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As hard as hip-hop culture can be to pinpoint, it can be as hard as finding its most basic practitioners. They designed their own version of dance and music in their urban neighborhood. They’re a hybrid of the streets of South Los Angeles and some of America’s largest cities in New York and everything in between.
For Heartlanders, it’s easy to make assumptions based on what they’ve seen on TV or in the movies. This can disparage or glorify aspects of hip-hop that are factual but not necessarily representative of the genre as a whole.
I almost need a guide to figure it out. That’s where the Versa-Style Dance Company comes in. Founded in 2005 by her LA-born couple, the dancer continues to tour to celebrate the artistry and spirit of street dance. His February 4th afternoon on the campus of St. Benedict College as part of a fine art series with St. John’s College.
“Hip-hop comes from a very gray spectrum,” said Brandon Juezan, who has danced in various forms with Versa-Style for over a decade. “Our goal is to demystify many misconceptions and teach them about its history and foundations. They lived in a gang-infested area of poverty, so there are two sides to hip-hop.”
Examples include legendary artists such as 2Pac Shakur and Dr. Dre, known for their “Gunsta” rap. Although they became famous for promoting the negative narratives of hip-hop, Juezan said they also produce music that is very positive, conscious and forward-thinking.
“Tupac made a song about empowering women and Dr. Dre, who was once a member of NWA, made a song about stopping violence,” Juezin said. “It shows how this art changes over time. It has a tough, street side that is often promoted in the media. But there is another aspect that has made hip-hop a universal language: the form of dance, music, and the art of rap and deejaying. is also a positive way to move away from something very destructive.”
Jackie Lopez (a.k.a. “Miss Funk”) and Lee Forad (a.k.a. “Breeze Lee”) are UCLA seniors majoring in world arts and cultures, the latter already with some connections. I started Versa-Style when I was a dancer. Famous in Southern California. They collaborated on Lopez’s first repertoire work and quickly bonded, becoming one of their greatest influences, with his Philadelphia-based dance company setting the bar for hip-hop since 1992. I decided to emulate Lenny Harris, one of the
Juezan (aka BeastBoi) grew up in Azusa, California, America’s Best Dance Crew When So do you think you can dance? He joined his high school’s dance team and first met Lopez when he was a freshman. She liked his style and gave him a scholarship to attend an intensive summer of dance and theater at UCLA. The following year he became a member of his Versa-Style Next Generation. This is basically his Versa-Style touring dancer development program. As the original members of the company moved on to other stages of their careers, Juezan was one of the members chosen to carry on the tradition. He joined professionally in 2014 and earned his business degree in entertainment from California State University Fullerton in 2017, where he is still an artistic director of tours and events. He’s one of his crew of at least eight who will be in central Minnesota for a few days ahead of the show on February 4th.
They offer “edutainment” such as Central Minnesota boys and girls clubs, workshops with CSB and SJU students, and leadership seminars with school student councils. As a 501(c)3 organization, Versa-Style works to provide curriculum to high school groups in Los Angeles.
“We strive to spread the love of hip-hop, educate our community, and provide resources and tools for students who want to learn,” said Juezan.
The show at the Escher Auditorium is suitable for all ages, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be real. Juezin said the performance will be a blend of two of her staple shows, “Freemind Freestyle” and “Origins.” Freemind Freestyle is a deeper theatrical production that draws inspiration from the pandemic and other events from the same period, such as the murder of George Floyd and the civil unrest that followed. The name comes from the individual representations that contribute to the production of the group. There is choreography, but many shows have different artists doing different moves on stage.
“It’s the improvisation that street dance and hip-hop are all about,” Juezin said. It’s more emotional, deeper, more intense, even a little darker.It has to be about love and fun, but it can also be taken seriously and tell a deeper story.”
The origins trace how African dance, salsa, swing and tap finally culminated in the version of what is now known as hip-hop. “Popping” and “Locking” originated in his 1960s San Francisco Bay Area and 1970s South LA respectively. “Breaking” came from New York in the 1980s. And Juezin’s specialty, “clamp,” also originated in LA in the early 2000s. -Be part of the Style Show.
“All of these different styles were developed in different regions when we didn’t have Instagram to share everything with the world.” It is often a community, each with its own influence, bringing its diversity and beautiful complexity to people who have probably never experienced it or seen where it comes from. I look forward to it.”
Tickets are $8 for CSB and SJU students and $38 for regular admission and are available at https://www.csbsju.edu/fine-arts/performances. The show was made possible in part by Minnesota voters through an operational support grant from the Minnesota Arts Commission. This is thanks to a legislative budget from the Art and Cultural Heritage Fund. The National Endowment for the Arts and the New England Foundation for the Arts also contributed to funding the show.
The Versa-Style Dance Company includes (front left) Brandon Juezan (aka “BeastBoi”), Brianna Gray (aka “Passion”), and Anthony Berry (aka “Berry Groove”). and (back row, left to right) Ceanne Augustin (aka “CyKlone”), Ernesto Galarza (aka “Precise”), Cynthia Hernandez (aka “Divina”), Jackie Lopez (aka “Miss Funk”), Leigh Foaad (aka “”) Breeze Lee”), Harry Weston (aka “Full Out”), Ali Gray.
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