Street Dance
Choreography, education, & performance
Hip Hop - Popping - Locking - Breakin
COVID-19, Social Distancing, & What I Can Do For You
With the coronavirus already having a significant impact on the dance community, we're seeing quite a shift in the way we'll get our work done. If you are familiar with my work, you are well aware of my emphasis on live streamed seminars and digital content over the last few years. After observing countless teachers discussing and debating online classes and other ways to deliver information, I decided to shift my focus a bit more on what we do across the internet. Considering the impact of show and event cancellations, for the foreseeable future I will be diving much deeper into online dance work than ever before.
Join me in
HOME SCHOOL
MY DANCE PARENTS &
STUDENTS SHOULD START HERE
You will see my Virtual Dance Class Schedule with your studio. If your home studio created your live streamed hip hop classes with me, information & links will be on this page.
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Live Virtual classes
The Crash course series
Throughout the Spring Season
This course will take hip hop teachers through the fundamentals of hip hop/street dance instruction. This information, commonly taught during my live seminars, is condensed into smaller courses where we focus on immediate needs of dance teachers. The most common concern studio owners have with hip hop comes down to the ability to blend the structure of dance class/dance studios with the authenticity of hip hop without diluting either side.
Whether you're a teacher who wants to learn more hip hop techniques, or a hip hop dancer who needs the core values of dance education, this series will have something for you. Each class runs 90 minutes and requires registration to enter.
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The next Crash Course is on its way!
Saturday, May 23rd
6:00 - 7:30 pm EasterN STANDARD TIME
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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 hip hop come 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
