Youth Street Dance Council and Freestyle Fridays

Please forward this information to any dancers, dance-lovers, or dance educators you know who are interested in developing the role of dance in their lives and in the culture of the lower mainland. It's an ongoing opportunity, but there's an important meeting tomorrow! Who We Are The Youth Street Dance Council (YSDC) is a group of senior high school students, recent graduates, and young (or young-at-heart) adults committed to cultivating an inspired space for hip hop in our lives and in the culture of the lower mainland. Our gatherings are safe, supportive, and welcoming spaces designed to give everyone a voice. We know that dance isn't just a movement of the body... it's a movement of the soul, of society, and of the self. What We Do We meet every Friday evening at the Oakridge Auditorium at Oakridge Centre as part of Freestyle Fridays. A typical Friday looks something like this: 5:00-7:00 Dance/Choreography sessions lead by YSDC members or professionals invited by the YSDC -This week YSDC Member and Churchill student Noralyn and professional house/dance hall specialist Koffi will lead sessions 7:00-8:00 A Community Building session to plan YSDC events and to strengthen our relationships with dance and with each other -This week we will finalize plans for our upcoming 5-week intensive and discuss our core values as dancers 8:00-10:00 Open Space for jamming, free-styling, sharing inspirations, and just getting it all out on the dance floor. Some current YSDC projects: -A five-week hip hop intensive with diverse professional teachers designed to meet the needs and aspirations of YSDC members (November 4th-December 2nd, 2011) -A Dance Showcase fundraiser (December 9th, 2011) -A YSDC feature performance at the High School High 2012 dance competition (February 16th, 2012) -Plans for travelling together to international hip hop competitions in San Francisco or New York Some ongoing YSDC discussions: -Why do we dance? What is our purpose, motivation, or direction in dance? -How can we make the Vancouver dance scene more inclusive, diverse, internationally-known? -How can we support each other through the challenges of pursing dance? -What is hip hop really about? What are history, knowledge, and values can we learn? -How do we develop our choreography, musicality, and technical skills to make our visions a reality? -How can I be a leader in my school or community's dance culture? -Who am I as a dancer? Cost $10 for the whole evening including the professional Dance/Choreography session, YSDC-led Dance/Choreography session, the Community Building session, and the Open Space. (Note: YSDC may decide to hold events that cost more than $10, such as having multiple instructor-led sessions. Check the Facebook group for updates on these special events.) $3 for just the Community Building and Open Space. How to Get Involved New members always welcome! Just join the Facebook Group for the Youth Street Dance Council (https://www.facebook.com/groups/264411003600690/#!/groups/264411003600690/) of Freestyle Fridays (https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=181860928503&v=info#!/group.php?gid=181860928503) or show up on Friday!