#aas55

Interview conducted by Taylor Weik

1. Name

Nickolas Sosa

2. Age

21

3. Hometown/Current location

Chino Hills/Irvine

4. When and how did you begin dancing?

Of course there are the high school dances where you can just dance for fun, but I started dancing my senior year of high school when doing a dance event for one of my high school clubs. Ever since then, I had always wanted to dance. It wasn't until college and coming to UCI that i really, truly began dancing though. 

5. What dance teams or projects have you been a part of?

I joined MCIA Dance Team my first and second year and then my third year I was lucky enough to be able to dance with Common Ground. I have been on Kenna Inc., Griminalz, The H&M Project and directed my own project called Peaches & Rings.

6. What are you currently working on now?

I am currently just a dancer on Common Ground and working hard for the upcoming competition, Body Rock.

7. What are your thoughts on dance as a platform for Asian Americans?

I dont really see dance as a different platform for Asian Americans in comparison to any other races. Dance is a place of equality and of course people have their reasons for dancing, but it is a place where we are all similar.

8. Who are your Asian American dance inspirations?

Without a doubt, Gina Hong. Being lucky enough to work with her this year has not only pushed me as a dancer, but has given me a greater understanding of my body. She is truly amazing and shows me exactly how dance can be a language that we all speak and understand.

9. How do you use social media as a dancer?

Interview conducted by Taylor Weik

1. Name

David Lee

2. Age

23

3. Hometown/Current location

Alhambra, CA

4. When and how did you begin dancing?

Nov. 2006 during my Sophomore year at Alhambra High School. 

I saw AHS’s All Male Dance Team performing during an assembly and was really interested in learning how to dance. Took initiative and enrolled in my first dance class at Jayvee Dance Center. 

Didn’t take it seriously until I was invited to be apart of the first generation of BZ Offspring. Wasn’t until then that I realized that I could make a profession out of it. 

5. What dance teams or projects have you been a part of?

Boogiezone Offspring, Boogiezone Breed, Soul Fresh, Main Ingredient, CADC, Culture Shock LA, Maker Empire, Movement Project, Griminalz and The David Lee Project.

6. What are you currently working on now?

I’m collaborating with other choreographers to gain experience and to open up my dance vocabulary. Also:

- Community Outreach events with Culture Shock LA

- Teaching three hip hop classes a week (Mondays at The Lab (6 p.m., 7 p.m.), Thursdays at Boogiezone Utopia (8 p.m.))

7. On dance as a platform:

People of Asian ethnicity often become the stereotype of being studious bookworms who are forced to choose an extracurricular such as tennis or some sort of musical instrument. In recent years, TV shows such as ABDC and movies like Step Up steered that “stereotype” towards another form of art - dance. The first few seasons of ABDC received a lot of publicity and certain groups - Kaba Modern, Jabbawockeez, Poreotics, Quest Crew, Mixed Elements - had a few (or all) members with an Asian American background. It’s shows and movies like these that gave the Asian American community opportunity in the industry but at the same time, made dance mainstream. With dance being mainstream, it slowly provides an outlet for Asians outside of that stereotype. Workshops, dance teams, competitions, choreographers, and dancers began to popcorn from all over.

In the end, dance and hip hop really is something that the Asian American community takes pride in. Dance is a language spoken by the body, regardless of ethnicities; and because of this, many Asian American dancers have begun to pursue this career path.

8. Who are your Asian American dance inspirations?

Anthony Lee, Bam Martin, Agnes Loyola, Sorah Yang, Gina Hong, Ellen Kim, Ryan Feng, Keone & Mariel Madrid, Ray Basa, Paul Ross and Mike Song.

9. How do you use social media as a dancer?

Social media is the prime spot to share my or other peoples work with friends and the rest of the world. I usually post my video (which was uploaded onto Youtube) onto Facebook so people can like, comment, share, etc. I also use it to publicize if I’m teaching anywhere that week or for future workshops.

Interview conducted by Beverly Luu

1. Name Alex Tang

2. Age 20

3. Hometown/Current location Monterey Park

4. When and how did you begin dancing? In 8th grade, I would watch YouTube videos on dancing and that’s basically how I started.

 5. What dance teams or projects have you been a part of? I was on my high school dance team (MKHS All Male) and was a part of MKHS Airband in 2011. I’m currently on Barkada Modern and I was a part of the project Reality Check.

6. What are you currently working on now? I’m currently a board member for Barkada Modern for the 2014-2015 season.

7. What is the importance of a majority of SoCal dancers being Asian? Being Asian, or any other ethnicity, isn’t as important as coming together as a community, meeting new people and dancing together.

8. What do you think is the relationship between hip hop and the Asian American community? It’s like a new sport for Asian Americans. Since not a lot of us play other sports, dancing is the combination of art and athletics. It’s fun and allows us to be creative in movements, which is why it’s so appealing to every teenager out there.

9. What does it mean to be an Asian American dancer? Being an Asian American dancer means that most of our parents won’t support the idea of coming home late three times a week. Our parents worry about us being negatively influenced and slacking off in school. But through hard work and communication, it’s possible for most of us to find a balance between school work and dance. Once we find that balance, our parents will trust us more and give us the support we work so hard for.

MCIA Dance Team at Ken-Ya Dance SoCal 2013, Photo by Taylor Weik

In Movement is a blog documenting and celebrating the Asian American hip hop dance community in Southern California.

"In Movement" has a double meaning that pays homage to the Asian American Movement of the 1960s and early 1970s as well as refers to expressive movement through dance.

Over the next three weeks, this blog will explore the diverse community of hip hop through dance team features, individual dancer profiles and videos of team performances and dancer concept videos. 

For all the dancers out there, we hope this blog will be a source of relation, connectedness and inspiration for you. And for those of you who are not dancers, we hope this blog will show that hip hop isn't just a style of dance, but a community and a creative outlet for Asian Americans today.