Founded in 2012 and established in the Bay Area, Str8jacket practices creativity, grit, and growth. We develop economic, social, and philosophical change for our communities through dance, collaboration, and collectivism.
5TH PLACE | HHI USA HIP HOP DANCE CHAMPIONSHIP 2024
3RD PLACE | COMPLEX DANCE COMPETITION 2023
CO-HOSTING WORLD OF DANCE BAY AREA 2019
5TH PLACE | US DIVISIONS | WOD FINAL 2019
NBC WORLD OF DANCE SEASON 3 | POST
1ST PLACE | TEAM DIVISIONS | WOD BAY AREA 2018
2ND PLACE | US DIVISIONS | WOD FINAL 2018
1ST PLACE | BEST COSTUME | UPPER DIVISION WORLD OF DANCE BAY AREA 2017
1ST PLACE | BEST THEME | BEST COSTUME | UPPER DIVISION WORLD OF DANCE LA 2017
NBC AMERICA’S GOT TALENT SEASON 12 2017
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Str8jacket Blog
The watermelon emoji 🍉 has become a symbol of support for Palestine, representing resilience, hope, and solidarity. It's a vibrant sign of unity for the cause.
"'Dancers for Palestine' merges dance with activism to champion peace in Palestine. Featuring unique 'Dancers for Palestine' shirts and supporting the BDS movement, it's a call for justice and solidarity. Join this art-driven movement towards change."
Learn how to support Black Lives Matter online, while staying safe and avoiding harassment from trolls, hackers, and more.
A year after George Floyd’s murder, local hip-hop dancers look back on a year of uneven but hard-fought progress toward racial justice.
Racial and wealth disparities in the United States have been thrown into sharp relief by the COVID-19 pandemic and racial unrest throughout 2020. We see more clearly than ever just how often Black business owners and creatives have been thought of as less than their Caucasian counterparts – and Black businesses are paying the price.
This hip-hop group burst onto the NBC World of Dance stage and spread their message of acceptance with their no-audition policy. Check out Str8Jacket’s division winning routine below and see what they were most nervous about before the Qualifiers in this exclusive Q&A with WOD Magazine.
As a dancer who has studied ballet, jazz, and modern since the age of four, Alison Merrill never expected to break into hip hop and perform with a professional dance crew on national television for millions of viewers.
Str8jacket prides itself on being a no-audition dance crew, accepting anyone who is willing to put the time and effort in to becoming the best they can be. They strongly believe in providing the right tools for dancers and people as long as they have grit, discipline, and a positive attitude and are proactive in teaching the team about various topics in order to gain more skills outside of just dancing.
Truth Gamora is like a mom of the Str8jacket community due to her son Darien’s past involvement in our competitive team. This is due to her undying support for the team, attending all performances, advertising our events, and donating to our efforts while and after her son was competing with us. She is the creator and founder of her own clothing line, TruGem Dance, an emphasis of a dance and fitness lifestyle. We decided to sit down with Truth (over some Philz Coffee) to get to know her and her motivations behind the TruGem brand.
As part of the World of Dance 10 year anniversary and Championship Week celebrations, we held the first ever WOD DX, a dance convention unlike any other. DX was loaded with classes, panels, and more, but one of the best parts of this two day event was that attendees had the chance to audition for being a part of Alyson Stoner’s new dance video for her single Who Do You Love.
Andrea Guzman has been dancing with Str8jacket since the beginning of 2017. Her first performance with Str8jacket was during their America’s Got Talent Season 12 Audition, and her most recent accomplishment with the team includes making her set-choreographer debut for Str8jacket’s Evolution UDC “50’s Diner Set”.
The studio doors are locked, the lights are out... now it’s time to reflect on practice. What we learned beyond the workout and choreo...
JC co-founded Str8jacket in the summer of 2012. From the beginning, JC believed Str8jacket should be founded on hard work, discipline, creativity and passion. He made Str8jacket a no-audition team because he wanted dancers of diverse backgrounds and also because of his ideology that every dancer has the potential to become skilled with discipline and passion.
Nic ("not Nick") Sanon joined Str8jacket in the Summer of 2017 just in time for their World of Dance Championship routine. His very first practice he learned flexibility drills and a contemporary piece from Str8jacket’s Gustavo Morales and knew right away this team would be a great for him.
Kicking off Str8jacket's blog series from the perspective of its diverse members. Here is a blog written by Kristie Lui, one of Str8jacket's directors, on where the name Str8jacket came from and what that means to her. Enjoy!
With crew members hailing all the way from Vietnam, the Philippines, and across California, WOD Bay Area Team winners Str8jacket have a lot to offer. We were lucky to catch up with the crew and ask them questions about their team, competing in World of Dance, and hear about an amazing fundraiser they’re putting on. ICYMI, here is their winning performance from World of Dance Bay Area.
With crew members hailing all the way from Vietnam, the Philippines, and across California, WOD Bay Area Team winners Str8jacket have a lot to offer. We were lucky to catch up with the crew and ask them questions about their team, competing in World of Dance, and hear about an amazing fundraiser they’re putting on. ICYMI, here is their winning performance from World of Dance Bay Area.
While NBC’s new competition show “World of Dance” starts May 30, the live tour that launched the show is heating up: On April 1, World of Dance’s 2017 tour made the first of 15 U.S. stops.
In Pomona, Calif., more than 40 crews competed, mostly with hop hop and urban styles. But WOD, among the largest international urban dance competitions, now incorporates dancers who mix in other dance styles: In a first for World of Dance, two ballroom couples, DNA and Luka & Jenalyn, were headline performers.
Past Events
We are ecstatic to announce that @boxerdancedancedance will be coming to teach May 25th!
📣 Community— This is a must attend! We’ve got @fredmayor757 teaching W❤️acking at @cydanceworks !
Mark your calendars for MARCH 30! Partner up and practice with a fellow House head to battle/exchange 2v2! More details to come! Who's gonna take the down payment for The Duplex!
#house #housedance #housemusic #housebattle #housedancebattle #housedancemusic #connection #freestyle #expression #musicality #bayarea #sanjose #livetruedancefree #marqueemadness #theduplex2024
OIN US IN MARCH FOR OUR FIRST POP-UP BATTLE OF THE YEAR!
@battlesinthebay X @badecollective
present:
PAYING DUES
2024 1V1 POP-UP BATTLE TOUR
SAN MATEO QUALIFIER
New Year! 2024 is all about new beginnings and NEW EVENTS🔥 Let’s get it crackin March 2nd 2024 @dnalounge @dam_events 1Up Crew X DamSF 1v1 ALL STYLES TOURNAMENT!
We got our favorite DJ pulling up to play the R&B slaps @ho11is_
3 Dope Judges:
@icecold3000
@stampededee
@ceciliaegidi
SEE YALL MARCH 2🔥🔥🔥🔥
dance.art.music.sf — #DAMsf is back at #DNALounge on Saturday March 2nd from 5-9pm! Performances, DJs, Vendors + so much more — open to all ages, but intended for a mature audience. Hosted by @dcischillin + @blissmamafae , with sounds by @djmarkmaiden @stankpalmer @williamst0kes
#BAYAREA!🚨 Have you signed up for our 1🆚1 All Style Battle yet?! Heres who will be judging the event, so you better get on their good side 😈 show some love for them in the comments! ⚡️🤍 @worldofdance x @turfinc
📣 Introducing—APARTMENT: Beginner House Dance Battle on 2/24!!! 🏠
Str8jacket is so excited to announce our newest jam, APARTMENT. This event is created for beginner House Dancers to help keep the Bay Area House Dance community thriving. If you’re a baby House Dancer, this is a great way to gain battle experience and connect with the House Dance community!
Super excited for an extra special FlowSesh: Tuesday 2/20 at FlowHouse 🪩
Sound selections by the one and only Gwoeyn Devera (Textures / AfterAfterHours)
We will start early and open with a Hustle showcase - open session to follow!
Showcase deets:
Random pairings of 8 leads and 8 follows for a chance to highlight your Hustle skillz 💃🏽🕺🏽
Secure your spot:
DM @laka_boom_ shaka or drop a note in your Partiful RSVP (link in bio)
Don’t Hustle? No problem - come support, spectate, and stay for sesh!
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Hustle Showcase 7:30-8:30pm
Open Session 8:30-11pm
$5-20 sliding scale notaflof
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🖼️ @mandaaa.flux
🍋 February 9-18, 2024 🍋 Annual Festival of Experimental Dance, Music + Performance in Yelamu, Ramaytush Ohlone territory (San Francisco, CA).
NBC Bay Area and the Consulate General of France in San Francisco would like to invite you and your colleagues to a special screening of Allons Enfants. We are excited to invite Bay Area dancers to enjoy the screening, as the film explores how hip-hop can serve as a tool for learning and empowerment (in French with English subtitles).
The 25th Anniversary SFIHHDF will be the most EPIC year to date! In addition to our world class shows, we are also offering commemorative events to mark our 25th milestone year. This year is dedicated to YOU, and we are going to give it like you have never seen before.
Support Our Styles aka S.O.S. is an event hosted by More Than Movement dedicated to highlighting the culture, history, and foundation of the various street styles that continue to exist in our communities today. To celebrate Rae Studios' incredible Latiné community, we are hosting a special edition of S.O.S. as a love letter to the many contributions of the Latiné community in dance.
We are hosting our Fall / Winter Recruitment Night on Sunday, Sept 24th from 6pm - 8pm. In two weeks, join us for free and learn about how we regularly run rehearsals, what we’ve got cooking 🧑🍳, and check out the community we cultivate.
We’d love to have you. See you there!
This has been long awaited, and we’re so excited to throw this funk/disco jam.
Our goal is to enrich the Sacramento dance scene with the dance styles of the funk and disco era.
"THE UNDERGROUND" BENEFITING
SF INTERNATIONAL HIP HOP DANCEFEST @ THE DOME
Sunday, August 13, 2023
4:00 PM 7:30 PM
Donation Based
GET FREE is a free weeklong hip hop dance festival rooted in the artistry of freestyling, experimental battling, healing through community practices, and love for Black social dance and our Bay Area street community.
Str8jacket is honored to have the opportunity to invite our special guest Tsai Tsai, a renowned Locker/Jazzrock instructor from Taiwan, to teach a captivating Jazzrock workshop!
You definitely don't want to miss out on this chance to learn and experience the incredible uniqueness of this dance style.
Starting a House Dance class at CY Danceworks every Tuesday this summer! It will be followed by CY Open Session to keep the celebration going or practice what you’ve learned.
Mission in the Mix featuring SoulForce Dance Company, Micaya's performance workshops & different guest performers of all kinds at each show
Rae Studios Presents: The Spring Showcase 2023. This high-energy dance show includes work from local Bay Area choreographers and dancers.
✌️☮️ Friends, we have a far out announcement for you all!
We are hosting our Winter/Spring 2023 Recruit night on Sunday, 2/5 from 6pm to 8pm. Join us to learn how we regularly run rehearsals, what we’re up to this year, and if you’d like to join our community!
See you then!
Join us on OMCA’s campus to ring in the Year of the Rabbit together. Festival access starts at 11am; food market opens at 11am; activities and performances start at 12pm.
To all the youthful dancers ages 11-17 out there who have a passion for dancing, join our youth team re.DEFINE Juniors! re.DEFINE encourages growth and our Juniors have literally “grown up” with us until they’re old enough to join Collective. Rehearsals are weekly and Juniors even get to put on a special Halloween Showcase “School of the Damned” at the end of the year! Register for auditions by clicking the link in our bio.
CY Open Session
Community— we appreciate your patience for the long-awaited return of our CY Open Sesh! Come thru Tuesday nights at 9:30pm to grow together. We look forward to sharing space with old and new friends. ❤️❤️❤️
"We open up our studio on Tuesday nights starting at 9:30 PM for dancers to improve on their craft.
Hosted by Str8jacket, we are aiming to connect more with the Bay Area freestyle community.
Styles like Waacking, Popping, Housing, Locking, and Bboying are the main focus of our open session. However, all styles are welcome and encouraged."
🇵🇸 Join the Dancers for Palestine movement! Our D4P shirts are $45 with 100% of the proceeds going directly to e-sims for Gaza.