The Beacon

Roller Dance is a vibrant and exhilarating dance style that seamlessly blends the elegance of dance with the fluidity of roller skating. Dancers perform intricate routines, spins, turns, and footwork, all while gracefully gliding on roller skates. In roller dance, participants wear traditional quad roller skates or inline skates, depending on their preference. Choreographed routines, which can be solo, partner, or group performances, are a common feature. These routines showcase a harmonious combination of dance steps, spins, and artistic movements, all executed with a sense of grace and flow. Roller dancers also have the freedom to improvise and express themselves spontaneously to the music, adding a touch of creativity and personal style to their performances. The choice of music spans various genres, from funk and disco to contemporary pop and electronic beats, allowing dancers to synchronize their movements with the music's tempo and melody.

Breaking, often referred to as breakdancing, is an electrifying and acrobatic style of hip-hop dance that emerged in the Bronx, New York, during the 1970s. It's characterized by its gravity-defying moves, intricate footwork, and dynamic floor-based maneuvers. In breaking, dancers, known as b-boys (for males) and b-girls (for females), use their bodies as instruments of expression. The dance includes several key elements: Toprock, Footwork, Freezes, Power Moves, and Cyphers and Battles. Breaking is a physically demanding and visually captivating dance form. It encourages individuality, self-expression, and innovation, as b-boys and b-girls continuously push the boundaries of what's possible with the human body. Beyond the dance itself, breaking fosters a sense of community and provides a platform for self-discovery and creativity.

Hustle is a dynamic partner dance style that came to prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. It's characterized by its energetic and rhythmic footwork, intricate patterns, and lively spins and turns. Danced primarily to upbeat disco and hustle music, this style encourages couples to connect and groove together on the dance floor. In hustle, the partnership is at the heart of the dance. Couples move in close coordination, maintaining a connection that allows them to communicate and synchronize their movements seamlessly. This close connection fosters a sense of unity and chemistry between dancers, making hustle not only a dance but also a social experience. The footwork in hustle is fast-paced and precise, often featuring syncopated steps and intricate sequences that add a layer of excitement and flair. Dancers also incorporate spins and turns, adding both visual appeal and a sense of dynamism to their performances.

Animation is a captivating and intricate dance style within the hip-hop genre, known for creating the illusion of non-human or robotic movements with the human body. Dancers use precise muscle control and isolation techniques to mimic the appearance of objects coming to life or machines in motion. The essence of animation lies in its ability to play with time and physics, defying natural movement to create visually stunning optical illusions. Dancers fluidly transition between jerky, robotic, and slow-motion movements, manipulating their bodies in ways that challenge the boundaries of human kinetics. Incorporating a mix of isolations, waves, and freezes, animation is a dance of precision, control, and creativity. Dancers often tell stories or portray characters through their movements, making it a form of artistic expression and storytelling.

House Dance is a lively and energetic street dance style that emerged in the clubs of Chicago and New York during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Rooted in the underground house music and LGBTQ scene, this dance style is characterized by its fluidity, footwork, and improvisation. House dancers groove to the infectious beats of house music, incorporating intricate footwork, slides, spins, and floorwork into their dance. House dance is known for its soulful and uplifting movements, often conveying a sense of joy and freedom. Dancers frequently engage in "jacking," a signature move involving a rhythmic bounce or pulsating motion of the torso and limbs. House dance emphasizes individuality and creativity, allowing dancers to interpret the music in their own unique ways. It's a dynamic and inclusive style that encourages dancers to express themselves while maintaining a strong connection to the music and the social and cultural history of house music.

Waacking/Whacking/Punking is a powerful and expressive dance style that originated in the LGBTQ+ clubs of Los Angeles during the 1970s disco era. It's characterized by rapid arm movements, dramatic poses, and intricate hand gestures, all performed to the beat of soul, disco, and funk music. In wacking, dancers, known as wackers, engage in energetic and flamboyant movements. The focus is on fluid and dynamic arm patterns, creating visually stunning lines and shapes. Dancers often incorporate gestures that express attitude, confidence, and emotion, adding depth to their performances. Wacking is not just a dance; it's a form of storytelling. Dancers use their movements to convey narratives, emotions, and personal experiences, making each performance unique and deeply personal. The style encourages individuality, allowing dancers to infuse their routines with their own personality and flair.

Popping is a mesmerizing dance style within the realm of hip-hop, characterized by the sudden and controlled contraction and release of muscles, creating a distinct "pop" or jerking motion. Dancers, known as poppers, use this technique to isolate different body parts, especially focusing on the arms, chest, and shoulders, resulting in visually striking and robotic-like movements. Popping is not just about isolated movements; it's a dance form deeply rooted in rhythm and musicality. Poppers synchronize their pops and hits with the beats and melodies of various music genres, infusing their performances with a sense of groove and precision. The style often incorporates techniques like waving, ticking, and strobing, where dancers create illusions of waves, ticks, and rapid freezes, respectively, adding layers of complexity to their routines. Poppers also engage in freestyle battles, where they challenge each other's skills in spontaneous dance-offs, showcasing creativity and innovation.

Hip-hop culture, originating in the South Bronx during the 1970s, is a vibrant and influential subculture deeply rooted in African American and Latinx communities. It encompasses various elements, with hip-hop dance as a central and dynamic component. It is often characterized by the "four elements," which represent the foundational pillars of this dynamic subculture. These elements include: MCing (Rap), DJing, Breaking (Breakdancing), and Graffiti Art. These four elements represent different avenues of creativity within hip-hop culture, and they are interconnected. While these are the traditional four elements, it's important to note that hip-hop culture is constantly evolving, and new elements or variations may emerge over time.

Weekly House Session every Wednesday 8:45-10:45pm Hosted by Orb, a Seattle OG and internationally recognized contributor to the Hip-hop and House dance culture, Soul City is a space where everyone is welcome to celebrate and get down! With a live DJ. RSVP

Tracey Wong’s Monthly movement sensuality workshop! A practice in bringing us back into our bodies, tapping into our senses, and enjoying our pleasure through movement. This class is $20-40 sliding scale (Venmo, PayPal, cash accepted).