JAMES 'CRICKET' COLTER • HOUSE

James “Cricket” Colter is well-known around the world and as a respected professional street dancer. In addition, he is a well-versed visual artist (sequential art, children’s book illustrations, etc) and director.

Mr. Colter is a founding member of Rennie Harris Pure Movement (RHPM) and worked with the company for over 16 years. During his time with RHPM, he was involved teaching and performing all over the world, and was the lead in the outreach portion of Puremovement’s education programs. In addition, he performed in Rennie Harris’ Bessie award winning multidisciplinary hip hop theater presentation, “Rome and Jewels.”

His own work includes: teaching at hip hop festivals world wide, one of which includes the famous Bates Dance Festival held annually in Maine; featured dancer in television commercials, and the successful Disney movie "Step Up 2 the Streets; music videos for recording artist, Boys II Men, KRS-1, Will Smith, Eve, Avil Lavigne, Fall Out-Boy, and was the host of MTV Japans "Dreamers" television show.  Cricket constantly finds himself next to movement experts that push the envelope of dance. He has toured and worked with the likes of Bill "Crutch Master" Shannon, Urban tap dancer Tamango Van Cayseeleas and theatrical word smith and dancer from London Jonzi D. Cricket. He has produced and directed various dance pieces, in Philadelphia, and New York City, and worked as director and artistic director on the London based production company Independace’s show ,“Heroes,” a production which he also did costume design on.

Cricket’s artistic mission is to push the limits of the various movements that exist in Hip-Hop and in other contemporary dance forms, buy blending various art forms in order to tell a viable story on the concert dance stage, and rid the stigma that Hip-Hop it is merely an athletic form of dance that can only be performed in a showcase setting. Cricket believes through Hip Hop complex stories can be told and the boundaries of theater can be pushed by adding the urban/hip hop aesthetic to costume design, set design, soundscapes, etc. To this end, Mr. Colter has recently founded his own company “Crazy-Natives” to accomplish the goal.

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Class Description:

Beginner House Dance

This dance class focuses on basic House fundamentals and steps, along with basic experimental floor movements with their base in Bboy and House. You will learn the fundamentals of House dance, beginning with basic movements, then moving into choreography. Emphasis is on learning technique, dance steps, understanding the culture, and becoming stronger in floor movement.

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Advanced Beginner Freestyle House

This class gives the student the opportunity to take all the movement they've acquired in class and apply them in a controlled environment. The instructor will lead the students thru different methods and games that will give the students skills that can be applied in dance clubs and House dance freestyle cyphers(circles). Not for the absolute beginner, the class requires the students to have a basic knowledge of House dance. 

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Advanced House Floor Moves & Cypher Class

This class is functioning as a bridge. Allowing a safe space for the advanced house freestyle students to take what they’ve learned and explore it in a controlled environment. The class will start with a hour long floor move class. To give the students a bit more vocabulary to utilize in the later cypher portion of the class. The “Floor move” portion will be from 9-10p. 

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From 10p-11:30p is the “Cypher” section of the class. 3 areas will be taped off, in the room. One for “footwork”, “floor movement”, and “exploration”.  Each circles purpose is to help the students develop the individual skill sets needed in house dance, that they can utilize for social dance events, and competitions. To assist with the the learning process “patrons” will be taking part with the students in the cyphers. “Patrons” are veterans dancers in the house dance scene (and House Head Session regulars), who will give advice, moderate and set the tune of each cypher. 

The Footwork Cypher -

 Will focus on the dancers exploring their creativity in footwork styles, techniques, and musicality. 

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Floor Movement Cypher -

 Will focus on dancers exploring (mainly) house,  other street dance forms ground movements

Exploration Cypher -

 Will be a House dance freestyle area,  where dancers can expand on blending the footwork and floor, and play in the other elements of the house dance form; arms, character, musically, etc.

THE RULES

• Feel free to take part in the designated “cypher” areas

• Footwork

• Floor

• Exploration

• No dancing in the mirrors

• No dancing outside the designated areas unless you are social dancing (No dancing by yourself)

• No cameras unless permission is given

• Don’t be a circle hog lol (share)

Clothing: Loose Clothing. Athletic foot wear. Knee Pads (just to be on the safe side)

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