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The Hoodlockers, local innovators of the Locking legacy, bring camaraderie and competition to Hip Hop's funkiest style. PHILADELPHIA - If you thought “rock, paper, scissors” was boring or easy, you’ve never thrown down with Philly based dance crew The Hoodlockers. These internationally acclaimed dancers have invented their own version of the classic game rock/paper/scissors; their version celebrates the classic Locking move "Uncle Sam Points". Points in Locking often come with a heavy dose of mean mugging and shoulder articulation. Think about Michael Jackson's iconic points: he turns his gaze sharply with his shoulders moving independently, delayed from his head. Jackson worked on his choreography with one of the pioneers of Locking, Suga Pop. The Hoodlockers investment in their genre has taken them to train with Sugar Pop, as well as Don “Campbellock” Campbell--- inventor of the “lock” movement itself-- as well as Greg” Campbellock” Campbell Jr, Skeeter Rabbit, and Fluky Luke. Members of the Hoodlockers have taken home trophies from international dance battles and competitions across the globe. Their quartet regularly tours with Rennie Harris Pure Movement. Additionally, they train a junior crew of up and coming all styles dancers, called Hoodnation whose performance last year at Jacob’s Pillow’s Inside/Out stage received a standing ovation.
Like their adaption of rock-paper-scissors, the Hoodlockers are both goofy and serious, competitive and inviting. They are stretching the fabric of traditions. Speaking to his beginner adult students at Urban Movement Arts, Andrew “Riot” Ramsey explains “You’re never gunna look like me, ‘cause you’re not me.” He’s alluding to not just his years of training and performing, but to his whole life. Riot’s lock looks like he’s riding a motorcycle, his whole body snarling at you. He’s lean and athletic, like Shabadoo, one of the original lockers, Rick "Glitch" Evan’s lock is more square, boxy, a victorious video game hero. Josh "J Peazy" Polk is also known as Uncle Peazy for good reason, his happy-go-lucky physical character is the closest to Don "Campbellock" Campell's original old school style. Marcus "Epic Phlave" Tucker is in some ways an amalgam of them all, while uniquely his own, his razor sharp stare and incredibly crispy lines come out of nowhere. “Lock, Paper, Scissors” goes beyond your traditional choreography, where there is little to no interaction between dancers. Locking is a social dance, a soulful dance. The show absorbs you into the Hoodlockers’ funky world. Their different styles inform their different performance personas. In “Lock, Paper, Scissors” you will see these four different characters as individuals and also as a deeply connected unit. The Hoodlockers have known each other a long time, have had their share of brotherly disputes, struggles, and triumphs. Glytch describes how audiences “see how we’re connected on a different level, and can’t help but be entertained." Seeing the The Hoodlockers perform together in UMA's familial studio space is a rare opportunity not to be missed. Presenting organization Urban Movement Arts (UMA) welcomes adults of all ages and experience levels to explore Hip Hop, American folk dance, and African Diaspora movement genres. UMA, located in downtown Philly, guides movers and dancers to develop connection to community and style. UMA’s events and classes bring out the joy of discovering new ways of being and moving in the world. Media Contact: Lily Kind | urbamovementarts@gmail.com
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Salsa Beginner and Level 1 Advanced Beginner 8 Week Series Starts April 7th and runs until June 2nd (no class on Sunday, April 21) Salsa Series Prices: Individual Registration: $75 Partner Registration: $125 *$10 off for UMA members Salsa Series Includes:8 Weeks of Salsa Classes 1 free drop in to Solo Salsa Group Class Mondays 6:00pm 1 free Practice Party that happens once a month a UMA Discounted private lesson rate during duration of the series; $60 for individual/ $100 for partners Beginner Salsa *8 Week course Sundays 3:00-4:00pm: This 8 week course is for the absolute beginner or those that want to strengthen and improve their foundation of Salsa On1. This course will give you all you need to know about the foundation of Salsa dancing, your basics, timing, dance positions, leading and following, footwork and turns. The course is designed to progress and to build each week. Each class we will take the time to really understand the steps and what the body is doing so we can build muscle memory. Most importantly let’s remember to have fun! Feel free to repeat the second half of this course as many times as you need to feel comfortable. Salsa Level 1 Advanced Beginner *8 Weeks Sundays 4:30-5:30pm: This course will help you build on the basics from the Beginner Series. You will be introduced to advanced patterns and shines, step variations, how to lead and follow them, styling and more challenging combinations. You must have competed Beginner Salsa Series, ideally a few times of the second half of Beginner Salsa. Francois, Chrissie and Me On March 23rd at 8:30pm, Vince will share a piece of improvised sound and movement with Francois and Chrissie. Francois and Chrissie are amazing musicians, not to be missed. Francois and Chrissie teach music lessons in collaboration with our kids program Move Makers. If you saw Vince's 2017 Fringe show "i.d" you have a general idea of what you're in for! We'll have somethings to drink and snack on. It's gonna be chill. $10 at the door.   Sanchel Brown, UMA Winter Artist in Residence. Photo: Adriana Imhof Home to Homeland
8 pm | March 2 & 3, 2019 From Baltimore to Senegal, Sanchel Brown’s new evening length dance journey is a reminder that home is always beneath the feet. Ticket link: https://tinyurl.com/UMAsanchel Philadelphia, PA - In Home to Homeland, choreographer Sanchel Brown, dances, sings, raps, and raises an eyebrow as she travels from 1920’s Harlem to contemporary day time television. Brown weaves common yet diverse movement languages of footwork, as she invites us to follower her footprints towards the meaning of Motherland. Home to Homeland includes stops smack dab in the middle of a New Orleans second line as well as the Baltimore of Brown’s childhood. Sanchel has been teaching her B’more Afro House class at Urban Movement Arts since summer of 2018, when she came on as a Guest Teaching Artist. The richness of her varied training and passion continues to unfold as she explores her repertoire more broadly, including her experience as a theater actor and choreographer. Talking about the piece/her process, Brown considers, “While in Senegal, I felt a connection of Dance as healing -- as connected to my childhood in Baltimore -- although there were dark days and minimal resources, everyone danced. While visiting New Orleans, I witnessed the same connection to brown bodies whom seem to have lost so much, yet have so much through their dance.” Pack light and get ready to travel to many worlds. This experience will remind you that home is always beneath the feet. Home to Homeland is a the cumulative performance of the Spring Artist in Residence cycle. UMA’s Artist in Residence Program supports the creation of new performance work by providing production support to artists working in conjunction with the UMA community. Artist Bio: Sanchel Brown Brown is a performer/choreographer/actress originally from Baltimore, MD. She obtained her B.F.A from Virginia Commonwealth University, extensively studying movement of the African Diaspora in Senegal, West Africa under the direction of Germaine Acogny at L’Ecole De Sable. Most recently, she studied commercial Hip Hop Dance under the direction of Rhapsody James in Los Angeles, CA. Her performance highlight include World of Dance Philadelphia 2018 (choreographer/performer), The Kimmel Center's 2018 Jazz residency (choreographer/soloist), Let 'Im Move You: This is a Formation (Performer), Urban Bush Women (Apprentice), and Theatre Horizon's Black Nativity (Barrymore Win!). Her choreography highlights include Theatre Horizon's "The Color Purple" Regional PREMIERE, Yale Dramat's "Dreamgirls", and her self -produced show "Ode to Black Wombman" (National Tour). Sanchel currently teaches her original "Bmore Afro" class fusing Baltimore House and West African Dance Forms every week in NYC (Cumbe Center for Diasporic Dance) and Philadelphia (Urban Movement Arts). Her teaching highlights also include Yale University, Princeton University, Dancing Grounds, Drexel University, and University of The Arts. March 2 8 pm March 3 8 pm $12 Tickets online or at the door: https://tinyurl.com/UMAsanchel 2100 Chestnut St (2nd Floor), Philadelphia, PA To request photos, interviews and more information, please contact: Lily Kind, Artist in Residence Program Director, Urban Movement Arts, urbanmovementarts@gmail.com |
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