Mind Over Matter

Wendy Garofoli | Oct 16, 2008 | 0

Above: Alan Frias, director of hip hop company Mind Over Matter, leads intermediate hip hop class at Dance Mission Theater.

Last night, I sat in on a rehearsal for the San Francisco-based hip hop company Mind Over Matter. I'm working on a long-form magazine article for my journalism program at Stanford, and I'm looking to examine issues of race in hip hop dance. While on assignment, I also get to see the inner workings of a diverse and talented company getting ready for the 10th annual San Francisco Hip Hop Festival.

I'll be following this company over the next several weeks, watching their classes, rehearsals, and performances. I'll also be checking out some other San Franciscan hip-hop events, and reporting back to you all about the hip-hop scene here in the Bay.

Want to hear what happened last night? Read on after the jump.

Stepping into my first rehearsal for Mind Over Matter, I wasn't sure what to expect. First, I saw that there are nearly twenty dancers, male and female, and of all different races and nationalities. I also noticed a comfort between the dancers. In some companies, underlying competition can create tension in the classroom. Here, there was a feeling of carefree fun. Why do most people dance? Because they love it! That was obvious here at the rehearsal.

I have been introduced to a few members of the company, including 16-year-old Fredrika Keefer, a girl who's already logging close to 30 hours a week training, and the company's director Alan Frias, who is a character and a half! This guy had me laughing all over the place. At one point, instead of counting as he went over the steps, Frias was substituting funny phrases for the rhythm of the song. It went a little something like this:

5, 6, 7, 8
"Boom boom kat! Ticka ticka tick. Roll on the floor. Jump yo ass!"
"Get it, get it, get it. Get it, bitch, get it!"

Frias is funny, but his students take him seriously. As soon as he walked in the room, the chatter stopped and the company members were ready to work. And boy did he work them. After breaking down steps, he'd bring dancers back to the top of the routine. Then he'd do it again. Break it down. Do it faster. Back to the top. When I left at 10:30 last night, they had another hour and a half of rehearsing to go.

For an example of Alan's work, check out the video above of his intermediate hip hop class. (Alan is in the front on the right-hand side in a black sweatshirt and red pants).

Stay tuned for more on Mind Over Matter and Bay Area hip hop.

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Hip Hop, Teacher, Enthusiast, Parent, Studio, Performance, San Francisco (all tags)