Contact:
(732) 213 - 4361
JohnComix.com
Street Dance
Choreography, education, & performance
Hip Hop - Popping - Locking - Breakin
Do you want to bring me to your studio this year?
To make it easy, add your studio to one of my workshop tours. Is your studio not in one of my tour zones? Do the dates conflict? Not a problem! I travel anywhere, all year long. Click the map to go to my workshop page and let's talk about what you need!
GET CERTIFIED
In My Education Method
My work combines the world of hip hop & other genres with the standards & structure of dance schools. Training programs I offer give insight into how I run my classes for an educational experience that honors the school curriculum without diluting hip hop. This summer, I will be expanding my training program into a certification, where teachers can fully adopt my methods & bring my approach to hip hop education to their home studio!
More Info Coming Soon....
About Me
My name is John "Comix" Barrella. I am a dance educator from New Jersey. As a full time artist, I spend my days instructing dancers, choreographing internationally, consulting for dance teachers, performing, and directing a professional dance company. It's my mission to use my voice in the dance community to share all the incredible things you can do with your knowledge.
Throughout my career, I have had the pleasure of using dance as a means to connect with young people across the country and help kick-start dance careers . I want to continue on that journey with every dancer and hip hop head out there . As you explore my site, feel free to reach out to me at any time. Let me know exactly what you need and we can discuss how I can use my art for you!
What makes Hip Hop and Street Dance so compelling? Dancers around the world know the words "Hip Hop", yet there is still a struggle to inform people on what it actually is. Finding an audience to this art form is the easy part. However, with a world so over-saturated with work that is labelled as hip hop, it can be tricky to know what it really is. My work as a teacher, choreographer and performer aims to show people the difference between hip hop and many other styles. What makes it so interesting is how very human it can be. This is an art form created so organically in an atmosphere that needed it. This entire culture was built upon the incredible things being done by the communities that needed a voice and an outlet. Today, people are still captivated by hip hop. Of course there's a good and bad to that too. Some are loyal to its healing, empowering and strengthening powers. Hip Hops ability to force artists to be at the top of their game is one of the most important aspects. The drive to get better and have a conversation with your audience or your opponent that BUILDS on who you were previously is what creates our driven dancers. The other side of it is that many people don't realize how integral the roots of hip hop are to a student of dance. They love it enough to run with it anyway. There is much work to be done.
DISCLAIMER
Everything I know , discuss and teach is based on what I have learned about this art form over the years. I have the utmost respect for the teachers and pioneers involved in hip hop culture AND bboy culture, locking culture, popping culture...etc.. My understanding of dance comes from lessons and conversations with these men and women over the years. I am NOT A PIONEER OR MASTER of this art form. That title belongs to those who were born into the culture and helped it become what it is today. I am a student and I am influenced by it. I aim to do good things with it. I aim to deliver information on it and help people grow with it. Hip Hop and other styles don't get mastered over night. It takes years and a high level of dedication. I am not delivering you a shortcut to hip hop. I am here to help you begin a journey with hip hop. I look to be the voice that makes sense and connects you with lessons and ideas that'll help you grow properly. It goes without saying that there are many opinions on hip hop and sometimes conflicting ideas about definitions and even terminology. I teach based on styles of dance I've gained extensive information on so that when I run with it, shape it and speak through it, I do so with respect and value for the art form. My word on dance is NOT LAW. It is opinion. It is my method, my philosophy. It is the way I've succeeded in bringing it to my students and my audience without having to diminish the roots of the style. My only hope going forward is to continue to find the students and the audience that can share love for these things as I do.
My Interview For tedx
Last year, I was interviewed for the official podcast of Tedx Asbury Park, where I had the chance to discuss street dance, art, the history of my dance company, and what we presented as speakers for Tedx: Chaos.
The next virtual training course is here!
This one is for all of the teachers and judges out there that need guidance on the ins and outs of hip hop. What is hip hop supposed to look like? How is it similar to other genres and more importantly, how is it different?
This workshop will be slightly different from past workshops, where we fully focus on class structure mixed with technique and terms. Here, we will focus on techniques and terms and the common issues they face competitively as well as the misunderstandings people have about hip hop dance culture. For teachhers, this should serve as a way to root your choreography in authenticity. For judges, this is a crash course in terms and ideas for critiques.
This workshop is a ticketed event per person, not per feed. Each attendant even on a single feed must be registered and paid for.
When: Sunday, May 16th 2021
Where: Zoom(Link e-mailed to all registered participants the week of the workshop)
Time: 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm ( Eastern Time!!)
How to Register
1. Click the register link and fill out the form to get your name on the list.
2. Return to the johncomix.com homepage.
3. Click the link to be sent to the paypal payment page, where you can make your payment via credit/debit/paypal. This link requires you to manually enter your dollar amount. Enter the amount based on number of individuals being registered.
FAQs
If I can't make it, can I get a video copy?
Yes! Each registered participant gets a video copy, as well as exclusive discount codes for the Essentials Store.
I am a judge, but not a hip hop teacher. Will this strictly be a dance class?
This is foremost a lecture course, combined with techniques & movement. You do not need to physically participate, however I encourage anyone interested to dance with me when we cover some key lessons.
Can I request specific topics to be covered?
Absolutely. I strongly encourage participants to submit questions I can cover in this lecture.
