May Recap - June Newsletter
Hip-Hop Homelands at BAAD — May 14
We started the month at BAAD for the 7th Annual Hip-Hop Homelands showcase, co-curated by Rokafella and La Bruja. Ava “Kimimilla” Davis hit the stage with a powerful solo and duet performance with poet laureate Cap, alongside a lineup Also featured was C.I.C.T. under the direction of Monica B moving to a poem by Nuyorican Poets Slam 2024 Champ Sumbodies Mama. The evening closed out with a talkback, hosted by Rokafella, where artists shared their perspectives about the collaborations as well as their journeys in NYC as independent artists. BAAD helped to keep connected with the audience via a Live stream. It was one of those nights where you could feel the legacy in the room — and the future too. Thank you to Pepatian Inc for keeping the light on for this program that offers a platform to rising all star poets and dancers!
BAAD Show cont'd — May 14
We collaborated with Pepatian to ensure Hip hop Homelands held its 2025 showcase featuring our very own Ava and Monica's crew, CICT. Ava and Monica are Pepatian/BAAD family now, we love to see our family connect with our undeground network and thrive and develop their artistic ventures!
Dance Parade NYC + DanceFest — May 17
Dance Parade was packed with energy, joy, and movement. We marched and performed alongside so many others, blasting House and classic Hip hop music as we danced through the streets of Manhattan. The 19th annual parade itself was a celebration, but performing at DanceFest in Tompkins Square Park gave us a chance to really connect with the crowd. The vibe was right, the team showed up strong, and it reminded us why we do what we do. We danced with Rokafella as she performed her new song Today's the Day during DJ Ali Coleman's set. Shout to CICT and Monica as they also performed to wrap up the Family stage Dance Parade Dance Fest. Thank you Speedy D who stepped up as the MC on our float and to J-La Rok, Sandman GI Jane with CUDA Culture, 360 Flow studio, Bgirl Herstory, Zone TDK Shiro, Michelle, Starlynn, Fresh Frank, and Spex who also rocked the float.
Rokafella x OverflowTV — May 20
This month, Rokafella was featured in a video released by OverflowTV in collaboration with Don.Lov. In it, she speaks on the importance of cyphers — not just as a dance structure, but as a powerful and vulnerable space that holds meaning. She reminds us that it’s on us to protect the cypher and to keep passing it on. You can catch the full video over on Urban Exegesus Studios’ YouTube page.
Bronx Council on the Arts Ceremony — May 23
We pulled up to the Bronx Council on the Arts' Community Engagement Grants ceremony to celebrate local artists doing the work. Kwikstep and Rokafella were recognized for their ongoing contributions and projects, and it was meaningful to be in a space full of familiar faces and new ones. Even in years when we don’t receive direct support, it’s powerful to see how this community continues to uplift and celebrate the borough's creativity! Check out Hip hop Meets House, a new Kwik2Rok episode and Retumba La Roka part 2 at BAAD events made possible by the BCA CEG fund awards.
Battle of the Boroughs — May 24
Battle of the Boros brought the breaking community together in a way that felt both nostalgic and electric. Flo judged, Mantis reconnected with folks like Fast Break, and the room was full of OGs like Mr Ed, Icey Ice Mega Flash and even Little Alex and young heads alike. Shoutout to Bboy London with the NYC Breakers for making the event happen — there was so much love and mutual respect in the space. These are the kinds of events that remind us that the culture is still alive and growing.
Memorial Day Crew Hangout — May 27
After a packed month, we took some time to chill with each other on Memorial Day at the park and the movies. We gathered, ate, laughed, and just enjoyed being around one another. No agenda, no cameras — just crew time. These quieter moments matter just as much as the big shows. They keep us grounded and remind us why we move the way we do.
Behind The Groove Party — May 28
We ended the month on a high note at the Behind The Groove party. Everyone brought the energy, and it was good to just dance for ourselves and be in community. The music hit, the vibe was easy, and after such a packed month, it felt like the perfect way to celebrate and release.
Free Hip Hop Classes Begin — May 28 and run June 4th and June 11th.
This month also kicked off our free Hip Hop dance classes through Pepatian’s Hip Hop Academy. Rokafella, Ava Davis, Beasty and Nation are leading sessions and welcoming dancers of all levels. It’s been great to create a space for folks to move, learn, and share. If you haven’t joined us yet, there’s still time — come through.
South Bronx Culture Festival — May 30
To close out the month, we were at the South Bronx Culture Festival at Father Gigante Plaza. Alongside a top 8 All Styles battle featuring dancers across street and club styles, our crew will be performing a new piece. This one's right in our backyard, and we enjoyed bringing it home in front of the community that raised us.
Upcoming:
June 7: panel at El Museo Del Barrio to discuss Puerto Rican cultural evolutions and resistance
June 11: Nation and Beasty teach a free class at The Point CDC
June 14: The Point CDC Annual Fish Parade
June 20 and 21: Bronx Revolution Show (Kwik and Rok) San Francisco/YBCA
June 26: Behind the Groove Kwikstep Birthday party
June 29: Shiro FC Soulsister Bronx Brewery Show
July 18-20: Express Your Skills presented by Time Machine Squad Canovanas, PR
July 24: Behind The Groove party
July 27- Rokafella performance TBB Harlem location tba
July 30: Dj KS360, Princess Lockeroo and Rokafella collasbo Barefoot Brooklyn party
October 25 Hostos Community College 25 Still Getting Live show
Affiliated Organizations
Check out the United Hip Hop Vanguard website to check out the effort of our partners nationwide to keep their local legends and young generations connected and co powering.
www.unitedhiphopvanguard.com
www.Alltheladiessay.com Veteran b-girl Ana “Rokafella” Garcia’s first documentary film ALL THE LADIES SAY features the work of female breakdancers in the United States, including Aiko, Baby Love, Beta, Lady Champ, Severe and Vendetta. This film raises awareness of the female presence in Hip-hop and promotes the growth of this dance community in the United States and internationally
@360FlowBreaking by Bboy Flonetik, Educating the youth about the art of Breaking
www.bgirlherstory.wixsite.com Founded by Bgirl Mantis in 2020, Girl Herstory is a project that documents the stories of old school and new school Bgirl generations from the limelight to the underground.
april recap-May 2025
On April 5th Rokafella was featured at the Fresh, Bold & So Def Women in Hip hop Symposium II and was honored as a Trailblazer Spotlight speaker at the Atrium in Lincoln Center. The all-girl FC squad performed last year and this year the All The Ladies Say documentary would be the central aspect since the founder of Fresh Bold and So Def festival Martha Diaz is a passionate archivist and helped the film take shape as a time capsule back in 2009.
Held at the David Rubenstein Atrium, this free and public event celebrated powerful women in Hip-hop. Rokafella spoke about her journey as an Afro-Latin pioneer in the dance scene and shared her experiences as an educator, choreographer, and cultural producer alongside of leaders like MC Sparky D, Emma Lee and Aruna from Rotterdam. Big shoutout to the FBSD team for holding space for legacy, leadership, and unapologetic originality in the culture.
On April 6th as part of the final day of the Fresh Bold and So Def festival, All the Ladies Say enjoyed a return screening at Maysles Documentary Center. Excerpts of the film had been screened there back in 2009 as a fund raiser. The Bgirl community showed up strong for the Harlem screening of All The Ladies Say at Maysles Documentary Center as well as Hip hop matriarchs like Martha Cooper and Peaches Rodriguez!
This gathering brought together dancers and iconic photographers Coi Sojer and J Boogie to honor women in Hip-hop through film, photo exhibition, and conversation. Featuring contributions from Bougie Cutie Boards, Cuda Culture, The Hip hop Association, Melissa Ulto, DJ KS360 and more, the event was full of love, connection, and celebration.
Thank you to everyone who helped lift up the legacy and keep this Bgirl-centered movement alive. Part 2 is on the way—stay tuned!
On April 10th, we dropped our official recap reel for AlgoRhythm, our newest theatrical dance Poppin centered dance work presented at the Guggenheim’s Works & Process Festival this past January.
This visual journey highlights the NYC Boogie scene and draws the line between A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) and I.A. (Intelligent Artist)—reminding us that true innovation requires ArtOfficial Intelligence. The dancers range from today's All Star trend setters like Aries and the Original Generation of architects like Fresh Frank and Float Master John. We hope to continue developing this series of sketches that blend storytelling with waving and Boogie styles that emerged here in NYC in the late 70's and early 80's.
Big thanks to Works and Process and Bethany Arts Center and Abrons Arts Center for the support and space to develop this project.
Behind The Groove Allstars at Choreographers Carnival
Full Circle’s Behind The Groove Allstars brought the fire to Choreographers Carnival NYC
that was celebrating 26 years of this iconic platform for dance artists and also marking 15 years since the inception of the Behind the Groove dance-centered party there at Le Poisson Rouge! The new dance piece showcases styles like Poppin and Krumpin in their most authentic modes and blends feel good vibes at the end with the line dance homage. With multigenerational dancers repping street and club styles from Massachusetts (Lil Beast) and Philly (Sarah), we showed up and showed out for the culture. It’s always a blessing to be part of Carnival’s ongoing legacy—thank you Carey and Paulette for creating space for OGs and up-and-comers alike. If you missed this dance piece you can see it on our Full Circle Souljahs Youtube page or in person when we really funk it up for the Dance Parade on May 17th at 4pm on the Main Stage in Thompkins Square park.
Photos by @angielmv
April 25–26
National Hip-Hop Dance Culture Visions Conference
We hosted Full Circle's first-ever National Hip-Hop Dance Culture Visions Conference in the Bronx, bringing together cultural leaders and partners from across the continental U.S. and Puerto Rico.
This two-day gathering included:
A leadership think tank centered on keeping the Culture relevant and uplifted at Battle jams. Hosts, organizers and DJ's were invited to share ideas and create new steps that could invigorate the generational value of this culture for the future.
Returning for a 2ndtime, the
No Excuses Violence Prevention and intervention training by The Good Foot Arts Collective from Seattle was eye opening and insightful. Everyone agreed we need more time and attention to this issue in our dance scene.
Network-building with crews like The Goodfoot Collective, 10K Movement, Time Machine Squad, Furious Styles Crew and some of the local leaders like CUDA Culture, Battle Wire, 360 Flow Studios, DJ DP One, DJ Forrest Gump, Bgirl Herstory and Battle for NY organizers. We all love this culture and hope to inspire more interest and awareness in the legacy and community of Hip hop dance.
Massive gratitude to everyone who came to share, build, and keep the movement growing. Thank you to Natasha from the Mellon Foundation who attended and got to know many of our dance leaders.
Photos by Johnny Castro
Dance Parade 2025 Announcement!
We’re back, baby! 🎉 Full Circle Souljahs is proud to return to
Dance Parade NYC on May 17, 2025.
You can catch us dancing from 17th street and 6th avenue turning east on 8th street and with a grand-stand at St Marks and Lafayette Ave with live sounds from Behind the Groove. After the parade, join us at Tompkins Square Park for DanceFest (4pm). We can’t wait to celebrate the joy, rhythm, and legacy of dance with our community once again!
Upcoming:
May 14: Pepatian’s Hip-Hop Homelands hosted by Rokafella.
May 17: Dance Parade NYC and Dance Fest.
May 28th BEHIND THE GROOVE HOUSE PARTY Bogart house Bklyn flyer above
May 30 Casita Maria Block Party performance and exhibition battle
June 7th Bronx Terminal Market dance and music show/ FC vendor tabling
June 14 The Point CDC Annual Fish Parade
July 18-20: Express Your Skills presented by Time Machine Squad.
Affiliated Organizations
Check out the United Hip Hop Vanguard website to check out the effort of our partners nationwide to keep their local legends and young generations connected and co powering.
www.unitedhiphopvanguard.com
www.Alltheladiessay.com Veteran b-girl Ana “Rokafella” Garcia’s first documentary film ALL THE LADIES SAY features the work of female breakdancers in the United States, including Aiko, Baby Love, Beta, Lady Champ, Severe and Vendetta. This film raises awareness of the female presence in Hip-hop and promotes the growth of this dance community in the United States and internationally
@360FlowBreaking by Bboy Flonetik, Educating the youth about the art of Breaking
www.bgirlherstory.wixsite.com Founded by Bgirl Mantis in 2020, Girl Herstory is a project that documents the stories of old school and new school Bgirl generations from the limelight to the underground.
April 2025
March 13–15
Rokafella in Ithaca with Global Creative Family
For Women’s History Month, Rokafella traveled to Ithaca, NY to teach a 3-day workshop with the Global Creative Family team!
Over three days, she shared breakin’ and hip-hop foundations with dancers of all ages—from elementary students to adults. It was a beautiful exchange of energy, stories, and movement.
Big love to @gquan, @n.jo.aquin, @pardon.my.melanin, and the whole GCF team for bringing her out and creating space for community, growth, and inspiration. The future looks bright!
See y’all next month at Absolute Zero Break Jam—so practice those moves!
#FullCircleSouljahs #WomensHistoryMonth #IthacaNY #GlobalCreativeFamily #BreakinWithRokafella
March 27
Bochinchando at Bronx Music Hall
Bochinche was in full effect at The Bronx Music Hall as Rokafella joined a powerhouse lineup of women for Bochinchando, a comedy + dance showcase hosted by Peaches Rodriguez!
The night was packed with jokes, culture, and high energy in celebration of Women’s History Month, featuring Nicky Sunshine, Ava Davis, Sof’s Dope, DJ Shorty Love, and more.
Thank you @bmh_studio, @djks360, @jeanniesol, and the whole crew for a night to remember! Big ups to @kimimilla.flo for bringing the house down and shout to DJ Forrest Getem Gump—y’all know what it is.
#Bochinchando #BronxMusicHall #BXVibes #LatinaArtists #FullCircleSouljahs #WomenInComedy
March 29
Let’s Kick It – Women’s Herstory Month Celebration
We wrapped up Women’s Herstory Month with Let’s Kick It, a chill and celebratory space for Bgirls to gather, reflect, and build community outside of competition.
Held at @360flowbreaking, the event featured healthy snacks from @bougie.cutie.boards, a breathwork demo with Melissa, a Bgirl timeline, and vendors like Bongo bringing that bling for the ladies. The energy was beautiful, with folks traveling in from Boston, Houston, and beyond to share love and connect.
Special shoutouts to OG Bgirl Snow, Baby Girl, our Full Circle fam Zone, Mighty Mike, Krazy, and everyone who showed up to support.
Big love to the collaborators and sponsors who made it happen:
@alltheladiessay @bgirlcity @ntegrityinmotion @cuda.culture @nycbgirlsessions @moving_the__feast @bonafide_fly @wuwu828.co @breakthrunyc @mantis_360 and more.
And congrats to Tiffany, who won the Break Thru raffle!
#FullCircleSouljahs #WomensHerstoryMonth #LetsKickIt #BgirlCulture #CommunityOverCompetition
Upcoming:
April 5: Straight to the Point 1v1 Presented by @360flowbreaking
April 6: All The Ladies Say with discussion, food, music, and networking. Presented by Hip-Hop education center and Full Circle Souljahs
May 17: Dance Parade NYC
July 18-20: Express Your Skills presented by Time Machine Squad
Affiliated Organizations
Check out the United Hip Hop Vanguard website to save the dates for this years upcoming Vanguard events.
www.unitedhiphopvanguard.com
www.Alltheladiessay.com Veteran b-girl Ana “Rokafella” Garcia’s first documentary film ALL THE LADIES SAY features the work of female breakdancers in the United States, including Aiko, Baby Love, Beta, Lady Champ, Severe and Vendetta. This film raises awareness of the female presence in Hip-hop and promotes the growth of this dance community in the United States and internationally
@360FlowBreaking by Bboy Flonetik, Educating the youth about the art of Breaking
www.bgirlherstory.wixsite.com Founded by Bgirl Mantis in 2020, Girl Herstory is a project that documents the stories of old school and new school Bgirl generations from the limelight to the underground.
March 2025
February 6
Rokafella Featured in Interlocutor Interviews
Ana “Rokafella” Garcia sat down with Interlocutor Interviews for an in-depth conversation about her journey as a break dance pioneer and co-founder of Full Circle Souljahs, NYC’s only nonprofit hip-hop dance theater company. In this interview, she shares insights on her career, the evolution of hip-hop dance, and her work with Kwikstep in keeping the culture alive.
Photo by: Paul G
Read the full interview: Here
#InterlocutorInterviews #Rokafella #HipHopPioneer #FullCircleSouljahs
February 23
Studio 5 Street Style Symposium at NYC Center
Kwikstep and Rokafella joined a powerhouse lineup of street dance legends at the Studio 5 Street Style Symposium at New York City Center. This day-long event featured classes taught by some of the industry’s most influential dancers, leading up to the February 24 Studio 5 event: CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH | STREET DANCE EDITION.
Alongside Michele Byrd-McPhee, Sun Kim, and Omari Oricci, Kwikstep and Rokafella shared their knowledge, passion, and history with dancers eager to learn from the best.
A day of movement, history, and community.
#Studio5NYC #StreetDance #HipHopHistory #FullCircleSouljahs
February 27
The 15 years of BTG have held space for so many different styles on our dance floor. This year we opened up with a Valentine's day theme showcasing dance couples who have already established themselves
as icons in their genre. We'd like to thank the four invitees Hurricane and Juliana,Mantis and Flonetik, Essence and Tyrone and Drowsy and Dainty. Our judges were Babylon, Sekou and Rokafella who awarded Essence and Tyrone with the W. We now have 15 year BTG anniversary T shirts for sale celebrating our milestone plus BTG hand towels. Stay tuned for our next parties in Spring and Summer. Shout to Eric the lighting designer and our sound guy turntablist DJ DP One and our Full Circle team including Tiffany C, Steve, Michelle, Flonetik and Mantis... and Monica who worked the door!
February 28 - March 2
Bgirl City 2025
Bgirl City 2025 was EPIC! Every year, @babygirl.bgirlcity brings together bgirls from all over to compete, connect, and showcase their talent, and this year was no exception!
Major highlights from the weekend:
- Recognition Award for Rokafella 🎉
- A powerful reunion with Severe Vendetta & Aiko (featured in All the Ladies Say documentary!)
- Connecting with @remedee808, @rosekiernan, @bgirljessiemouse3d, & Bgirl Nikki V
- Incredible DJ sets from @kaoticblaze & @djtiffstarr
- Hosting by @myverse
- Phenomenal battles, cyphers, and pure inspiration everywhere!
Much love to the entire Bgirl City team for keeping this space alive year after year!
#BgirlCity2025 #WomenInHipHop #AllTheLadiesSay #BreakingCulture #FullCircleSouljahs
Upcoming:
March 29: Let's Kick it - celebrating bgirls past, present, and future. Presented by Bgirl Herstory
April 6: All The Ladies Say with discussion, food, music, and networking. Presented by Hip-Hop education center and Full Circle Souljahs
May 17: Dance Parade NYC
June 18-20: Express Your Skills presented by Time Machine Squad
Affiliated Organizations
Check out the United Hip Hop Vanguard website to save the dates for this years upcoming Vanguard events.
www.unitedhiphopvanguard.com
www.Alltheladiessay.com Veteran b-girl Ana “Rokafella” Garcia’s first documentary film ALL THE LADIES SAY features the work of female breakdancers in the United States, including Aiko, Baby Love, Beta, Lady Champ, Severe and Vendetta. This film raises awareness of the female presence in Hip-hop and promotes the growth of this dance community in the United States and internationally
@360FlowBreaking by Bboy Flonetik, Educating the youth about the art of Breaking
www.bgirlherstory.wixsite.com Founded by Bgirl Mantis in 2020, Girl Herstory is a project that documents the stories of old school and new school Bgirl generations from the limelight to the underground.
FEBURARY 2025
December 13
In Residency: Preparing for AlgoRhythm at the Guggenheim
We’ve been deep in creation mode at Bethany Arts Community, preparing for the big night—January 11, 2025, at the Guggenheim! AlgoRhythm (formerly Wus Poppin) is a one-night-only show-and-tell experience with hip-hop legends Kwikstep and Rokafella, bringing together pioneers from NYC’s poppin’ and boogie scene.
This work, commissioned by @worksandprocess, documents the history of the form and keeps intergenerational knowledge alive.
#AlgoRhythm #WorksAndProcess #JanArtsNYC #PoppinCulture #HipHopHistory
December 26
Behind The Groove – FREE Holiday Party!
To close out the year, @behindthegroovenyc threw a FREE holiday party to celebrate the dancers, DJs, and community that make it all possible!
DJ KS 360 and DP One had the crowd moving with that signature mix of Funk, Soul, House, Disco, R&B, and New Jack Swing. Plus, we had free food, snacks, and refreshments to keep the energy high all night long!
📍 Where: @BogartHouse – 230 Bogart St, Brooklyn, NY
⏰ When: Thursday, December 26 | 9 PM - 3 AM
🎧 Resident DJs: @djks360 & @djdpone
🎤 Hosts: @cebonxgn & @larokafella
Much love to everyone who rocked with us all year—this was our thank you!
#BehindTheGrooveNYC #FeelGoodFunk #HipHopCommunity #Free99Party
January 4
New Year, New Moves – Cleveland Edition
We kicked off 2025 in Cleveland, training, connecting, and braving a full-on blizzard! ❄️🔥
Shoutout to Bgirl @flyyathanyou for pushing the limits (she wore me out! 😂), @djforrestgetemgump for the creative collab, and @10k.movement for hosting their first jam of the year—a Poppin’ battle with big congrats to Tyrell Black on the win!
We also linked up with @dayzwhun at Red Lion Tattoo/Graffiti headquarters—Cleveland’s got that hip-hop energy strong. We’ll definitely be back… just not when it snows!
#2025Rockin #MidwestHipHop #10KMovement #FullCircleFam
January 11
AlgoRhythm Premieres at the Guggenheim!
The third night of @worksandprocess’s Underground Uptown Dance Festival featured AlgoRhythm, a historic gathering of NYC’s hip-hop pioneers. This one-night-only event, led by @djks360 and @larokafella, showcased the roots and evolution of the city’s poppin’ and boogie culture, with dancers who have shaped the scene for decades.
🕺 Featuring dancers:
Aries (@thereal_aries)
Big Mike (@bigmikeomegasupreme)
Float Master John (@floatmasterjohn)
Fresh Frank (@characterakafrank)
Future (@the_real_future_eof)
Ice O (@king.ice.o_)
Kwikstep
Peaches (@peachesrodriguez1)
Rokafella
🔊 Shoutouts to: Lockatron John, Klown, Ocean, Zone TDK, DP One, and SnapBoogie.
Commissioned by Works & Process, this project was supported by LaunchPAD residencies at The Pocantico Center (2023) and Bethany Arts Community (2024), with additional studio space from @abronsartscenter.
📽️ Video by: @still1
#JanArtsNYC #WorksAndProcess #HipHopLegends #PoppinCulture #FullCircleSouljahs
