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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 [email protected] 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! TIPS FROM ALEX: Below is a link to this B-Squat/Compass/ Single leg squat that is used as a foundational position in class. These 4 exercises can be done at home with limited space! The Compass position is a foundational posture used in the Dance Acrobatics classes I teach. It comprises of a half-kneeling position in which the back toes are tucked and the butt sits on top of the heel. The reason this is a foundational posture is because much of the vocabulary/moves covered use a similar access point. Whether you want to roll, jump, cartwheel, kick, spiral, compass pose lies underneath these positions allowing you access to move across the floor in a multitude of directions and dynamic options. Hence, the name. I suggest taking time to familiarize yourself with the static posture first, then begin to explore these level changes. I recommend 2-3 sets of 10 reps or set a timer 1-2 minutes each side for 2-3 sets if you don't like counting. 1. Compass Squats- great for building strength and body awareness when level-changing 2. Compass Get-Up/Get-Downs- helps to start to feel the weight-shifting aspects of this position. In particular, for when transitioning up into an acrobatic movement, or down into something like a back roll 3. Compass Spiral Downs- similar to compass squats but with a bit more complexity. Helpful for spiral work into the floor as well as mid-level acrobatic transitions such as chapeau de coro 4. Compass Pop Kicks- the most complex of the 4. We focus on the ability to control the spiral down, then like a coil wound up, we learn how to use this rebounding effect to create power through a jump and a dynamic kick. Try yourself and tag me for feedback! Learn more from Alex @ 812 Chestnut! you can catch him at the following times: Mondays 8-9pm Beginners Dance Acrobatics Thursdays 7:30-8:30pm Dance Acrobatics & Floorwork Saturdays 2:00-3:30pm Dance Acrobatics & Floorwork  Join Kristi Saturdays 3-4pm @ 812 Chestnut! Intermediate+ level dancers. Class will teach choreographed routines that blend hip hop, jazz, popping, house, and other dance genres. We will focus less on getting the moves "right" and more on making the moves uniquely our own. The goal will be to feel the music, have fun, and express our authentic selves! Learn more about Kristi and what to expect from her class below!  Learn more about Kristi & her Hip Hop and Street Jazz Choreo class! What is your training background? It's a bit of a hodgepodge! I took my first ballet class when I was about eight and quickly realized that wouldn't be for me, so I pivoted to jazz and hip hop. Growing up in Los Angeles, I had access to a lot of choreography classes taught by people working in the commercial industry. College brought me to the east coast, and though I was not studying dance, I spent all my time dancing with a student-run company. Our shows featured everything from hip hop to contemporary and K-pop to Bollywood. After college, I lived in New York City, where I joined competitive hip hop crews Epic Motion and Neighbors and later danced for choreographers Kenichi Kasamatsu and Bo Park. Since moving to Philly, I've been taking UMA's classes, which have helped me develop my freestyle skills, as well as fill in the street dance knowledge gaps I had having come from a choreography background. How do you go about creating choreo? What inspires you? Dancing has always been my outlet for discovering and expressing aspects of my personality that don't surface during my everyday life. So if a song is speaking to a part of me that needs to be released, I'll choreograph to it! My process involves listening to a song over and over again and picking out the musical elements I want to emphasize with the movement. Then I try to choose moves that match those sounds and also convey the emotions that initially connected me to the song. What music do you like to use? For class, we'll be dancing to a lot of hip hop/R&B and dance pop. I'm going for songs that get us moving and grooving! 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? First and foremost, I want people to have fun! Though I'll be teaching choreographed routines, I hope we can focus less on what the moves are and more on how we're choosing to do them. I'd love to see people add their own flavor to the moves and make them uniquely their own. My ultimate goal is for class to be a space where people can come express their authentic selves through dance and be seen and celebrated for it. Thanks Kristi!
You can sign up for 'Hip Hop and Street Jazz Choreo' with Kristi via the 812 schedule page here, using a drop in, membership, intro month, or class card pack! Alexis teaches All Levels Hip Hop @ 2100 Chestnut, and Hip Hop and Beginner House at 812 Chestnut! You can see his full schedule below. Mondays @ 812 6:00-7:00pm Beginner Hip Hop Dance 7:00-8:00 Beginner House Dance Tuesdays @ 2100 7:00-8:00 All Levels Hip Hop Thursdays @ 2100 8:00-9:00 All Levels Hip Hop Learn more about Alexis and his classes below! Learn more about Alexis & His UMA Classes! -How did you get involved in dance? I've danced since I was in diapers, so I guess you could say it was one of my first languages. Growing up I was always on the move & making little dances up to songs I liked, until I started taking classes at the age of 11 and wanted to keep goin ever since! -What is your training background? I first trained in Hip Hop since i was in middle school, from then & throughout high school I trained in that along with contemporary and jazz dance. During my college years I trained in various codified Modern Dance techniques, Ballet, African Dance, & Afro Caribbean. Late college years into the present I've broadened my knowledge of more street dance styles such as House, Vogue, Street Jazz, & foundational Hip Hop. -How do you go about creating choreo for your classes? What inspires you? What music do you like to use? As an instructor I really emphasize groundedness & articulation; what it takes to be aware & consistent of these attributes, physically, as well as playing within the dynamics of full body dancing VS. isolations. I like to move my torso, whine my hips, and be intricate with my hands and feet as well so I'm drawn to music that has a lot of different rhythms or melodies I can play with to embody those dynamics (Afro beats, house, R&B, Hip hop) Also, sometimes I create on the spot! I usually have different people with different skill levels in class, every class, so I like to feel out the room & see what magic comes about. -What is Street Dance to you? Why have you pursued Street Dance? Street Dance is Culture. It's community. It's Afro-Diasporic. Its Love, strength, passion, a viiibe, spiritual, joy, an escape, its home. It's my first love, and I can honestly say if I live without it for too long I feel disconnected from my truest self! I'm consistently inspired by the variety of communities I've connected with, the complexities of the physicality of street dance, the history of the culture as it has existed and continues to evolve is enthralling and I'm excited to grow with it! -What do you want folks who take your class to take away from your class? Knowing their bodies a little more, knowing they had fun, got a workout, a bit of a brain teaser (hehe), and that it's never too soon/late or no one is ever too young or old to dance. The UMA community has been a blessing to me and I'm elated to see it shift, Shine & grow in Love🫶🏽 Thanks Alexis!
Alex teaches Mobility & Recovery for Dancers @ UMA 2100 Chestnut location on Mondays at 6pm. This is a “relaxed-fit” class that helps students prep and recover for the various classes UMA has to offer. This class will cover joint mobility, stretching, as well as self-care practices such as foam rolling and bodywork. Give your body the TLC it deserves! You can also catch Alex for Dance Acrobatics and Floorwork classes at UMA 812 Chestnut location! On Mondays his beginner level class runs from 8-9pm. His all levels classes are Thursdays 7:30-8:30 and Saturdays 2-3:30pm (except for this Saturday because 812 is closed for construction!) This class is a compelling concoction of scaleable acrobatics, silky floorwork, and sketching improvisation that gets you comfortable with leaving your feet, finding confidence in your hands, and creating seamless transitions in and out of the floor. Namely, front and back rolls, intermediate cartwheel variations and walkovers, transitions in and out of the floor, and floorwork grooves. Alex supports a welcoming and playful environment to provide you with building a broad base of sustainable pathways of moving through space with power, flow, and creative patterns to supplement your movement practices.  Learn more about Alex & his classes! -What impact do you hope to make on the uma community through your various classes? I have a lot of high hopes, but if I could boil it down to a few: my aim is to provide students with a greater sense of embodiment and encouragement. Whether in the mobility & recovery class or in the dance acrobatics classes, a goal is to center folks into their bodies, both physically and mentally. The mobility class gives students the chance to get to know their bodies better through bodywork and stretching exercises. The hope is that this awareness and nurturing encourages students to appreciate their bodies and take care of themselves in and out of classes. The dance acrobatic classes are a fertile ground to explore the various aspects of physicality such as power, pliability, and suave while balancing the mental gymnastics of courage, commitment, and compassion. Physically, acrobatic moves don’t happen overnight and often take persistence and patience. The mental aspect is much more prevalent in this class since the risk is a bit higher when you are trying to make yourself fly for a moment. The hope is that these aspects of building physical complexity and mental confidence encourage students to play with the emotions of fear and the unknown in a safe space while giving themselves and others the compassion needed when trying new things. -Most of our classes are centered around street and social dances or popular stylings/ approaches. How does what you offer relate to this or divert from this? The Mobility class diverts quite a bit from any specific physical street or social dance. There are aspects that are taken from more Eastern practices such as Yoga and Tai Chi/Qi Gong. The environment in class is closer to a “social” environment. We gather in a circle, allow dialogue, and provide exercises that are universal to all who join. The Dance Acrobatics, at its core, has its roots in the Afro-Brazilian martial art called Capoeira. My teachers have included Mr. Ron Wood and Tom Weksler who have influenced this class. In class, we do not apply the marital aspect of the Capoeira art. Rather we focus on the aspect known as Floreios. These “curving” or flowing acrobatic moves differ from the linear type acrobatic moves you might see in gymnastics. . Where the diversion really takes place in Dance Acrobatics is our use of floorwork. The floorwork movements come from modern and contemporary dance practices. Traditional floreios play with hands and feet and avoid going into the ground. A major aspect of the Dance Acrobatics and Floowork class is to explore the many layers of movement practices of getting into and out of the floor while incorporating acrobatic moves seamlessly throughout. -What made you fall in love with dance acro/floorwork? Great question. I often find that most of why I love it is ineffable. It is felt more than described. What I would say is that I fell in love with the dynamics and virtuosic aspects of dance acro/floorwork. The ability to surf the momentum that one generates. It is the ability to conjure up explosive, dynamic, impulses and balance that with qualities of calm, ease, and seamlessness. The balance of these forces in a practice allows for moments that look like an exclamation point “!” but immediately follow with a “…” Thus, creating a movement practice that contains qualities of continuity, impermanence, and potentiality out of which more spontaneity can arise. Plus it just looks cool!!! -What keeps you interested and invested in a dance acro practice? What keeps me interested is how dance acrobatics moves beyond the momentary rush of getting a move or posting something for the Gram (not that I don’t love those things). It is a total embodiment practice, physically, mentally, and spiritually. It is a form of moving meditation. Acrobatics forces you to be in the present moment. You have no choice but to commit if you want to accomplish the move you are working with. Along with that comes the waves of fear, doubt, laziness, hesitation etc. However, it is a question unto myself whether I can allow those thoughts and emotions to occur naturally but not get attached to them. To simply be, and allow my dance to take me beyond the world of words and to just “tune in” while “tuning out” all the unnecessary noise. In that space, I feel my creativity, aliveness, and freedom can flourish. That feeling, that flow state, keeps me coming back. You can sign up for Mobility & Recovery with Alex @ 2100 Chestnut through the 2100 schedule page here, using a drop in, membership, intro month, or class card pack! You can sign up for Dance Acrobatics & Floorwork with Alex @ 812 Chestnut through the 812 schedule page here, using a drop in, membership, intro month, or class card pack! Thanks Alex!
Genesis teaches Street Dance Choreo at UMA 2100 Chestnut location on Mondays from 8-9pm! Street Dance Choreography is a great class for advanced beginners and above. This is the class where UMA participants are able to experience fun and compelling choreography that fuses styles like hip hop, locking, popping, house, breaking and waacking. Street Dance is the umbrella term used to describe the aforementioned styles and more. The Street Dance Choreography class provides the opportunity to learn and drill basic vocabulary. But ultimately, the goal is to sew the moves from the various styles into fun choreography to bumping tunes. This is a class that offers students the opportunity to fuse all of what they might find on the menu at UMA into one dish. Learn more about Genesis and her class below! Learn more about Genesis & Street Dance Choreo! -How did you get involved in dance? Dance was always around me growing up. From seeing my own family members dance at gatherings, to teaming up with my siblings and cousins to make a whole dance number for the grownups to see. It felt true to me to consistently be involved with dance. My spirit always knew this was in alignment for me. -What is your training background? I have a background in technical styles such as modern and ballet, but also spent a lot of my time in college training in styles of the Diaspora such as Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean, and West African styles such as Lamban and Kassa. It was when I moved to Philly that I began to dabble my feet into street styles such as House, Locking, and even Vogue! -How do you go about creating choreo for your Street Dance Choreo class? What inspires you? What music do you like to use? I’m extremely moved by music and feeling. If I have a feeling I want to express, I try to find a song that can get me to that. Music resonates in ways that movement cannot so blending those two are essential for me in my creation process. I’m inspired by the feelings of joy and liberation. The abilities that come with true freedom and release are something I want to bring to my classes. House music is very important to me as it encapsulates how music can liberate your soul, so I listen to this for inspiration. -What is Street Dance to you? Why have you pursued Street Dance? Street dance to me is more than just the movement born outside the studio spaces. It’s the culture, the people, the unity. What makes street dance is the social part. Social interactions. My connection to community is what drew me into street dance. -What do you want folks to take away from your class? I want folks who take my class to walk away feeling good in their spirit and knowing that class is a communal experience just as much as it is an individual one. I want amplify the same feelings I get going to events like Kyle and Dinita Clark’s SoleFull Sessions. No matter what your background and experiences are, we’re all here at the same time to experience the same thing. Class isn’t about perfection, but the beautiful moments you find in the progress! You can sign up for Street Dance Choreo with Genesis @ 2100 Chestnut through the 2100 schedule page here, using a drop in, membership, intro month, or class card pack! Thanks Genesis!
Rylee is a force to be reckoned with in the Vogue community. She is the mother of the Philadelphia chapter of the iconic House of Prodigy. Rylee makes sure her students know the history, importance and culture of Vogue in her classes at UMA. Don't miss out on classes with Rylee y'all! Learn more from Rylee below! Hear from Rylee about Vogue! -Tell us about the history of Vogue Voguing started in the late 60s/Early 70s in the Underground Ball scene of Harlem, NY coming from the Black and Brown LGBTQ+ communities. Inspired by models off of Vogue magazine, people started emulating the poses to music. We know that as Pop, Dip, and Spin or Old Way now. At UMA, we mainly learn and practice Vogue Femme. Vogue Femme came up in the 90s. While Vogue Femme still incorporates the posing, we see a lot more fluidity and femininity incorporated into the movement. Vogue is a form of protest and it is important to acknowledge the responsibility it takes to enter the Ball scene. By responsibility I mean in terms of being aware of Patriarchy, White Supremacy, and Homo/Transphobia. -When did you start dancing Vogue? What made you interested? I first started Voguing in 2016, but did not really take it seriously until 2017 and I walked my first Mainstream ball in 2018. I was very intimidated by it at first because of hyper-feminine the style is, but once I got into it, it totally transformed how I connected to my body and femininity. -Who are some of your idols in Vogue - past or present? Some of my Vogue idols include Tati Miyake Mulger, Meeka Alpha Omega, Inxi Prodigy, and Kassandra Ebony -What is your favorite part about teaching Vogue @ UMA? My favorite part about teaching Vogue at UMA is seeing people tap into different parts of themselves that they didn't think they can access. I love seeing people grow into their confidence and witnessing light bulb moments when movement/concepts start to set in and click. -What do you hope people get out of your Vogue classes? I hope people can receive empowerment from my class. Whether they feel empowered by becoming physically stronger, empowered by expressing themselves, or empowered through knowledge by gaining a clear perspective of the society we live in relationship to Ball culture. You can get into Vogue classes at both UMA locations. Mondays @ 812 Chestnut: 6:00pm Beginner Vogue 8:00pm Intermediate/ Advanced Vogue Wednesdays @ 812 Chestnut: 6:00pm Beginner Vogue Thanks, Rylee!
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ContributorsKayla Bobalek Archives
August 2024
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812 Chestnut StSearch 'Urban Movement Arts @ 812 Chestnut' on Google Maps
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2100 Chestnut St. 2nd Flr
*entrance is on 21st! between Rione Pizza & Monde Market*
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