On Wednesday May 27th, the Knock Out Dog Fighting crew was at Juvenile Hall again, this time talking to detainees about the American Pit Bull Terrier, dog fighting and a healthy alternative to gang-related activities; T.U.R.F. dancing.
Knock Out Dog Fighting founder and dog trainer Kris Crawford started the class with a discussion about pit bulls; the history of the breed, dog fighting, what she does with the breed and gave a demo. During the discussion many of the detainees talked about participating in dog fighting and they talked about why. Several of them grew up only knowing the pit bull as a stature builder. Kris showed them that the breed is so much more. Some of the detainess said they fight dogs just because it gave them something to do. Kris then introduced them to two members of the Architecks to show them something else they could do instead.
Knock Out Dog Fighting team members Jeriel Bey and Chare Johnson, the founders of the Architeckz hip-hop athletic street dancing team, talked about what led them to form The Architeckz, how T.U.R.F dancing has kept them and kids all over the country out of trouble, and how dancing can be considered a marketable skill. The Architeckz dance skills are so good the group has danced on MTV, in popular music videos (Fergie's "Fergalicious", Snoop Dog's "Candy", E-40's "Tell Me When To Go", etc.), have performed live on the Billboard Music Awards and were pictured in People magazine. They also do a lot of choreography for popular hip-hop and rap artists.
But it didn't come easy for Jeriel and Chare, who are both too familiar with street violence. They founded the dance group in Oakland, CA with Demetrius Zigler, as an alternative to violence and a way for inner-city youth to express themselves and channel their emotions. Chare lost his brother to gang violence in 2005 and two months later, they lost Demetrius - gunned down at the age of 16.
Jeriel and Chare talked to the detainees about caring for oneself and that also means caring about other living things...including dogs. Jeriel told them that they need to respect their own life but that also encompasses respecting all life, meaning cruelty to animals and things like dog fighting are not cool.
Jeriel and Chare inspired the detainees, showing them that in spite of difficult beginnings it is possible to overcome life's challenges and succeed. That each of them have choices and they possess everything that they need ... it's sometimes hidden deep inside them but if they look hard enough they will see that they have the power and the strength to stop the violence and be whatever they want to be.
And then.......they taught them to dance!
Keturah, Jeriel, Kris, Tahoe and Chare
Kris and Tahoe
Chare and Jeriel
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Chare, Fergie and Jeriel before their performance on the Billboard Awards Show
Jeriel and will-i-am before their performance on the Billboard Awards Show
The Billboard Awards Show - "Fergilicious"
More info on the Architeckz can be found HERE
Architeckz Look To Build Outlet For Youth
Jim Herron Zamora - SF Chronicle
March 10, 2007
Chare Johnson performs under the shadow of death.
Every time the 17-year-old hip-hop dancer goes on stage with his group, the Architeckz, he looks inside himself and focuses on the anger and pain of losing his brother and best friend to Oakland violence in 2005.
"All that rage, all that hurt I feel inside, I try to use it in my dance," said Johnson, who performs under the name Skoobi. "I would rather express myself in dancing and move forward than kill somebody and get caught up (in violence) and lose control. ... But it hurts. I miss my brothers every day."
On Sunday, Johnson will join nine members of the Architeckz, an Oakland hip-hop dance team, in a "dance battle" with a similar group from Memphis. The event is designed to raise money to help the Architeckz and other groups rent a permanent performance space to teach young people "turf dancing," a new variant of urban street performance that has its roots in break dancing from New York City in the 1980s.
In dance battles, the performers -- working as a group or going solo -- take turns on stage, executing rapid spins and gravity-defying stunts to popular rap songs. The performers often go on stage without knowing in advance which music will be used, so they place a high premium on the ability to improvise. The judges or the audience votes to determine winners.
The Architeckz have danced in videos featured on MTV, have performed live on the Billboard Music Awards and were pictured in People magazine. In the past year, they have danced in videos and concerts of popular performers such as Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas, E-40 and the Pack.
Jeriel Bey, co-founder and leader of the group, would be happy to get rich and famous. But he is also determined to teach young people to take care of their bodies and stay out of trouble.
"A lot of people associate rap, hyphy, hip-hop with a negative impression," said Bey, 31. "This turf-dancing element is kind of a way to grab youths' attention and get them focused in a healthy, creative way."
Bey and Johnson have firsthand experience with street violence. Johnson's older brother, Armon Green, was gunned down on Sept. 10, 2005, in the 1600 block of 12th Street. Then on Nov. 30 of the same year, Demetrius Zigler, 16, a co-founder of the Architeckz, was killed in a shooting. Both cases remain unsolved.
Bey, who has been teaching dance for years, formed the group in 2002 with Zigler and Johnson in West Oakland's Lower Bottoms neighborhood. "We called it T.U.R.F., for Taking Up Room on the Floor."
Supporters tout turf dancing as an alternative to a range of social ills from gang violence to teenage obesity. The dancers are part of a larger trend that takes elements of hip-hop culture and spins them in a positive direction that doesn't glorify guns, violence and easy money.
Bey is part of a trend of groups, including churches, public schools and nonprofit service agencies, that have embraced the energy of hip-hop art forms to reach youth but not endorse some messages -- about violence, sex or fast money -- in many rap songs. Hip-hop dance classes are taught in many venues, from public schools and recreation centers to private clubs such as the YMCA.
After spending two hours in Bey's class on Thursday, two football players from Berkeley High School, Fred Lawson and Toby Hall, agree that turf dancing is a macho, highly competitive sport. Both of them relate to the anti-violence message because they have friends who have been killed.
For Hall, the turning point was the October homicide of his friend Patrell Johnson.
"After Patrell was murdered, it really hit me that I don't want to be another black kid just hanging out on the streets," Hall said. "I want to be successful. Turf dancing is a positive, healthy thing. It's fun, and it's not like some fool sideshow thing that's going to get you killed."
