Get to know a little more about MoveMaker's Lead dance instructor Vince Johnson! How many years have you been dancing? I've been dancing for 22 years. I consider myself having a focused practice for 14 years. What is one dance achievement that you are proud of, or an experience that had a major impact on your specialties? Around 2009, I made it to the finals of the Locking Battle at the House Dance Conference, which was a cornerstone event in the Hip Hop Dance community in New York, run by the legendary Brian Green. It was a three-way final featuring Frostlock, FireLock and me. Both of these dancers are amazing dancers who have impacted the community in meaningful ways. Fire Lock won the final. But I was extremely proud to make it to the end. I had to battle some incredible dancers to make it that far. Furthermore, growing myself as a locker was something that I had spent a lot of time and focus on over a 5 year period. Making it to top 3 at the House Dance Conference indicated to me that my work was not in vain. What is your philosophy in hip hop? Awareness is key to a hip hop practice. A good dancer has keen self-awareness and environmental awareness. The dancer knows the parameters of the culture, how to navigate within and how to gracefully bridge beyond. What are your goals for your students? My goal is for my students to be confident and capable individuals. I want them to care about themselves, their community and their practice. I believe that through the practice of hip hop dance, students develop skills for self-determination, creativity, team-work, self-expression and so much more. I hope that, through the practice of the dance, my students will gain tools for cultivating their minds, bodies and communities in circumstances well beyond the hip hop dance arena. What can a child learn from a dance education that will impact the rest of their lives? Learning hIp hop dance teaches kids an understanding of their bodies that other sports and recreational activities don't. Students learn complex mobility patterns, coordination and the understanding of how to use the body to express ideas. Your average sport might teach athleticism. But most sports do not teach individuals how to talk with their bodies. Students at Movemakers Philly will undoubtedly learn to respect what they can do with their bodies. What is a interesting non-dance related fact that you can share about yourself? I spend a lot of time with language learning and acquiring other new skills. I speak French conversationally and continue to work on my competency with the language. In 2018, I began learning Spanish. In 2019, I started learning the guitar. And in October of 2020, I started learning how to skateboard. My hope is that these new practices will remain with me for the rest of my life. I am excited to see where I am at with all of these practices in 10 years. Thanks for everything you do, Mr. Vince! We're lucky to have you as a leader, teacher and mentor!
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Check out the latest Monday's with Mr. Vince and get a little insight into what it is he thinks about! Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube for future Monday's with Mr. Vince, teacher tutorial videos, student spotlights and more! #danceclassesphilly #onlinedanceclasses #breakdancingphilly #danceeducation #danceeducationforkids #kidsdanceclasses #childrensdanceclasses #hiphopdanceclasses #housedanceforkids #movementclassesforkids #afterschoolphilly #extracurricularactivitiesforkids #afterschoolactivities #kidsafterschool #danceclassesforkids #eventsforkids
 Ms. Adriana is taking a break from teaching hip hop classes to move back to her hometown in Pittsburgh- but she will stay on as social media coordinator. Don't worry! We'll be seeing more of her! Read an interview with her below.How many years dancing? 15 years. What is an achievement in dance that you are proud of or an experience that had a major impact on your specialties? I’m proud of being the first Bgirl in Hip Hop Fundamentals! What is your philosophy in hip-hop? If you’re not having fun, finding joy in community, and learning how to express fully and unapologetically, you’re not doing it right. What are your goals for your students? I want each of my students to learn that their distinct perspective and approach to Hip Hop is their superpower. I hope to empower them to contribute to the culture as their authentic selves. What can a child learn from a dance education that will impact the rest of their lives? They can learn how to thrive independently as well as how to exist in a community where vulnerability, hard work, and thinking critically & creatively are vital. What is an interesting non-dance related fact that you can share about yourself? I am a thrifting queen - it’s all about the bargains baby! Thrifting empowers me to play with different gender expressions and define my own femininity (while saving $ and being sustainable). Thanks for everything you have done and continue to do for our community! We will miss you!
Check out Mr. Vince's 3rd "Monday's With Mr. Vince" to get a lil wisdom straight from his brain. This week we consider- what is cool? What does it mean to be cool? What does the 'cool' of now have in common with the 'cool' of 20 years ago? Let's find out! Subscribe to our YouTube for weekly videos on various topics from Mr. Vince!
Emily Pietruszka Joins the MoveMakers Team as a Hip Hop Dance Instructor Emily Pietruszka is a professional dancer, certified trainer, nutrition coach, and teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Emily has been dancing professionally since 2015, and is currently dancing for Philadelphia based street dance theater company, Rennie Harris Puremovement. While residing in Brooklyn, she had the privilege of working with such names as James "Cricket" Colter and Soo Missy Boogaloo. Pietruszka has shown her own work in Philadelphia at the "Illadelph" street dance festival, as well as "The Come Together Festival" hosted by Koresh Dance. Emily has taught and lectured in various contexts including Front Range Community College (Denver, CO), Mark Morris Dance Group (Brooklyn, NY), New Visions for Public Schools (Queens, NY), The Juilliard School (New York, NY), and The Ailey School (New York, NY) to name a few. As a personal trainer, she specializes in pre/postnatal strengthening and recovery, nutrition coaching, and functional movement training. She is excited to be joining the UMA team, and is looking forward to continuing teaching in a space that values community, hard work, and having fun! Welcome to the team Emily!
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