2023 has gotten off to a good start. Many of last year's collaborators are enjoying community support and a timely evolution of cultural programming.
Kwikstep and Rokafella continued the work of the United Hip Hop Vanguard project by holding the first ever NYC state of Breakin meeting, "Breakin Bread”. The focus of the meeting was to analyze the current state of Breakin (Breakers) in New York City. The conversation covered various aspects of life as a Breaker in NYC such as the listing of practice sessions in the borough, creating better social spaces such as jams and dinners, participation and lack thereof by elders, pressures from the commercial world and the general need to unite.
There were Breakers from various crews, different backgrounds and local areas including Jersey City ..all uniting to improve the future of NYC Hip Hop. The collective is making plans to meet again in April to continue to take steps and celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop. Thank you to Roy who helped to set up our Tech/AV equipment and to all who attended and special thank you to the Ford Foundation. We are grateful that our board members Jane Gabriels and Forrest Knight Jr were in attendance.
We are happy to announce that OG MC Bgirl Sha Rock will attend and be on hand for the screening of ALL THE LADIES Say documentary on March 17th at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe from 6:00 - 8:30 PM. The documentary highlights the lives of iconic Bgirls active during the time span of 2006 and 2011. The film made its debut at Lincoln Center’s Dance on Camera film festival and is distributed by Third World Newsreel. This screening is made possible by the United Hip hop Vanguard project. Aiko Shirakawa who is a featured Icon of Street dance wil also be in attendance for the post screening Q and A. You can check the IG @alltheladiessay for more details.This event is proud to collaborate with local groups IG @bgirl_herstory @nycbgirlsessions @cuda.culture @hiphopkitchen to celebrate Women’s History Month and Hip hop’s 50th Anniversary.
On that same day, No Easy Props will be hosting their Break Like a Girl event. We send all our floor sisters love and admiration! Hugs going out to Asia One--one of our co founders!
Congratulations to Bboy House and the Furious Styles Crew for returning to their weekly programs after a Go Fund Me helped them to restore the flooring that had been ruined by a storm.
Kwikstep will travel back to Cleveland, Ohio to do a follow up visit to 10K Movement and work with local Breakers of the new and pioneer generations there and reconnect with DJ and historian Forrest Get Em Gump! Please follow @10Kmovement and @unitedhiphopvanguard @djsk360 from March 15th til March 19th for updates on the workshops and activities made possible by support from the United Hip hop Vanguard project.
Please stay tuned for more Hip Hop 50 cultural celebrations and support your local Breakin Family.