by Marketing Intern Rachael Appold

Joy of Motion Dance Center has a new kid in town, and his name is Jared Porter! Jared has joined JOMDC this Fall and he’s brought with him his remarkable talent for breakdancing! He comes to us from many renowned Hip Hop and Breakdancing crews, including Oshare Crew, HeavenZ, T.I.P., and Culture Shock D.C.’s Hip Hop Team. Recently, I had the honor of interviewing this accomplished dancer/teacher. Stay tuned to read what he has to say about joining JOMDC!

 

Hey, Jared! We want to give you a warm welcome to the JOMDC family! How did you hear about us? What are your first impressions of us?

Hi! As a dancer in the DMV hip hop community, I first heard about JOMDC indirectly through DCypher. But the first real interaction I’ve had with JOMDC was through the H.Y.P.E. Program. 

My first impression was that this was a great space for growth! The students were all happy to be there and eager to learn, and everyone was very welcoming. The teachers were really invested in their students. It made me want to just stay and learn and build in that environment. So it was an honor to be asked to join the staff and be able to work in such a dope spot.

Cool! “Dopeness” is what we aim for. You’re going to be teaching breakdancing – what can students expect from your class?

Students can expect to learn all four elements of bboy: toprock, footwork, power, and freezes. Expect to exercise those muscles as well as test your flexibility a bit. We’ll be going upside down as well as getting quite comfortable with being on the floor. Students can expect to learn a lot about musicality and how to utilize their body in ways they haven’t before. So be ready to push yourself in the best way!

That sounds challenging! How did you get into breakdancing? What do you love most about it?

I got into bboying when I was in middle school going to high school. That was around the time when all the dance movies like “You Got Served” were coming out. My brother and I saw the bboys getting down, and we couldn’t get enough of it. After that, we just watched any videos we could possibly find, tried to imitate anything and everything we saw, and practiced every day with anyone who was willing. I haven’t been able to stop since.

I honestly can’t say what my favorite part of breaking is. It changes every so often. I think what I love the most is the freedom. There are so many different aspects of breaking, and you get to mix and match them all to create your own style. I also just really enjoy doing power. There’s something about spinning on the floor that just feels right.

That’s a massive amount of dedication! It’s clear that you’re very passionate about breaking. How can students prepare to take your class? What should they wear/bring with them?

I would definitely say that good preparation includes stretching and coming prepared to try new things. The thing about breaking is: when you first start, it feels a bit awkward because you’re adapting your body to new positions and a new form of movement. So being flexible both physically and mentally will help. And it might sound cliche, but having a positive attitude always helps.

Wear whatever you feel comfortable in. Typically, any type of athletic wear is a good rule of thumb. Wear some type of lightweight shoe, like a running shoe; that makes it a lot easier to move around. Definitely bring water.

Would someone who has never taken a breakdancing class before(A.K.A. me) be able to take your class?

Of course! Anyone and everyone can learn to break! I always start from the basics to build a strong foundation and then we expand from there. I highly recommend, but I might be biased.

Thank you, Jared!

Jared was so insightful! Who wouldn’t want to take breakdancing classes from someone so deeply passionate about their work? You can sign up for Jared’s Intro to Breakdancing class here!