JUNGLE • HOUSE

Born to a family of native New Yorkers who moved to North Carolina, Shango Nijah Ra Bartley Robinson, (aka. Jungle) is a New York based Street & Club dancer. Shango first learned how to dance and appreciate music from his parents who were Street & Club Dancers and Emcees during the1980s and 90s. 

​

In 2012, Shango moved to NYC to pursue his dream of being a working Street/Club Dancer.. Coming to the city as a transplant from the South, Shango wandered the streets finding new places and meeting interesting people. Often not having money for the train, Shango would walk from Faile St in the Bronx to Union Square. At Union Square, Shango found a place he could go to and exchange with and learn from other dancers. It was here that he met Boogie and Phoolish Roc and joined their busking (hitting) crew, Raiders Of Concrete (R.O.C) Hitting on the subway is an important leg of Shango’s dance journey because it enabled him to refine his skills, market himself, gain performance experience and increase his income. His time performing in the subway system also led Shango to join dance groups like: It’s Showtime NYC, The Crazy Natives, Brooklyn Nets dance team as well as work with organizations like Everybody Dance Now, Afro Afrique, and more. In 2014 he was first exposed to House Dance and the Underground Dance Community’s unique club culture and fell in love with them both. Shango became an active part of the scene. He further witnessed/ absorbed embodied knowledge and honed his skills by attending weekly events like: Househead Sessions, Shelter, Funkbox, and Soul in The Horn and going to clubs like Le Bain and Cielo. Shango has studied with notable Street Dancers like Selah the Entertainer, Michele Byrd, Cebo Carr and Caleaf Sellers. Shango has performed with artists such as Smiff N Wesson and Adekunle Gold; worked with choreographers Judith McCarty, James “Cricket” Colter, Adesola Osakalumi, Faustin Linyekula, Moya Michael and Kash Gaines. Shango’s dance commissions include: Battle! Hip-Hop in Armor at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2018); the American Beatbox Championships with Klassic Carella (2019); the International African Music Awards (2019); Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival (2021); NYC Dance Parade (2022.) In 2021 Shango was featured in episode 504 Hip Hop (The Boogie Down Bronx) of Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi. Shango is a two time winner of Battle 101 (House Edition.) He has also won Behind the Groove, House of Exile and Kings of New York battles. Jungle has been invited to participate in exhibit battles like: Behind the Groove, Roundz of Flame and House of Exile (NYC) and Dance Alive (Japan.) He was a member of the judging squad for the first Channel Flex Battle. Using his dance and performance skills as well as embodied wisdom accumulated over the years, Shango developed his teaching practice in House Dance, Style Fusion and Floorwork to facilitate workshops for children and adults in NYC and abroad. Currently his educational offerings include: online and in person private lessons as well as a weekly, thursday classes at PMT. His goal as a movement artist is to preserve, embody and imbue the spirit and soul of House Dance and NYC’s Underground Dance Music Community through his movement practice. 

​

Class Description

Rhythmatic House Dance’ is how you break down the basic house foundation steps by using your timing on the music and understanding how to follow the lyrics and the beat at the same time.