JAMES 'CRICKET' COLTER • HOUSE

Mr. Colter (Cricket) is a part of the “Step-Fenz” dance crew ,a NY based dance group that is known for it’s mix of Bboy and House dance. From 2012 Mr.Colter has worked as the Hip-hop/Street dance director for American Voices, a U.S. State department administered program that brings the arts to youth in nations emerging from conflict or isolation around the globe.

He is also a founding member of the hip-hop theater company Rennie Harris Pure Movement (RHPM) ,and has worked with the company for over 20 years. During his time with RHPM, he performed repertory globally, as well as Rennie Harris’ Bessie award-winning “Rome and Jewels.” Cricket also led the education and outreach programs for the company, which required him to research and lecture on black vernacular dance and its connection to today’s popular and underground street dances.

His own work includes: teaching at dance festivals world wide, one of which includes the famous Bates Dance Festival held annually in Maine,and the international SDK (Street Dance Kamp) in Europe; featured dancer in television commercials, and the successful Disney movie “Step Up 2 the Streets; music videos for recording artist,Boys IIMen, KRS-1,Will Smith, Eve ,Avil Lavigne, Fall Out-Boy , Chris Brown,and was the host of MTVJapans “Dreamers” television show. Cricket constantly finds himself next to movement experts that push the envelope of dance, touring and working with the likes of, Bill “Crutch Master” Shannon, to Urban tap dancer, Tamango Van Cayseeleas ,theatrical word smith ,dancer and founder of the Breakin Convention from London, Jonzi D.

Cricket has produced and directed various dance work, in Philadelphia, and New York City, and worked as director and artistic director, on the London based production company “Independance” produced show ,”Heroes.” A production which he also worked as costume designer. And in 2015, he worked as producer, artistic director, and curator of the U.S. Embassy administered ” Kyrgyz-American Hip-Hopfest ”.

Cricket’s artistic mission is to push the limits of the various movements that exist in Hip-Hop and other contemporary dance forms. It is his belief that by blending the various art forms a viable story could be told on the concert dance stage, destroying the notion that Hip-Hop 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, set design, and soundscapes, etc.

To this end, Mr. Colter has recently founded his own company “Concept Kinetics” to accomplish this goal. Community is the cornerstone of street dance and the roots of his street dancing practice. Because of this, Cricket has maintained weekly dance sessions for street dancers, including one for Bboys in Philadelphia (est 1995), and a session for House and freestyle dancers in NYC, the “House Head Session” formally known as “the Lab” (est 2011). With dancers from the session, Cricket reformed his former dance crew the “Crazy-Natives” as a way to give the dancers the first creative platform that started his career in dance.

Cricket is tenured faculty and CalArts.

Teaching Schedule

Freestyle House Fundamentals

Monday, 7/28: 6:00-8:00pm

House Dance Panel Discussion

Monday, 7/28: 8:00-9:00pm

Rates:

$30.00 until 7/25; $35.00 after 7/25

Limited Spots!

CLICK HERE to sign up

Class Description:

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.

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.

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)

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.

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.