Culture Shock Los Angeles strives to educate its dancers, students and audiences on the rich cultural history of Hip Hop and its relation to other art forms. Our education programs bring free dance and arts instruction to children and adults at school and community center sites throughout Los Angeles County.
IN-SCHOOL RESIDENCIES & AFTER SCHOOL WORKSHOPS
Students have the opportunity to engage with the history, foundation, and spirit of Hip Hop dance in an ongoing and in-depth 8-10 week program. Through interactive movement exercises and discussions, our after-school programs prompt students to use critical thinking skills while exploring the joys of creativity and self-expression. Each program is unique to each school site and CSLA teaching artist, in order to cater to the needs of your particular students!
Our dance workshops use a California standards-based curriculum and are designed with the intent to foster the development of effective learning and life-skills through meaningful, interactive arts experiences.
Examples of life-skills learned through Culture Shock LA workshops include:
- Creative Self-Expression
- Teamwork
- Self-Confidence
- Problem Solving
- Goal Setting
- Time Management
- Communication
- Appreciation of Diversity
- Focus and Concentration
OUTREACH AND ASSEMBLY PERFORMANCES
Students gain insight into the foundation of Hip Hop dance and culture, while exploring ways in which individuals affect the development of history. Hip Hop emerged as a vehicle of positive self-expression from a community of young people who felt ignored. It was their experiences within this dynamic environment that shaped and inspired creativity in people who became pioneers of the Hip Hop movement. Through interactive movement exercises and discussions, the assembly program encourages students to embrace individuality while respecting diversity. Students learn fundamental dance movement/terminology and utilize creativity in a freestyle dance circle, as well as more about the role Angelenos have played in the creation and evolution of Hip Hop dance and culture.
Hip Hop Has History
H4 (Hip Hop Has History) is Culture Shock LA’s annual dance conference. The original objective of H4 was to host a day of Hip Hop dance education that bridged together not only diverse communities of dancers across Southern California, but different generations of dance pioneers, progressors, students, and enthusiasts.
H4 is an event that brings dance to the community while also teaching the history of the Hip Hop culture. In addition to the a variety of art and movement classes, including turntablism, mural art, spoken word, the program features discussion panels with notable pioneers of dance forms regarding the development of the Hip Hop cultural movement.
H4 continues to be one of Culture Shock LA’s biggest efforts to be a bridge between communities; to share the history, power and beauty of Hip Hop culture; and to show that Hip Hop dance forms are part of historical social movements that support love, freedom, and respect FOR ALL PEOPLE.
For any programming inquiries, please contact Executive Director Allison Tanaka, at allison@cultureshockla.org