American Dancers Encourage Youth Empowerment Through Dance

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American Dancers Encourage Youth Empowerment Through Dance

May 15, 2009. Lusaka.

LUSAKA – The U.S. Embassy has invited three American hip-hop dancers to Zambia for a 10-day cultural exchange program with Zambian counterparts. De’Jon Jones, David Gray and LaToya Thompson arrived in Zambia on May 14, 2009, for a series of workshops in Lusaka, Kitwe and Chingola. The dancers will work with performing arts groups and Zambian organizations that strive to send messages of healthy living, self-discipline and teamwork to young Zambians.

“The intent is for the dancers to demonstrate the diversity of the American people, while at the same time highlighting the shared values embraced by both Americans and Zambians,” said U.S. Embassy Deputy Public Affairs Officer Sara Veldhuizen Stealy. “We believe their success at working with at-risk youth in Los Angeles will be inspiring to Zambian organizations with the same goals; equally important, the American dancers will have the opportunity to learn about the history of Zambian dance, its importance in Zambian ceremonies and how migration has influenced dance and music around the world. Despite the vast distance between Africa and the West coast of the United States, many observers have noticed the cultural similarities between traditional African dance and modern clown and krump dancing. This program will bring them face to face.”

The American dancers who have been invited are not only professional dancers but have experience in working to reform youths from the streets of Los Angeles. Clown dancing and krump dancing are forms of artistic expression born of economic oppression. Originally popular in the streets of South Central Los Angeles, these hip hop dances have spread throughout the world, taking root in diverse communities that recognize dancing as a healthy activity that can help discourage impoverished youth from joining gangs and pursuing lives of crime.

De’Jon Jones has appeared in music videos with R&B sensation Chris Brown and has traveled internationally teaching dance in Germany and Italy. David Gray has choreographed and performed extensively in collaboration with Walt Disney Radio, Danity Kane, T-Pain and several up and coming artists. LaToya Thompson teaches master classes, dance workshops, and volunteers as a mentor and choreographer for troubled youths and at risk teens.

The dancers’ 10-day stay in Zambia will conclude with “Battlezone Zambia,” an energetic, positive dance contest for the program’s participants.