CULTURE SHOCK LOS ANGELES

2009-01-02T23:05:00.000-08:00

H4: HIP HOP HAS HISTORY WORKSHOP
& FREE Kid's Dance Day

On Saturday & Sunday, January 17-18, Culture Shock Los Angeles will host its 7th annual “H4: Hip Hop Has History” and Kid's Dance Day workshop at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center. This event provides students of all dance abilities the opportunity to meet and learn from accomplished performers and pioneers of urban dance styles.

This year’s event features classes in locking, wacking/punking, popping, breaking, hip hop and house dance styles. Guest instructors include Jayson Wright, Poe One, Anthony Thomas, Meech, Zulu Gremlin, Mike Song, and other incredible artists. The event also includes an open session room and a Hip Hop education discussion panel. For the first time ever, the H4 workshop will be a full-weekend event that starts with a free Kid’s Dance Day, features a series of classes and b-boy/b-girl & funk styles dance battles, and concludes with a youth dance showcase.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2009

3-6pm FREE Kid's Dance Day Classes * Open Session Room
5-10pm Battle (4v4 Breaking & 2v2 Locking)

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2009

12-5pm H4 Classes * Discussion Panel * Open Session Room
5-6:30pm Battle (1v1 All-Styles Prop Battle)

Torrance Cultural Arts Center
3330 Civic Center Drive
Torrance, CA 90503
Parking's FREE, too!!

For info: cultureshockla@yahoo.com or (310) 918-7193

$20: All-Access Pass (classes, discussion panel & all battles)
$11: Single Class Rate
$ 5: Admission to the Battles (per day)
$10: "Do Something" Youth Dance Show

2009-01-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

H4 WORKSHOP SCHEDULE (as of 1.8.09)

Sunday, January 18th

12-1pm

B-Boy Don (breakin)
Josh "Ace" Ventura (lockin)
Jayson Wright (commercial hip hop)
Jackie & Breeze-Lee (house)
*Open Session Room

1:15-2:15pm

Tiff "Jimini" Bong & Donna "Sunny D-Lock" Arrogante (wackin)
Zulu Gremlin (poppin)
Mike Song (commercial hip hop)
Meech (house)
*Open Session Room

2:30-3:30pm
DISCUSSION PANEL

3:45-4:45pm

Anthony Thomas (lockin)
Poe One (breakin)
Boppin' Andre (poppin)
Keone Madrid (commercial hip hop)
*Open Session Room

2009-01-01T15:06:00.000-08:00

H4 BATTLES
Cash Prizes

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17
5-10pm (check-in @ 4pm)

DJ: Servin' Ervin & DJ Rod
Judges: Bboy Don, Poe One, Zulu Gremlin
Anthony Thomas & Flomaster

4 v 4 B-Boy/B-Girl Crew Battle
2 v 2 Locking Battle

******************************

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2009
5-6:30pm (check-in starts @ 4pm)

DJ Rod & Judges: Jayson Wright, Bgirl Peppa, Kim Sims-Battiste

1 v 1 All-Styles Prop Battle

for info on participation or rules
cultureshockla@yahoo.com
(310) 918-7193

2008-12-28T18:29:00.000-08:00

"DO SOMETHING"
Future Shock LA's Youth Showcase

Featuring Future Shock LA, TM Juniors, Carson Street Dance, Teen GRV, Future Shock San Diego, DKFC, the ONES, Undeclared, and Future Shock Bay Area.

Sunday, January 18, 2009
@ 7:00pm

JAMES ARMSTRONG THEATRE
3330 Civic Center Drive
Torrance, CA 90503

TICKETS: $10

Online sales have ended ** Tickets available at the door
Box Office opens at 5pm on Sunday

www.ShockLA.com

___________________________________________________________

Future Shock L.A. presents
6th Annual FREE Kid's Dance Day

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Torrance Cultural Arts Center (dance rooms)
3330 Civic Center Drive
Torrance, CA 90503

3:00-4:00pm
Locking - Donna Arrogante
Popping/Commercial Hip Hop - Joshua Yu

4:00-5:00pm
New Jack - Arnel Calvario
Breaking - Justin Santiago/Michael Lor

5:00-6:00pm
Tots Hip Hop - Stacey Kuramoto
Commercial Hip Hop - Krystle Bueno

2008-12-28T18:28:00.000-08:00

"DO SOMETHING"
Future Shock LA's Youth Showcase

Featuring Future Shock LA, TM Juniors, Carson Street Dance, Teen GRV, Future Shock San Diego, DKFC, the ONES, Undeclared, and Future Shock Bay Area.

Sunday, January 18, 2009
@ 7:00pm

JAMES ARMSTRONG THEATRE
3330 Civic Center Drive
Torrance, CA 90503

TICKETS: $10

Online sales have ended ** Tickets available at the door

Box Office: (310) 781-7171
www.ShockLA.com

2008-12-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

BE A HERO - SAVE THE ARTS!

To reduce costs, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has imposed an indefinite spending freeze. This includes funding for a key arts program that allows Culture Shock® Los Angeles to provide vital programs to over 25 school and community center sites throughout the district. Payments for completed work have been delayed and we’ve been asked to suspend all programming until further notice.

LAUSD’s decision to freeze funds without advance warning not only threatens our organization and the livelihood of our amazing teaching artists, but more importantly, it denies students the opportunity to have meaningful experiences in the arts. We’ve seen first-hand the positive impact of our programs and support recent studies* that have found “the arts have a measurable impact on students in high-poverty and urban settings” and they improve academic performance and enhance critical thinking abilities in children.

Last year, our dance education programs reached over 1500 people throughout the County. We are committed to continuing this outreach work; providing children with quality arts ed opportunities is a mission in which we truly believe. But, we need your help to keep the arts alive! Please support our efforts to sustain these in-school programs in January by making a tax-deductible donation to Culture Shock Los Angeles. 100% of your contribution will go directly to providing instruction for elementary school students in largely at-risk areas. Just $25 funds a 10-week dance workshop for a child.

On behalf of our Culture Shock LA family and the communities we serve, we thank you for your time and consideration. Any contribution will help. Happy Holidays!

2008-12-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

Daily Breeze Article (11/30/08)

Dance teaches discipline
Hip-Hop to Culture Shock
In-school workshop comes to Gardena

By Janna Brancolini, Daily Breeze Staff Writer

Thirty students from Gardena High's hip-hop dance club gathered in the school's social hall on a recent Friday afternoon, turned on a radio and formed a circle.

Dennis Caindec teaches a community dance class at the South Bay Dance Center in Lomita. (Sean HIller/Staff Photographer)

After a few moments of hesitation, they began jumping into the middle one-by-one, respectfully trying to outdo one another with flips, spins, headstands and other movements that seemed to ripple through their bodies.

One student put his right hand on the ground and spun himself around on one arm with his legs and torso parallel to the ground. The other students counted 15 rotations and cheered as he finally fell to the floor in the middle of the "cypher," which participants say represents the essence of hip-hop dance and culture.

The students here are largely self-taught, but soon they will have some expert help.

Culture Shock Los Angeles, a nonprofit dance company that brings professional-quality entertainment and dance instruction to the public, recently expanded its programming in the South Bay thanks to a grant from Target.

The troupe does in-school workshops for more than 20 schools and after-school programs at eight, including Gardena High School and Peary Middle School.

"It creates a culture of wanting to belong to something," said Michelle Castelo, Culture Shock's executive director and a counselor at Gardena High. "A lot of these kids are students who tend to go a negative route, but are here instead. Dance teaches them discipline."

Culture Shock was created in 1993 in San Diego and is now found in cities across the United States and Canada. The Los Angeles company formed in 1995, and in 2003, the members revamped the program to give it a more educational focus. The members now teach hip-hop dance and culture as a nonviolent form of expression.

Tiffany Bong of Culture Shock L.A. busts a move during a rehearsal at the South Bay Dance Center in Lomita. Michelle Castelo, the group's executive director and a Gardena High counselor, said participation in the dance program instills discipline and encourages education. (Sean Hiller/Staff Photographer)

"Teachers will tell us they were nervous when they heard the students would be learning hip-hop, but we try to infuse it with the artistic elements of dance," said Allison Tanaka, Culture Shock's director of development and programs. "We bring the same level of professionalism as classical dance."

Company members also mentor Future Shock, a troupe composed of kids under 17 who teach in the community and perform as well. Future Shock members must maintain a 2.5 grade point average and do a community service requirement to participate.

"Culture Shock made me more open-minded," said Justin Santiago, a 17-year-old member of Future Shock who attends Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance. "Hip-hop is not about money. It's about peace and respect. It's my escape."

Krystle Bueno, 17, of Rosary High School in Fullerton, said Future Shock helps her do better in school because her parents use it as an incentive to get her work done.

"We're excited to come to rehearsal," she said at a recent performance fundraiser in a downtown Los Angeles warehouse space.

None of the Gardena High hip-hop students are in Future Shock, but many hope to audition in the future. Until last month, the club members were unable to meet after school because they didn't have a supervisor. They assembled at lunch, and participants taught one another moves they learned from watching YouTube videos or going to local events.

Now, Costello supervises the Gardena High students after school, and the club recently performed at a school assembly. Soon, Culture Shock dancers will give them free lessons.

"I'm looking forward to it," said James Kang, president of Gardena's hip-hop dance club.

Kang, 18, started the club more than a year ago when he was a sophomore interested in an underground form of dancing called breaking, or b-boying and b-girling. The highly improvisational style was developed in the 1970s in New York City's South Bronx.

"What I like about break-dancing is many people think it's about spinning, but it's more that you incorporate other dance styles," Kang said. "I just want Gardena to have more of a bebop, hip-hop, pop-locking environment. I want to spread this, and give people an opportunity to share my passion."

Kang said he is working to organize a breakdance competition between various local high schools. His parents would prefer that he go to a University of California school and study hard, but Kang wants to attend California State University, Long Beach and join the breakdancing club there.

He then proceeded to put on a jacket to demonstrate his favorite move: baby mills, where he uses just his back and shoulders to spin his body in circles while his legs are outstretched.

"Some people take it negatively," Kang said of breaking. "I hope they understand it's for everybody. It's not something lowlifes do."

janna.brancolini@dailybreeze.com

2008-11-26T22:29:00.001-08:00

CULTURE SHOCK L.A.
(free) CLASSES

* SUNDAY 7-8pm *

Community Class - different styles each week
@ South Bay Dance Ctr: 24817 Western Ave, Lomita

* MONDAY 6-7:30pm *

Intro to Wacking
@ Homeland Cultural Ctr: 1321 Anaheim St, Long Beach

* MONDAY 7:30-9pm *

Locking Fundamentals
@ Homeland Cultural Ctr: 1321 Anaheim St, Long Beach

2008-11-25T23:25:00.000-08:00

FUTURE SHOCK LA's
KID'S CLASS IS BACK!!!

February 1 - March 8

Intermediate: 4:30-5:30pm
Beginning: 5:30-6:30pm

$35 for the whole series or $8/single class

@ South Bay Dance Center
24817 S. Western Avenue
Lomita, CA 90717

2008-11-10T21:37:00.000-08:00

A Benefit for
Culture Shock LA's dance education programs

SATURDAY, NOV 22
5 - 7 pm

Hangar 1018
1018 Santa Fe Ave

LA, CA 90021

This is your opportunity to meet finalists from shows like "America’s Best Dance Crew" and "So You Think You Can Dance," while enjoying live music and special performance from Culture Shock LA, Future Shock LA and Kaba Modern.

Proceeds from “the EXPO” will help fund Culture Shock LA’s low and no-cost urban dance education programs. Hosted in seventeen school and community center sites during the past year, these workshops teach students the foundation of urban dance while educating them on the four elements of Hip-Hop, its cultural relevance, and its relation to other art forms. Through community outreach efforts, dance education programs, and professional performances, Culture Shock LA preserves the history of the Hip-Hop culture while focusing on the mission:

“We are a troupe of individuals who, through the power of music and dance, cultivate self-worth, dignity, and respect for all people.”

2008-07-10T22:50:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who participated in our July 7th JAM Session at the Ford. Close to 275 people came out and joined us, including the folks from Dance Channel TV. Check out their footage from the event...

2008-07-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

FREE workshop: 4-Elements of Hip-Hop

On Monday, July 7 at 7:00pm, Culture Shock Los Angeles in collaboration with artists from the Scratch DJ Academy (www.scratch.com) and Crewest Gallery (www.crewest.com) will host “Hip Hop Shock” as part of the Ford Amphitheatre's J.A.M Sessions series.

It's your chance to learn about the four elements of Hip-Hop (breaking, deejaying, graffiti art, and emceeing) in this free interactive workshop! Doesn't matter if you're young or old, beginner or advanced--just bring your mind, body, and soul and join us for a funk-filled evening!

Monday, July 7, 2008 @ 7-10pm

FORD AMPHITHEATRE
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East
Hollywood, CA 90068

Reserve your FREE spot:
www.FordTheatres.org or 323-461-3673
PARKING'S FREE, TOO!!!

2008-06-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

A BEAUTIFUL STRUGGLE

Imagine a world where someone’s inner expression has been suppressed and regulated like some drug waiting for FDA approval. Imagine a world where your voice is seen as weapon of mass destruction. Imagine a world where rhythms and beats have been buried, for the greater “good” That is the world these four individuals live in...

Friday, July 25, 2008 @ 8:30pm

FORD AMPHITHEATRE
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East
Hollywood, CA 90068

TICKETS:
$20/adult
$5/students & children
www.FordTheatres.org
323-461-3673