Hip-hop: A Culture, Not Just A Dance (feat. Poe-One and Freak Nation Crew)

Join legendary b-boy POE ONE and Adelaide’s own FREAK NATION CREW for a Q&A session on the deep roots, meaning, and significance of hip-hop.

Creative Revolutionaries, the Sia Furler Institute and the Elder Conservatorium at the University of Adelaide are proud to present Poe One and Adelaide’s own Freak Nation Crew for a Q&A session on the deep roots, meaning, and significance of hip-hop culture and its relevance in today’s world. Special thanks to St Paul's Creative Centre, the Music Development Office and the Government of South Australia.

Breaking and hip-hop are cultural juggernauts that have hugely influenced pop culture and the musical landscape, but how much do you know about its real history and origins?

In this talk, Poe One will draw on his extensive knowledge and personal experience to recount how hip-hop is more than just a set of moves, a beat, or a rap – he will explore the socio-political roots, philosophy, and soul of hip-hop culture from the streets of California in the 1980s to now. Interviewed by Winnie (Freak Elites) and Tamika (DMNDZ), Poe will address questions such as:

How did hip-hop culture grow out of oppression? What was your lived experience of hip-hop like and how does it compare to media portrayals of hip-hop? What is the relationship between hip-hop dance freestyle and choreography? How do the various elements of hip-hop (breaking, DJing, MCing and graffiti) interact? What is their significance and how have they evolved? Where is hip-hop culture right now and where do you see it going in the future?

There will also be time set aside for live audience questions, so don’t miss out on your chance to learn from one of the culture’s living legends!

POE ONE

Hailing from San Jose, California, Poe is a veteran b-boy known and respected worldwide for his skill, originality, knowledge, and wisdom. Representing the legendary Style Elements Crew, the Mighty Zulu Kings and the Rock So Fresh crew, Poe has travelled internationally as a highly sought-after battle judge and teacher. His recent credits include being invited to judge the prestigious 2019 Red Bull BC One World Final. With decades of experience, Poe possesses a wealth of knowledge of not only the dance but its history, culture, and significance.

Poe currently lives in Adelaide and over the years he has planted many seeds to nurture the growth of our local hip-hop and street dance community. He continues to be an inspiration for many in the Adelaide scene and abroad, instilling his philosophy that we’ll never cease to be students of the culture and it is vital that “Each One, Teach One” to keep spreading its knowledge and history.

FREAK NATION CREW

Freak Nation is Adelaide’s largest and most active freestyle, hip-hop, and street dance crew. Founded in 2009 by original members Tien, Jimmy, and Moon, what started as a humble UniSA hip-hop club has now grown to incorporate six sub-crews: the Freak Elites (seniors), freaksEVO (junior development crew), DMNDZ (all-female battlers), beastMODE (krump) D.RB (popping), and urban choreography (ↃC Project/Freak Theory). Under the Freak Nation flag, these diverse styles come together to unite and nurture the Adelaide street dance scene. Freak Nation embraces a philosophy of brotherhood, personal growth, and giving back to the community through events, workshops, mentorship, service, and a constant drive to share knowledge and passion for dance.

WINNIE (FREAK ELITES)

Winnie (Vince) is a member of Freak Elites and one of the current presidents of the Freak Nation crew alongside Lawless (Lawson). Specialising in breaking, popping, locking, and krump, Winnie is an experienced freestyle battler and was recently the winner of the Style Showdown Online Breaking 1v1 Division. He has also applied his extensive street dance knowledge to choreography for Freak Theory/ↃC Project and is a teacher at Groovexone Hip Hop Dance Studio. Winnie is also a skilled DJ and is a regular fixture both on the decks and on the floor at Adelaide dance battles and events. As a leading figure in Adelaide’s hip-hop scene, Winnie dedicates himself to driving the growth of the community and cultivating the inclusive feel-good party vibes he is known for bringing to his dance.

TAMIKA (DMNDZ CREW, WAACKTOWN ADL)

Tamika is the second-in-command of Freak Nation’s all-female DMNDZ crew and one of the founding members of Waacktown ADL. As an early student of waacking in Adelaide, Tamika has travelled interstate to battle and learn from national and international dancers in order to bring back knowledge and help build the local waacking scene. She is also a keen student of vogue and performed for the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s New Worlds Ball in 2019. As a history PhD student at the University of Adelaide, Tamika is passionate about sharing the history and cultural significance of dance.