Shakia Barron and Guest Artists Lead “Women in Street Dance” Course
Learn more about Shakia’s personal dance background and why she’s inspired by guest artists Ana “Rokafella” Garcia and Tatiana Desardouin
In an introductory video from DEL’s Hip Hop to the Top course, Shakia Barron shares her personal background in street dance, enrolling in performing arts high school and dance programs throughout college, and dancing with several hip hop dance companies in Philadelphia. She shares her family’s connection to graffiti art, rap and more.
“I was surrounded by the hip hop culture. I grew up in it. It was my life.”
For Shakia, research is an important part of hip-hop culture — seeing how history shaped the actual movement. She explains that it’s important to learn from the pioneers and appreciate what came before us.
When asked about the guest artists for her new Women in Street Dance course, Shakia shares:
“I have always been inspired by Rokafella because she paved the way for women dancers to get in the cypher and pour their heart out. I used to watch her from afar and admire her swift moves, femininity, aggressiveness, and pure funk. I wanted to enter the circle and be respected. She made sure of that, and that helped us as women feel comfortable and confident to show out.
Women of Street Dance will lead participants through an embodied exploration of the history and influence of Hip Hop and House dance culture from the perspective of women who were and still are instrumental in building the foundation of hip hop.
Participants will explore various hip-hop and house dance techniques and engage in a rigorous investigation of the influence of Street Dance culture. This course will include drills and combinations, which will invite dancers to discover their relationship to musicality, and articulation of the body.