From public dance workshops to performances and competitions, this group of NC State students is ready to take the campus by storm. Or, more accurately, by dance.
The Just Cuz Crew, also known as JCC, NC State’s very own hip-hop dance group who compete and perform across the Triangle. Over the past several years, they have performed at both Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill, in addition to our own campus, and previously won the title of NC State’s Best Dance Crew in 2015. The group’s president, Michael Tran, a third-year studying electrical engineering, has been with the group for the past three years and is excited to see the group grow with the start of the 2017-18 academic year.
“JCC pushed me out of my comfort zone,” Tran said. “The group really gives you the confidence to try new things.”
At the group’s workshops, the teaching of the various moves proves quite easy to follow, and all JCC members present are actively engaged in assisting in demonstrations. After a short warm up, participants jump right into the night’s workout, often led by second-year inter-college transfer student Raniah Jeanlys. The moves are walked through in small sets and participants gradually edge closer and closer to learning the moves for the entire one-and-a-half-minute dance.
Although it starts off simple, the class soon introduces a variety of motions that seamlessly flow into the music itself, rising and rolling with the beats and booms of the song. Seeing as the JCC members choreograph their own performances, it’s no surprise how accurately the dance and song complemented one another.
No second of the two-hour workshop is wasted. Participants perform move after move, piece after piece, and the puzzle slowly fits itself together as dancers meld the bits and pieces into a smooth flow of movement and expression. To top off the evening, dancers are given the chance to show off what they have learned, running through the dance in its entirety in smaller groups, while the rest looked on in excitement. Although the night may end sweatier than one might like, it’s worth it.
Self-interpretation is a common theme shown in the dance workshops. True, the moves stay the same, but dancers are encouraged to put their own meaning into the dance. With individual experiences come a diverse array of thoughts and opinions, as well as desires to express them. No two students interpret the same event in exactly the same way, and each of these experiences is valuable in its own right. This free expression, combined with the group’s emphasis on diversity, truly makes JCC shine.
Another member of JCC, Shadia Garrison, expressed her love for the group’s commitment to instilling a close-knit community among its members.
“JCC is a safe place to learn how to dance,” said Garrison, a fourth-year studying industrial engineering and international studies. “It’s a cool, diverse group, and we all work together and are very supportive of one another.”
In fact, with the school year just beginning, the Just Cuz Crew is far from slowing down. Currently, they are preparing for the Prelude Urban Dance Competition, which is part of a series of dance contests in various venues across the United States. For our own JCC, they’ll be competing right here in our state capital, Raleigh, in March.
Although the first round of dance workshops have come to a close, there’s no need to fret if you still want to learn some sweet hip-hop dance moves for yourself. More dance workshops are currently in the process of being sketched, and the group hopes to work with NC State to establish classes not just for NC State students, but also to the citizens of the Triangle.
The Just Cuz Crew practicing a routine in Carmichael Recreation Center on Monday.
