdays 8-9pm @ 812 Chestnut (sign up via 812 Chestnut schedule here) You can sign up for Street Jazz/ Jazz Funk (Wednesdays 7-8pm) with Kerry at 812 Chestnut via the 812 Chestnut schedule here! Saturdays 1-2pm @ 2100 Chestnut! This class is the bridge between you feeling immersed in a music video or a bumping party. Expect to listen and jam out to bangers, both old and new. This class is open to dancers of all levels. The goal is to provide you with tools to grow and find your groove while letting loose and having fun. Learn more about Sangita and what to expect from her class below! Learn more about Sangita & her Hip Hop class! -When did you start dancing/ how did you get involved in dance? I started dancing when I was 10 or 11, and was looking for a place to make friends and connect with a community. Dance started out as and has always been a social / communal thing for me before anything else. The more I worked with mentors, and after graduating high school when I started teaching I became more focused on the artistic, social and cultural capacities and histories that dance holds. -What is your training background? I grew up in Denver, Colorado at competition and performance studios training in a variety of styles like jazz, hip-hop, waacking, tap, ballet, contemporary, house, and commercial choreography. During these years I was also surrounded by local street style crews who I watched and learned from. I also trained in Kathak and Bhangra for several years! After graduating high school I moved to New York City, where I trained primarily under Kelly Peters at Brickhouse NYC with his street dance training program and as a dancer on his commercial and contemporary fusion companies. My years with Kelly were definitely some of the most formative in my dance career. He introduced me to some of my closest friends and mentors and gave me opportunities that I wouldn’t trade the world for! Also while in New York, I apprenticed under Sekou Heru in his Rhythm Metrics and house program and trained at Peridance Dance Center with their MOPTOP program. In my free time I would train in all styles at Broadway Dance Center, Gibney and Peridance with a lot of inspiring and (who I consider trail blazing) dancers and choreographers. My training was really all over the place from dancing in social settings, to battles, to commercial jobs and even to heady dance theory. Now I continue to train here in Philly and make use of all of the rich opportunities the city’s night life and UMA have to offer, while focusing heavily on dance theory at the Temple Dance PhD program. -How do you go about creating choreo for your classes? What inspires you? What music do you like to use? It depends on the class! For my hip hop classes I usually watch some sort of archival video or notable movie in Hip-Hop history, or return to moves I learned in social settings/at sessions growing up. These materials always reveal a really cool / important vocabulary and history in hip hop dance. I’ll find a few moves and grooves per week, study how they came to be and let them guide a freestyle session. Anything that I like in these freestlyes I keep and put into a piece of choreography. For my story grooves / more contemporary-driven classes I start with a narrative. My personal connections to that narrative and how I feel that day will usually guide my creative choices. This process is also very improv/freestyle driven. I also do lots of journaling and reading to help me come up with stories! Fun Fact: Sometimes I will look up creative writing prompts and use those to guide my choreo. But regardless of the class, choreography always starts with the music!! I’m constantly listening to music and adding songs that speak to me to a playlist called “Dancey.” My goal is to choreograph to every song on the list. -What do you want folks to take away from your class? And/ or what kind of vibe do you hope to cultivate in your classes? I really want people to be able to feel how powerful dance really is. Of course it feels so dang good to move our bodies to good music but I want everyone who comes to my class to realize that they are part of something much bigger. As dancers we are a huge community, we’re activists, we’re artists, we are healers, and in my opinion we have super powers! I want everyone to know that they are part of and can participate in all of those aspects of dance too. I also want us to put the work in to honor dance histories, especially in street styles. In a fun, uplifting and community-oriented space, I want us all to continue the legacy of street dance and hip-hop. Classes with me will be really energetic, fun, challenging, safe, expressive and, hopefully eye-opening! -Anything you want to add? UMA’s the greatest place in Philly!! Next to maybe the clubs!! Thanks Sangita!
You can sign up for 'Hip Hop All Levels' with Sangita via the 2100 Chestnut Schedule Page here, using a drop in, membership, intro month, or class card pack! |
ContributorsKayla Bobalek Archives
March 2024
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