When Jessi Brown, UI student and dance teacher, first began dancing at the age of two, she wanted to be a ballerina.
“I grew up taking all different types of dance classes,” Brown said.
Brown said ballet was difficult and painful, and eventually she came to the conclusion that she was not a ballerina. Still, her passion for dance remained.
While ballet was not the best form of dance for her, Brown said a mentor and former teacher introduced her to hip-hop, which became her favorite style of dance.
“I like that it really allows you to be yourself,” Brown said. “It”s not about looking like someone else or having the perfect technique. It”s more free, as opposed to ballet, which is really structured.”
Alex Brizee | Rawr
University of Idaho student and dance teacher Jessi Brown teaches her class hip-hop.
Brown shares her passion with fellow students by teaching an intermediate hip-hop class every Monday and Wednesday from 3:30-4:50 p.m.
“I”ll usually start out the class with reviewing basics “¦ different hip-hop techniques,” Brown said. “Then I usually go into choreography that they learn.”
The class is currently learning a dance choreographed by a friend of Brown”s, a teacher in Los Angeles, California. Brown said her friend taught her the dance and now she is sharing it with her students.
While she is currently teaching a dance choreographed by a fellow teacher, Brown said she choreographs most of the dances that her students learn throughout the course.
“I am really inspired by the music,” Brown said. “Once I find a piece of music that I like, that kind of inspires me for my movement.”
Brown said the time it takes to choreograph different dances depends on the influence and feeling of the song.
“Sometimes it just flows “¦ I can turn on the music and the choreography just comes to me,” Brown said. “Other times I can spend hours and only get 30 seconds of a dance done.”
Brown said she enjoys seeing her students grow and express themselves.
“The teacher can give you the basic movements and foundation, but it”s up to you to make it your own,” Brown said.
She said hip-hop is not about getting every move down perfectly, or mimicking the teacher.
Rather than worrying about how they look, Brown said students should focus on developing their own style and artistry.
“A lot of times instead of facing the mirror like normal, I turn them around and make them dance for the wall so that the mirror isn”t influencing their movement,” Brown said.
Although Brown has no intention to pursue a professional dance career, she said teaching hip-hop is something that she loves.
“It”s definitely something that I would like to keep doing,” Brown said.
Brown said her class recently learned choreography to the song “Post to Be” by Omarion.
The dance is sharp and precise, and looks really good, Brown said.
“My class rocks that dance, they are so good at it,” Brown said.
Whitney Hilliard can be reached at [email protected]