Respect! DanceFest Weekly

Hendrickx Ntela is a Liège-based dancer and choreographer of Congolese origin, specializing in urban styles like Hip Hop, Krump, Dancehall, Kuduro, and AfroHouse. A founding member of the all-female collective One Nation and the international Krump group Gully Fusion, she is a pioneer of Belgian Krump performance and event organization, including Ch’eza Street Battle and Krump Date. Hendrickx has collaborated with artists like Camille Lellouche and Jean Dujardin, choreographed for Netflix’s La Nouvelle École, and toured internationally with her original work Blind. She is an associate artist at Théâtre National de Bruxelles and continues to shape hip hop dance culture worldwide.

Paula Dewart is the Director of the Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company and a Teaching Artist at Destiny Arts Center. She is an award-winning dancer and choreographer with over 25 years of professional performance experience and 15 years of mentoring, developing, and teaching the arts to youth throughout Oakland and the Bay Area. Born and raised in the Bay, Paula uses her background in ballet, modern, and hip hop to create dynamic works that reflect both artistry and community. She has performed with Allan Frias’ Mind Over Matter, LL Cool J, Goapele, and numerous Bay Area artists, and her credits include TV appearances on Blindspotting (Starz). Paula is a proud alumna of Ruth Asawa’s San Francisco School of the Arts.

SFIHHDF Founder Micaya and Board member Brandy Beazley talk to esteemed dance artists from around the world. Topics include performances in the SFIHHDF, choreography, artistry, challenges of being a dance professional, and other dance related themes. LeDarius “Gipsi” Parker is a choreographer and street dancer from Greensboro, North Carolina. His personal dance style focuses primarily on Hip Hop Freestyle, Waacking, House, and Krump. His choreography can be versatile with elements of movement from styles such as House, Waacking, Popping, Krump, Jazz Funk, Afro Beats, and Dance hall. He is inspired by hip hop culture, visual art, and takes an influence of movement from other countries, Street dancers, and street foundational styles. He has worked in the entrainment industry for 10 years. He loves to create stories with his choreography and movement. LeDarius wants stories that speak to multiple generations. He believes art is for everyone to enjoy and take inspiration from.

SFIHHDF Founder Micaya and Board member Brandy Beazley talk to esteemed dance artists from around the world. Topics include performances in the SFIHHDF, choreography, artistry, challenges of being a dance professional, and other dance related themes. Justin de Jager and Sem Deliveyne started out as breakers and found each other in a shared love for the movement concept of Threading. Since 2019, they have been exchanging, training, researching, creating and performing together. The collaboration resulted in the creation ‘Brothers’ and that premiered in The Hague, NL in ‘23. Since then, the piece has already performed over 50 times at many prestigious festivals in The Netherlands and Europe, recently winning two awards at the respected choreography competitions RIDCC and Hannover 39.

SFIHHDF Founder Micaya and Board member Brandy Beazley talk to esteemed dance artists from around the world. Topics include performances in the SFIHHDF, choreography, artistry, challenges of being a dance professional, and other dance related themes. Guest Ibrah Silas Jackson is a dancer, director, and choreographer from Rotterdam with roots in Uganda. His creations are grounded in hip-hop culture, but he has also gained knowledge of modern, funky, and African cultural styles. Ibrah is a dancer with bands such as Ghetto Funk Collective and has danced in pieces by renowned choreographers such as Ruben Chi and Donna Chittick. He has also created several short films and music videos as a director and writer, and began choreographing theater pieces in 2021. He often bases his work on childhood experiences, and masculinity plays a significant role in his work.

SFIHHDF Founder Micaya and Board member Brandy Beazley talk to esteemed dance artists from around the world. Topics include performances in the SFIHHDF, choreography, artistry, challenges of being a dance professional, and other dance related themes. Boogaloo Dana, co-founding member of the legendary crew Medea Sirkas, is a pioneer, historian, and activist for the Boogaloo style of dance—an art form that predates hip hop. Born in West Oakland, he began dancing in 1972, shaping a style influenced by icons such as Little Dion, James Brown, Derick Lovings, Alfred Jones, John Murphy, Tony Newsome, and the animated energy of cartoons. As co-director of Medea Sirkas, Dana has spent decades pushing the boundaries of street dance while preserving its roots, inspiring generations with his precision, creativity, and electrifying stage presence. His passion and discipline have earned him some of the culture’s highest honors, including the Minister of Culture Award (2019), a Lifetime Achievement Award for Demon of the Mind (2022), induction into the Hip-Hop Archives Hall of Fame with Medea Sirkas (2023), and a Lifetime Achievement Award for Medea Sirkas (2024). A true innovator and cultural guardian, Boogaloo Dana continues to embody the spirit of street dance—always “keeping it street.”

RESPECT Podcast – Season 5, Episode 7! Tune in now as hosts Micaya and Brandy feature Stéphanie (SP Sunny) from Paris, representing Parados-Sal and Odasy! 🌍✨Stéphanie shares her journey, training, and insight into O.D.A.S.Y. (Legacy), a tribute to Babson. Don’t miss it!!

RESPECT PODCAST Season 5, Episode 6 is here! Tune in as hosts Micaya and Brandy connect with the talented Marie-Neika Obas, a versatile artist, choreographer, and dance teacher, and a proud member of AMS Dance Company. 🌟Born and raised in Montreal with Haitian roots,  Marie’s diverse experience has taken her to stages and TV screens both locally and internationally. As part of AMS Dance Company, a dynamic group of over 15 dancers founded by Andy Michel Shadari, she contributes her unique artistic perspective alongside fellow dancers from diverse backgrounds across Canada, Europe, and the U.S. In this episode, Marie shares her journey in the world of dance, the impact of her experiences working with AMS, and details about the piece they’re creating for this year’s DanceFest. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation! 

RESPECT PODCAST Season 5, Episode 5 is dropping now! Tune in as hosts Micaya and Brandy sit down with the legendary Raul "RJ KoolRaul" Navalta, a true icon in hip hop culture. RJ KoolRaul is a world-renowned Bboy, known for America's Best Dance Crew and So You Think You Can Dance. He’s also a member of The Triple Threat DJs and the Managing Director of Creative Transit Agency LLC, where he connects brands and communities through curated design and experiences.  Don’t miss this episode as we dive into his artistic journey and creative impact!

Join hosts Micaya and Brandy as they chat with the incredibly talented Morgan Williams, a versatile performer, choreographer, and creative director. Morgan has made an impact in both the concert and commercial dance worlds, working with renowned companies like Chicago Dance Crash and Eisenhower Dance Detroit, and contributing to projects like So You Think You Can Dance and Empire. As the founder of Water Street Dance Milwaukee, Morgan continues to push the boundaries of dance with his unique and expressive choreography. Tune in now to hear about his artistic journey and creative vision.

RESPECT PODCAST Season 5, Episode 3 is here! Join hosts Micaya and Brandy as they sit down with the incredible Stuck Sanders — a Sacramento native and world-renowned street dancer. ✨Stuck has been pushing boundaries in the dance world for over two decades, blending styles like Turfing, popping, and krump. He is the director of Tribe Crew and the visionary behind productions like Hip Hop Nutcracker and the upcoming Hip Hop Halloween. Tune in this NOW to learn more about his journey and Tribe Crew.

Tune in and listen to this informative episode featuring the amazing Telice and our hosts, Micaya and Brandy. Learn more about Turfin dance style and its history. Telice is a professional Turf dancer, community organizer, and teacher who is passionate about bringing people together.

RESPECT PODCAST Season 5 with Micaya & Brandy!! Premiere Episode: Meet Bay Area legend, Rev. William R. Randolph III, aka "Mr. Penguin", a founding member of the iconic Street Dance/Boog-a-loo/Hip-Hop group, The Black Resurgents. Hear his incredible story and the inspiration behind his contributions to the world of dance.

Join hosts Micaya and Corey as they call it a wrap for the 25th SF International Hip Hop DanceFest.

RESPECT! DANCEFEST WEEKLY PODCAST!  It’s our very Last Saturday episode before the San Francisco International Hip Hop DanceFest next weekend. Join our hosts Micaya and Corey as they welcome  special guest Marlon "SWOOSH" Wallen all the way from London, UK.

Respect! DanceFest Weekly with our hosts Micaya and Corey and brilliant guest Selasi Dogbatse from Brussels. Listen to the compelling conversation we had with Selasi and find out more about her dance journey. Learn the story behind “A piece of me”, the piece she’s bringing to this year’s SFIHHDF and so much more… Also, hear from Micaya about the origin of San Fran International Hip Hop DanceFest, and get more info about the submission process for the shows in 2024.