Dancers of all skill levels will get their chance to share the stage with professional dancers during the Center of Urban Performance and Service program’s Powerline Urban Dance Conference at Westside Ministries next week.
“Whether you have zero dance experience or if you have been dancing for 15 years, this conference has something to offer every single person,” said Kylene Murphy, CUPS Dance Director.
The four-day conference will feature a number of master classes, including contemporary jazz, hip hop, and dance lessons, taught by professional guest artists Misty RasconSmith and Kat Hughes.
“We want to give kids an opportunity to take classes from professional guest artists,” said Murphy. “This is a great outlet for them instead of being at home or on the street. We provide a Christ-centered environment where they can come and learn from some of the best artists in the dance industry.”
RasconSmith is no stranger to the dance industry, as she has been involved for over a decade. She has appeared in numerous areas throughout the industry, including music videos, commercials, television and live performances, and print.
Throughout her career, she has worked with well-known recording artists such as Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, and Snoop Dogg and has appeared in national commercials for Sunkist, Pepsi, Nike, and Sears. She currently dances and choreographs for Word In Motion Dance Company.
“The neat thing about Misty is that she has her own style of dance that she has come up with called ‘Tribal Funk,’” said Murphy. “It is a fusion of hip hop, shapes, cultural movements, and Misty’s personal style that God has put in her.”
Just like RasconSmith, Hughes is also well-known throughout the dance industry. She has appeared in various music videos, commercials, and print ads for Pepsi, K-Swiss, and Aya Salon and has been featured in TV shows and stage shows for CBS and VH1.
Hughes is also trained and works as an aerial artist, which will come in handy during the conference’s aerial classes. Murphy reports that these classes are only available to participants that have been pre-approved by CUPS staff.
Currently, Hughes is involved in Word In Motion Dance Company and is the program director at “RISE Beyond,” a non-profit after school program that teaches hip hop to elementary school kids. She also performs as the Magic Carpet in Disney’s Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular at Disney California Adventure.
“We want people to be aware that these two artists are truly the best and they have a lot to offer the community and our kids,” said Murphy. “We want people to take advantage of what they have to offer and the training they have to give us.”
According to Murphy, interested participants are able register up until the last day of the event. While the conference is open to everybody, WSM students will have priority. For out-of-town participants, WSM also provides housing for an additional fee.
The conference is scheduled from Monday through Thursday at WSM, located at 950 Columbia Street. For more information on related fees or registration forms, visit westsideministriesturlock.com.
