Back to Basics: Poppin' Pete's Class @ Evolution (04/17/10)

This past Saturday, Poppin' Pete of the Electric Boogaloos taught a two hour class on boogaloo and poppin' technique. It was a master class from a true master of dance. For those who attended, the class was an eye-opener where Pete talked about returning to original technique taught by Boogaloo Sam. Several moves were covered including the neck-o-flex, the Romeo Twist, and straight hitting technique with arms, legs, and neck. While these are moves that the EBs have taught for years, it seemed like Pete was pushing the "reset" button and helping us see them in a pristine way. There was a refreshing air of "getting back to basics" at Pete's class. He even talked about wanting to correct some of the technique he taught in previous classes after he had recently reconnected with Sam. Being there Saturday night reminded all of us that we're always learning. Being a student never ends as long as you're humble enough to learn from someone better than yourself.

Maybe that was the biggest lesson that Pete taught on Saturday night. Dance is a physical venture, but it's also an emotional and psychological journey that's different for each of us. If you're a freestyler, you know how it feels like to start off for the first time. You can feel awkward, self-conscious, and frustrated by how hard it is to master technique. Time must pass before you mature into your skills. It takes strong character, perseverance, and determination to push through those hard periods of discouragement. Pete prepared all of his students on Saturday night by giving a pep talk about what it means to be a dancer who does poppin' as a style rather than being just a popper. He freed us from being afraid to jump into a cypher filled with strangers. And he gave us confidence to stand tall when we go into auditions. We can be fearless against the judging eyes of a choreographer because we're able to do things no one else can do. That's true empowerment bestowed from an OG to the new school.