2011 SEASON
HIP HOP GENERATION NEXT
From the South Bronx to East Asia
Presented with Casita Maria Center for Arts in Education
The fifth season of Hip Hop Generation Next inaugurated Dancing in the Streets’ partnership with Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education in the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx by exploring the trajectory of hip hop culture from its South Bronx roots to its evolution in East Asia, especially in Korea and Japan.
- July 15-17, Peridance Capezio Center, 126 East 13th St., Manhattan
Ladies of Hip Hop Festival
With three days of performances and workshops, this annual festival, directed and curated by Michele Byrd McPhee, paid tribute to the distinctive power of women in hip hop. www.ladiesofhiphopfestival.com
- Friday, 7/15-Sunday, 7/17: Workshops – Ms. Vee/Locking, Leah McFly/Old Skool, Marjory!/House, Tweetboogie/Poppin, Nubian Nene /Waacking, Yeya/Hip-Hop, and Chi-Chi/Hip-Hop
- Saturday, 7/16, 8 pm: Performances by Tweetboogie, Yeya, Bgirl Mega, Charlene “Chi-Chi” Smith, Uko Snowbunny, Leah McFly, Eliza David , Miyabi Wright, Nubian NeNe, Katrin Blantar, Mariella Gross, Akira Armstrong, Valérie Chartier, and more.
- July 23 & 24, 12-9 pm, Casita Maria, 928 Simpson St., the Bronx
Stepyagameup
Stretch
In this global conversion of world class dancers in all hip hop dance styles, individual dancers competed for cash prizes and “bragging rights.” Emilio “Buddha Stretch” Austin Jr, Mikey Disko, and Bobby Mileage were the hosts. Judges were: Chris”Shaik”Math (Hip Hop), Marjory Smarth (House), Hitmaster Fish (Poppin), ILLkozby (Lockin), and Aus Ninja (Waackin).
- Saturday, 7/23, 12-9 pm: preliminary competition
- Sunday, 7/24, 12-9 pm: dance battles
- August 2 & 3
Hip Hop/Kung Fu
Presented with Asia Society
HHKF Photo from block party
Hip Hop/Kung Fu explored the reciprocal influences of Asian culture—and particularly martial arts—on hip hop, and of hip hop on Asian culture.
Artistic Director: Adesola Osakalumi
Director & Choreographer: Emilio “Buddha Stretch” Austin Jr
Co-Director & Assistant Choreographer: Michele Byrd McPhee
Assistant Choreographer: Valerie “Ms. Vee” Ho
- August 2, 7 pm, Casita Maria, 928 Simpson St., the Bronx
OPEN DRESS REHEARSAL & CONVERSATION WITH ARTISTS
FREE!
- August 3, 8 pm, Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, Manhattan
WORLD PREMIERE PERFORMANCE
Followed by a Q & A with the artists
FREE!
“…a riotous display of movement, sound and color.”
The Bronx Free Express
- August 6, 2-8 pm, Simpson Street (between 163rd St. & Barretto St.), the Bronx
Block Party
PHOTOS FROM BLOCK PARTY
Bronx legends and tomorrow’s stars were joined by artists from Ghana, Korea and Japan in this rousing celebration of the cultural legacy of the South Bronx. Performers included the multi-generational salsa and hip hop Abrazos Orchestra led by Aníbal “Andy Conga” Collazo Jr. and Angel R. Rodriguez; Emilio” Buddha Stretch” Austin Jr. and the Hip Hop/Kung Fu ensemble; Full Circle, the internationally acclaimed Bronx-based company led by Gabriel “Kwikstep” Dionisio and Ana “Rokafella” Garcia; the legendary pioneer dj and inventor of scratching and the needle drop GrandWizzard Theodore; the dazzling dancers of Illstyle & Peace Productions; the Ladies of MAWU, the exciting all-women urban dance collective; freestyle hip hop party dancing pioneers SnapShot & WandeePop; and Ghanaian musicians from the Bronx’s “Little Accra” neighborhood performing “hiplife,” a fusion of hip hop and West African music. Hosts were: Brandon “Peace” Albright, Artistic Director of Illstyle & Peace Productions, and Jorge “Popmaster Fabel” Pabon. The event also included dance lessons, a graffiti arts project, ciphers, and more.
FREE!
“It was truly a superb event with a superb curatorial vision and one that was embraced by
the large audience in attendance. The talent was amazing, both local & beyond. i can’t wait for next year’s party.”
Bill Aguado
“…the roster of performers at Saturday’s Simpson Street Block Party, featuring everything from Korean-influenced Hip-Hop Kung Fu to Ghanaian Hiplife and…a series of dance crews ranging from shockingly talented local kids to the Philadelphia pros of Illstyle and Peace Productions [that] literally had the stage shaking with their moves.”
The Village Voice blog
THE CREATORS OF HIP HOP KUNG FU
Adesola Osakalumi (Artistic Director) is currently touring in the title role of Fela Kuti in the national and international tour of Fela! Adesola has appeared in the films Sex & The City 2 and Crazy Beats Strong (Sundance Film Festival 2011). He had studied hip hop and house dance at clubs throughout New York and Ballet at the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Osakalumi joined the legendary Rhythm Technicians, which eventually became the GhettOriginal Productions Dance Company, with whom he choreographed and directed the groundbreaking Off-Broadway production Jam On the Groove. He has choreographed for Film and TV and has won a Bessie Award for Choreography and is an NEA grant recipient.
Emilio “Buddha Stretch” Austin Jr (Director & Choreographer) has been a leading force in hip hop dance for three decades. He an international ambassador of hip hop dance, traveling the world as choreographer, dancer, teacher and competition judge, and has been a seminal influence on the development of hip hop dance in many countries, including Korea and Japan. Austin Jr. is credited as the first hip hop choreographer and as the creator of hip hop freestyle dance. In the ‘90s, he formed the prestigious Elite Force Crew with whom he choreographed for and danced in music videos with Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Missy Elliott, among others
Michel Byrd McPhee (Co-Director & Choreographer) is a choreographer, dancer, and a leading advocate for female hip hop artists. She is the Co-Founding Artistic Director of the all-woman dance organization Montazh Performing Arts Company and the Founding Director of Ladies of Hip Hop, an annual festival that is dedicated to preserving and redefining women’s role in hip hop. Michele has studied hip hop and house dance at clubs throughout New York and Philadelphia. She has also trained with some of the most elite hip-hop dancers in the world including Emilio “Buddha Stretch Austin, Marjory Smarth, Terry “BK Terry” Wright and Rennie Harris. Michele is currently a member of the MopTop Music & Movement Company, founded and directed by Emilio “Buddha Stretch Austin.
Val “Ms Vee” Ho (Choreographer) has made dance her lifelong obsession. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, she grew up doing traditional Chinese dance and touring the world with her mother’s company, the Strathcona Chinese Dance Company. In 1989, Ms. Vee fell in love with Hip Hop and has been a student of the dance and culture ever since. Her training has included all forms of Hip Hop/Street dance and the more traditional dance disciplines of ballet, jazz, tap, modern, swing, salsa, as well as martial arts, namely Wushu. Ms. Vee incorporates this diverse movement background into her teaching and choreography. After moving to New York City in 2003, she has worked with choreographers such as Buddha Stretch, Adesola Osakalumi, Michele Byrd McPhee, and Rennie Harris; and she has had the privilege to perform with companies like the Groovaloos and the MopTop Music and Movement. Ms. Vee is currently on faculty at Broadway Dance Center. This performance is dedicated to her late mother, Maria Mimie Ho, without whom Val would not be dancing or choreographing.
BLOCK PARTY ARTISTS
Hosts
Jorge “Popmaster Fabel” Pabon is a member of the legendary Rock Steady Crew and Universal Zulu Nation. He is an award-winning choreograher, dancer, DJ, and hip hop historian
PHOTO: FABEL
Brandon “Peace” Albright has performed all over the world with Illstyle & Peace Productions, Rennie Harris Puremovement, and with major recording artists, including Will Smith. LL Cool J, and Run DMC.
PHOTO: BRANDON
Bronx Hip Hop Pioneers:
GrandWizzard Theodore performs and teaches all over the world. He was inducted into the Technics DJ Hall of Fame in 1998 and has received Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the International Turntablists Federation and “Back to Mecca”. GrandWizzard served as an esteemed panelist at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s Hip Hop Conference in 1999, and is featured in the DJ documentary Scratch
PHOTO: THEODORE FROM BLOCK PARTY
SnapShot & WandeePop developed their dance skills in the 1970s – ‘90s in their South Bronx Longwood neighborhood, where they learned the Electric Boogie and Breaking from legendary pioneers, including Fabel and SnapShot’s older brother Steve “Mr. Wiggles” Clemente.
