Or the I-Ching's missing chapter: Mad Steez. Seriously, folks, what is it about an art form that started in the s in New York by disenfranchised African American youth that resonates with Asians and APIs the world over? Maybe it's that hip-hop swag, or the raw expression, or maybe we're not the studious model minority some like us to conform to.
Whatever the case, it's clear hip-hop as a culture goes beyond race, which is part of the reason why it's so powerful in the first place. But how come this Asian American hip-hop connection hasn't gotten wider notice in the mainstream? What, suddenly the kid you thought was only good at trig can do a headspin and no one bats an eye? It's always interesting and sad how much old, tired stereotypes override clear observation.
People don't recognize Asians as dancers, but you know if there was a reality show called World's Worst Driver that had a Chinese lady in it people would nod to each other knowingly: "Yup, Asians can't drive. Keep up the dancing, everyone, and a special ups to Beat Freaks -- they fought gender as well as racial stereotypes. Congratulations again to Quest Crew.
You guys aren't just dancing for America, you're dancing for Asian America. Michael D. Nguyen is a writer who grew up and went to school in California and now lives in NYC. When he's not internet shopping, he works in advertising.
Skip to main content. Search form Search. Asian America's Best Dance Crew. Mic Nguyen. Performing Arts. Suggested Reads. I gotta say i agree and disagree with some people here. I must admit, when I was a teenager in the mid s, I never thought this dance style that originated out of West Africa and passed down to from desendents of slaves would define an American culture for decades.
These guys are amazing and very acrobatic, greatdancers. Although we are happy for the Jabbawockeez, Super Cr3w, and Quest Crew, we think it's only right to give other races a fighting chance within the show.
No one knows exactly how Season 6 will work, but things will definitely be interesting. Let me reiterate: this is totally unconfirmed. I'm percent sure that this ridiculous rumor is completely false. Share this —. Follow NBC News. By Audrey Cleo Yap.
Audrey Cleo Yap. But with more and more individual dancers, studios, and crews broadcasting videos—and sometimes even step-by-step tutorials—on social media, you can start learning from the comfort of your own home.
For many Asian American hip-hop dancers, especially those in predominantly Asian American choreography groups, this greater access raises a question: Is it right for us to claim an art form that isn't our own? For Jillian Roberts, managing director of New York's Mint Dance Company, which features a multicultural cast of dancers, hip-hop is meant to be shared: "People have a lot of freedom within hip-hop culture because it's such a culture of sharing and celebrating as a group—it's not a singular art form.
As an African American, it's pretty natural for me to feel connected to hip-hop. But it's been really cool on Mint specifically to understand how my Asian American dance friends connect so closely to hip-hop, and how their status as people of color, but non-Black people of color, puts them in a really cool, unique relationship with hip-hop.
But according to Dr. Imani Kai Johnson, an assistant professor of dance at the University of California, Riverside who specializes in the African diaspora, global popular culture, and hip-hop, the answer is a bit more complicated: "A lot of students I meet [in choreo teams] really don't know much about hip-hop beyond what they learn in studio classes," she said.
For Dr. Johnson, practicing a historically Black and African diasporic art form like hip-hop without paying homage to the foundations of that culture or delving into its history she cites the example of calling yourself a breakdancer when you don't know Ken Swift can quickly veer into disrespect.
Cross-racial or cross-ethnic participation in hip-hop is not necessarily an appropriative act. But if you're not even remotely aware of these histories of exploitation, the ease with which you can appropriate, even without that intention, is fully there.
As an Asian American practitioner and teacher of hip-hop dance, Dr. But you can get deeper into issues of colonialism—if you have access, does that give you permission to take something?
Without really understanding the implications? With the Internet, it's easier than ever before to practice hip-hop without ever connecting with the communities who created it, bypassing the discomfort that arises when we confront difficult questions about what it means to use somebody else's culture for our own self-expression. But how do we bring that insight to an actual dance practice?
At Mint, Roberts told me, dancers start with foundational hip-hop lessons: Team leaders incorporate foundational movement drills as class warm-ups, hold regular group discussions about the meaning of the team's training and choreography, and invite specialized guest choreographers to teach unique styles and the history behind them. Roberts said that when she teaches, she'll point out who she learned a certain move or style from—and that she encourages students to cite their sources as well.
As the face of dance grows increasingly diverse, Dr.
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