It’s not often that a high school dance team puts on a performance that rivals that of the seasoned professionals. However, at the CADTD State Dance Championships in 2017, a group of thirteen students completely stole the show.
They belonged to West Covina All Male Hip Hop, a dance team stemming from West Covina High School in California.
The video of their championship-winning performance has since racked up almost a million views on YouTube, and for good reason. It’s one of the most creative hip hop dances that we’ve ever seen.
The guys started their performance out on the basketball court in front of hundreds of cheering audience members.
They stood frozen in place, waiting for the music to start. All of them were dawning pink button-down shirts with red suspenders. They were lined up next to four walls with mirrors on them, and in front of the walls were four stools. It was a really unusual set-up and no one had any idea what was about to happen. However, the crowd soon found out.
The music began and four members of the group instantly sat down on the stools and put white cloths over their bodies. Then four of the other guys pretended to be cutting their hair.
They were doing a scene from a barbershop!
Of course, with plenty of wild dancing involved.
Things only progressed from there.
The white clothes were dropped, everyone jumped up, and the music changed. One member picked up a big white boombox and started dancing around with it while the rest of the group did a perfect series of moves, completely in sync with one another. It was very cool to watch and something you simply have to see for yourself.
The entire dance crew has incredible grit, not to mention a whole lot of skill too.
It’s pretty surprising considering their background. When the West Covina guys first formed their group, they didn’t even have an official place to practice. According to an interview they did with STEEZY, they used to do all of their rehearsals outdoors on the rough asphalt. Sometimes weather conditions would be hot, and other times cold, but none of that stopped them.
Eventually, a local dance studio named The Lab Creative Arts Studio noticed the group’s talent and decided to offer them practice space indoors. They also provided them with additional training resources and instruction to help the guys grow and develop their skills. Thus, the next edition of West Covina All Male Hip Hop was born.
The Lab soon became their home away from home and the guys in the group became like family members.
They spent every day together practicing.
“Through West Co All-Male, I’ve learned to trust other people. To know that there are 23 others that are going through the same thing I am, and that trust me enough to do it with me, makes me trust them, too. When I’m out there, I know I’m not alone,” group member Jando Acosta told STEEZY.
It took a huge amount of work to get to the level they are at now, but in the end, it was all worth it.
The West Covina crew is now putting on performances that are just as good as those of older professional dancers that have been practicing for decades.
It’s safe to say that they are currently one of the top high school dance teams in the country and their first-place win at the CADTD in 2017 further solidifies that fact. The future is bright for these young guys. We can’t wait to see more from them over the years as they all continue to progress and work on their routines.
Watch the full video of the West Covina All Male Hip Hop team performing at CADTD 2017 below.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
