Say Yes, Philly!

Event Details

Urban Movement Arts presents a series of events that honor the thriving legacy of Black American vernacular dance in Philadelphia, where the roots of club culture entwine with genre-defying exploration. Say Yes, Philly! is the cipher, battles, theater, interdisciplinary jams, and stories that express the boundless continuum of street dance culture, and will also feature a film by Aidan Un and Vince Johnson.

‍You Don’t Have to Go Home, But...

This film is an ode to dancing bodies, a grimy love letter to Philadelphia, and a story about what to do when the DJ has played the last song, the club’s lights have come on and you gotta go... somewhere. Following three dancers at different stages of their lives, with legendary Philly dance party Second Sundae as backdrop, this documentary film examines the possibility of spiritual fulfillment in a socioeconomic configuration that ultimately doesn’t value the practices that make us free.
Screening: 8 p.m. on June 2 at the Louis Bluver Theatre at the Drake (302 S. Hicks St.); 90 minutes. This event is FREE; click HERE to register.

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Untethered in Motion + The Hoodlockers ‍

In a vibrant union of live music and dance, Paul Giess’ group, Untethered, improvises genre-defying grooves for The Hoodlockers, stunning modern day champions Locking. Their collaborative performance is woven by the spirit of spontaneous creative composition, celebrating the power of improvisation, the essence of funk  and intergenerational transmission of the sacred in Black American vernacular art.  
Performance: 2 p.m. June 7 at Sedgwick Theatre (7137 Germantown Ave.); click HERE for tickets.

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Vince Johnson Performance Group: Original Scrap

Vince Johnson leads his composition and performance collaborators, Willem Cousineau and Mason McAvoy, in an interdisciplinary exploration of dance, music and storytelling. An alternate dimension is the setting for otherworldly reflection on the production and function of art in a capitalist system. 
Performance: 7 p.m. on June 11 at the Wilma Theater (265 S. Broad St.); click HERE for tickets.

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Vince Johnson Performance Group: First Floor Spectrum

This piece is a replete quest for harmony between darkness and light. Five Dancers groove an ode to resilience, strength and hope. Vince Johnson presents a choreographic blend of street dance intuition, cinematic martial arts aesthetics, and contemporary movement, all set to original compositions loaded with analog synthesizers and tabla loops. 
Performance: 7 p.m. on June 12 at the Wilma Theater (265 S. Broad St.); click HERE for tickets.

After this performance: Join Emily Culbreath from thINKingDANCE, Philadelphia’s independent dance criticism journal, after the performance for “Write Back Atcha!” a post-show talk-back and mini-writing workshop. Emily will guide you through a discussion of the performance and exploration of language you can use to describe dance. You’ll have an opportunity to see your words published in a crowd-sourced “review” on www.thinkingdance.net

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American Street Dance Battle 

Street dance battles are arenas where American street dance is simultaneously preserved and evolved. Say Yes, Philly! will showcase categories that span the spectrum of street dance languages:  3v3 funk, each team with one locker, waacker and popper; Vogue is represented with an Open To All Kiki Performance category; and there is a 1v1 All Styles competition. A total of $700 in prize money will be awarded across all categories.
Performance: 4 p.m. June 13 at Sedgwick Theatre (7137 Germantown Ave.); click HERE for tickets.