Hip Hop has become a term universally associated with urban creative expression. Its origin can be traced back to the South Bronx in 1973, a narrative that is now studied in colleges and universities across the nation.
Far less understood in both academia and industry, yet equally relevant as a topic of American conversation, is the hidden history of Bay Area inner-city Black dance expression that came to influence an entire generation of Hip Hop dancers from around the world through a style now known as "popping."
The regional "funk styles" from Oakland, Richmond and San Francisco represent cultures that existed and developed years before Hip Hop arrived on the West Coast. San Francisco's Fillmore Strutting tradition can be documented as far back as 1971, and was entirely overlooked by mainstream media in the 1980's because of its strong cultural ties to the Black Power movement of the 1960's.
With the return of one of the Fillmore's most beloved public figures, A-list Strutter and international dance icon Lonnie "The Fillmore Kid" Green a.k.a. PopTart— Community Street Jam, Arch Films and 501c3 nonprofits Hip Hop Congress and Dragon Productions Theatre have teamed up with The Strutter's Room to bring you The Bay Area Urban Arts Festival feat. The Day Before Hip Hop Tour, a full day of knowledge including dance workshops, film premiers, cyphers, battles, and a live concert you won't want to miss as your personal introduction to the cultural legacy of the Bay Area as it continues to revive itself and make history in 2019.
A Full Day Pass grants you access to all Urban Arts Festival Individual events. The lineup:
FILM PREMIERE & PANEL Q&A: Be the first to witness the premiere documentary of “The Day Before Hip Hop” which takes you on the journey of the 2019 Day Before Hip Hop Tour. Panel discussion with original dancers from the 1970’s will follow immediately at 2:10pm.
STRUTTER’S ROOM DANCE WORKSHOP: Teach your body how to move like a mechanical magician of funk with this hands-on experience and dance workshop taught by The Fillmore Kid and special guests.
OPEN DANCE CYPHER/DINNER BREAK: Free. We will take a one-hour break for you to try some of downtown Redwood City’s most popular cuisine while those who choose to participate can get down in our Open Dance Cypher.
EXTREME POPPING DANCE BATTLE: Anyone can spectate or enter our $500 Extreme Popping Dance Battle judged by the Panel of Twelve to see who has what it takes when it comes to head-to-head competition!
THE STRUTTERS ROOM LIVE CONCERT: We will cap the evening off with a Live Concert featuring The Strutters Room Funk Band and performances by the Mechanical Magicians, Poets w/ Minds, and local artists from our Enter The Dragon Local Talent Night series!
