Ms Vee

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Teacher Bio

Valerie Ho (she/her), also known as “Ms. Vee,” is a multi-faceted dancer and performer whose movement background includes Hip-Hop (Freestyle, Breaking, Popping, Locking), House, Chinese Dance, Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Modern, Swing, Salsa, Chinese Martial Arts (Wushu), Capoeira, and Yoga.

Specializing in street dance and Hip-Hop culture, Ms. Vee has studied with such greats as Mr. Wiggles, Skeeter Rabbit, Popin Pete, Greg Campbellock Jr., Ken Swift and Buddha Stretch, to na...read more

Class Descriptions

Hip Hip for Musical Theater Dancers

Ever been scared of taking a Hip Hop class because you are a "kick ball changer"? Ever felt like "oh I really need to work on my hip hop....but I can't take THAT class. It's too hard!" Ever do an audition that is skewing to Hip Hop but you felt uncomfortable in the work? This class is designed for YOU! This class is for musical theatre dancers who have always wanted to get into a Hip Hop class but have been too scared or intimidated to do so. Come learn Hip Hop amongst people who feel exactly the same as you. This will be a safe environment where you'll learn the foundation of groove, technique, and vocabulary of Hip Hop. Everything taught will be directed through the lens of theatre. In that vein, this is a safe space to explore and play in this form of dance that is increasingly being used in Musical Theater work.

Level: Adv Beginner - This class assumes you have moderate to extensive training in other forms (ie. Ballet, Jazz, and Theatre) and as such will move at that requisite pace, but focus on fundamentals of Hip Hop. So the material is for a beginner of the art form, but the level and pace of the class and how information is given is not.

Hip-Hop Foundations

This class focuses on the foundation of Hip Hop dance - all the grooves, vocabulary, techniques, and history that make Hip Hop what it is. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced dancer, there is a place for everyone in this class, because everyone needs foundation! The aim of this class is to connect the dots between the origins of this dance (ie. the FLAVA!) and choreography based work.

Class structure:
50min Warm Up filled with grooves, dynamic stretching, core work, and technique and vocab
10-20min of Technique breakdown and drilling of 1-3 things
20-30min of a short phrase where the techniques that were just practiced are applied in choreography
*Underage dancers welcomed

Popping Foundations

This class is meant for people who are new to popping and experienced poppers alike. Particular focus is spent on the actual technique of "how to pop", what is happening in the body and the muscles, what are ways to conceptualize it in our heads, and how to approach it safely. Each week there will be a different technique focus, where a vocabulary step is broken down and variations are drilled. The class is concluded with a short phrase in which all the techniques that were just practiced are put into application.
13yr+ only*
*Because this dance and technique are so difficult there is a certain level of mental focus and body control required, hence this age requirement.

Breaking

This class is designed for students with little or no experience in Breaking. It focuses on the foundations of the dance – toprock, footwork and freezes. Vocabulary will be broken down with emphasis on technique, style, musicality and an understanding of the history and evolution of the dance.