VERSA-STYLE STREET DANCE COMPANY

Founded in 2005 by Los Angeles natives and co-artistic directors Jackie "Miss Funk" Lopez and Leigh "Breeze-Lee" Foaad, Versa-Style Street Dance Company was created to promote, empower and celebrate the artistry of Hip Hop and street dance culture. Named “Los Angeles’ Best Dance Troupe for Hip Hop Empowerment” by LA Weekly, Versa-Style is recognized for its electrifying performances and inspiring engagement activities for schools and local communities. Consisting of committed, highly skilled street dance artists and educators representative of the diversity and beautiful complexity of Los Angeles, Versa-Style Street Dance Company harnesses the exhilarating energy of street dance onto the concert stage for an unforgettable evening of dance.

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Tribute: Guardians of Street Dance

PREMIERING FALL 2025 
Running Time: 80 mins with intermission (65 minutes without intermission)

Choreographed and Directed by: Jackie “Miss Funk” Lopez and Leigh “Breeze-Lee” Foaad in collaboration with the company dancers
Music by: Various Artists

Versa-Style’s latest full length work will honor the company’s 20 year anniversary as a Hip Hop and street dance ensemble by paying homage to our artistic journey as it weaves through influential figures, cultural movements and community growth. Shining a spotlight on West Coast Hip Hop and the street dance styles that originated in the L.A. area, the multidisciplinary work will be uplifting and energetic, yet intimate and intentional. Tribute will also honor Hip Hop and street dance artists who are still with us today such as Rennie Harris, Damita Jo Freeman and Ana Lollipop Sanchez, as well as those who have passed on, including Stephen “Twitch” Boss and Marjory Smarth. Photo and video elements will be utilized to honor these individuals who have been an impactful part of a global street dance culture that includes Hip Hop, house, popping, locking and more.

Rooted Rhythms

Running Time: 75 minutes with intermission (60 minutes without intermission)
Choreographed and Directed by: Jackie “Miss Funk” Lopez and Leigh “Breeze-Lee” Foaad in collaboration with the company dancers
Music by: Various Artists

Rooted Rhythms is Versa-Style’s mixed repertory program, consisting of original repertory dance works and excerpts from the company’s last 20 years. Paying homage to Street Dance styles such as Waacking, Popping and House, as well as a blend of Afro-Latin styles such as Salsa and West African, Rooted Rhythms is an evening of dance representative of the diverse experiences of the BIPOC communities of Los Angeles. The high-energy works accentuate the many paces, tempos, and pulses of various street and social dance forms through a unique blend of choreography and freestyle elements. Rooted Rhythms is a perfect way to introduce audiences to Hip Hop and Street Dance culture.

Freemind Freestyle

Running Time: 90 minutes w/intermission (70 minutes w/out intermission)
Choreographed and Directed by: Jackie “Miss Funk” Lopez and Leigh “Breeze-Lee” Foaad in collaboration with the company dancers
Music by: Various Artists

Versa-Style Street Dance Company’s latest full-length work, Freemind Freestyle, explores the depths of improvisational dance. Each show will offer a brand new experience of FREESTYLE street dance live on stage. The work dives into the concept of freedom from all angles: the personal, political, physical, and the spiritual. How do we experience freedom? What contains us, oppresses us? What allows us to break free? Freemind Freestyle explores these questions from both the evolutionary and ancestral lens, blending Hip Hop, Popping, Krump, and House dance movement that pays homage to the Afro-Latin roots of Hip Hop dance culture from which we draw our revolutionary power.

Freemind Freestyle was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable foundation and Mellon Foundation.

 

Box of Hope

Running Time: 80 minutes w/intermission (60 minutes w/out intermission)
Choreographed and Directed by: Jackie “Miss Funk” Lopez and Leigh “Breeze-Lee” Foaad in collaboration with the company dancers
Music by: Various Artists

Box of Hope fuses the vintage sounds of R&B and Motown, and uses authentic, expressive Hip Hop dance to explore the root of the inequalities and hardships in today’s volatile social climate, specifically within underserved African American and Latinx communities. It unpacks and uncovers the societal effect of racial oppression through a personal, local lens of the family; its structure, dynamics, and the everyday realities of POC life in America. Versa-Style Street Dance Company brings these narratives to the concert stage, pushing the boundaries of traditional Hip Hop dance in order to share their lives, experiences and struggles within the varied and infinitely complex political and personal landscapes of Los Angeles.

 

VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS

  • Technology: Zoom or other live streaming platform provided by presenter.

  • Company requires Presenter to provide virtual stage manager to run virtual activities. A tech rehearsal before every event with the virtual stage manager is required.

  • The company can adapt activities to meet the needs of each presenter/theater and their respective communities.

ORIGINS of Hip Hop (VIrtual)

ORIGINS of Hip Hop consists of high–energy, unadulterated street dance movement that will explore and push the boundaries of the ORIGINS and ROOTS of street vernacular dances such as Locking, Popping, Hip Hop, Krump, and more. Audiences will walk away with a different view on Hip Hop dance culture and will be vividly immersed into the depth and beauty that UNITES us all.

Details:

  • Approx 60 minutes (45 min presentation plus 10-15 minutes Q&A session).

  • Moderator may be provided by presenter.

VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS

HIP HOP DANCE 101 WITH VERSA-STYLE

Students will learn Hip Hop social dances from the early 1990s to the modern era, listening to Hip Hop’s greatest hits and newest classics along the way. Students will gain more awareness of the essence of authentic Hip Hop dance culture and its history, and will also be encouraged to share their movement in social practices such as freestyling in groups, partner work, and even choreography, leading to a memorable cultural experience. Come get down, learn some foundation and add flavor to your freestyle!

Details:

  • 20-30 Students max.

  • 60 minute workshop and presentation plus 15 minute Q&A with Dancer

  • Minimum to (1) one advanced planning call with organizers required prior to workshop. 

Versa-Style Street Dance Company’s engagement activities are integral to the company’s mission to celebrate community, educate and promote self-empowerment through street dance. In addition to the offerings below, Versa-Style’s highly skilled dance educators can work with presenters to tailor activities specifically for their community’s needs.

WORKSHOPS
Street Dance Fundamentals

Students will learn the fundamentals of street dance forms including Hip Hop, Popping, House, Waacking, and Krump. Each workshop will explore the foundation of each respective style, including understanding the rhythm and timing of movements in relation to each style of music, the foundational grooves and vocabulary, and combining these fundamentals to develop a foundation for choreography and/or freestyle. The cultural and historical context for which each style was developed will be discussed to give students a deeper understanding of these street dance forms. Running Time: 60-75 minutes per style (one style explored per class/Q&A may or may not be included upon request).

Finding Comfort in Movement
This workshop is catered to those who are new to movement or may be uncomfortable moving their bodies due to various physical or mental restrictions. This is a simple, fun, and safe workshop environment where students are encouraged to explore the limits of their comfort zone through stretching, easy-to-follow dance moves, and various exercises that build physical, mental, and emotional strength. This workshop is perfect for those looking to try something new or those who can use dance as a way to improve their health. Can be offered to any age range from elementary to senior citizens and each session will be focused on the needs of that demographic. Running time: 60-90 minutes.

Lecture/Demonstration & Professional Development
Versa-Style offers lecture/demonstration and professional development sessions for students, professional movement artists, and educators alike. Each session will be catered to the attendee demographic as needed. These sessions integrate both movement and discussion to explore the intersectionality between the arts, culture, and education using the lens of street dance. These sections can also create space to engage in discussions on how the arts and street dance culture can impact our communities and influence the sociopolitical climate of our modern world. Running time: 60-90 minutes.

Street Dance Community Engagement
Street dance is a unique, inclusive dance culture that is seldom seen in other spaces outside of our own. Versa-Style Street Dance Company collaborates with presenters and leaders of local street dance communities and studios to host workshops, open dance sessions, and facilitate community dialogue with the hopes of bridging the gap between these two groups. These engagement activities encourage patronage from local dancers to the presenting venue as well as open up the door for future collaborations including community showcases, competitions, festivals, and more.

Pre and post-performance discussions available upon request.

TRIBUTE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
Versa-Style Street Dance Company will offer lec-dems, workshops and artist talks specific to West Coast Hip Hop and street dance styles that originated in the Los Angeles area. These activities are available to enhance the experience, themes and street dance forms explored in Tribute: Guardians of Street Dance.

West Coast Street Dance Fundamentals
Students will learn the fundamentals of street dance forms originating in California, including Locking, Popping, Waacking, and Krump. Each workshop will explore the foundation of each respective style, including understanding the rhythm and timing of movements in relation to each style of music, the foundational grooves and vocabulary, and combining these fundamentals to develop a foundation for choreography and/or freestyle. The cultural and historical context for which each style was developed will be discussed to give students a deeper understanding of these street dance forms. Running Time: 60-75 minutes per style (one style explored per class/Q&A may or may not be included upon request).

West Coast Street Dance History Lecture/Demonstration
Versa-Style offers lecture/demonstration sessions for students, professional movement artists, and educators alike. This discussion focuses specifically on the lineage of street dance forms across the West Coast covering topics such as style development, pioneers, cultural practices of specific styles, and the impact these styles made on the dance community at large. Movement can be integrated into the lecture upon request. Lecture/Demonstration sessions can also create space to engage in discussions on how the arts and street dance culture can impact our communities and influence the sociopolitical climate of our modern world. Running time: 60-90 minutes.

PRESENTATIONS
Schooltime Matinee: ORIGINS of Hip Hop (IN-PERSON)
ORIGINS of Hip Hop
consists of high–energy, unadulterated street dance movement that will explore and push the boundaries of the ORIGINS and ROOTS of street vernacular dances such as Locking, Popping, Hip Hop and Waacking. Our K-12 LIVE rendition includes lecture/demonstrations throughout the show that explore the historical context of street dance forms and audience participation sections where students are encouraged to get up out of their seats and dance with the company. Running time: 60 minutes with Q&A, no intermission.

 

ORIGINS of Hip Hop (VIRTUAL)
ORIGINS of Hip Hop consists of high–energy, unadulterated street dance movement that will explore and push the boundaries of the ORIGINS and ROOTS of street vernacular dances such as Locking, Popping, Hip Hop, Krump, and more. Audiences will walk away with a different view on Hip Hop dance culture and will be vividly immersed into the depth and beauty that UNITES us all. Approx 60 minutes (45 min presentation plus 10-15 minutes Q&A session). Moderator may be provided by presenter. Technology: Zoom or other live streaming platform provided by presenter. Company requires Presenter to provide virtual stage manager to run virtual activities. A tech rehearsal before every event with the virtual stage manager is required. The company can adapt activities to meet the needs of each presenter/theater and their respective communities.

Hip Hop Dance 101 with Versa-Style (VIRTUAL or IN-PERSON)
Students will learn Hip Hop social dances from the early 1990s to the modern era, listening to Hip Hop’s greatest hits and newest classics along the way. Students will gain more awareness of the essence of authentic Hip Hop dance culture and its history, and will also be encouraged to share their movement in social practices such as freestyling in groups, partner work, and even choreography, leading to a memorable cultural experience. Come get down, learn some foundation and add flavor to your freestyle! 20-30 Students max. 60 minute workshop and presentation plus 15 minute Q&A with Dancer. Virtual: Minimum to (1) one advanced planning call with organizers required prior to workshop.

 

  • exploredance.com

  • The Scotsman (The Edinburgh Fringe Festival performances)

  • The Scotsman (The Edinburgh Fringe Festival performances)

  • SeeDance.com

For more information, please contact:

Sandy Garcia

Sandy Garcia

Director of Booking

212.278.8111 ext. 3425