Photo by Yo Joe Photo
Youth B.A.R.S: Space Program II (After James)
James Gardin projects his infectious, enthusiastic personality toward the students of our Youth B.A.R.S program and helps them shine like the projector at the center of our AOTA hub at Lansing Public Media Center!
A space of endless opportunities, the projector needs energy around it for anyone watching to get the picture. What you’re seeing here is the perfect space being perfected, and projected, by James and everyone else in it. |AOTA – Photo by Yo Joe Photo
Shout out to our program coordinator and instructor, James Gardin for championing and encouraging Lansing’s youth!
Youth B.A.R.S: Space Program II (Before James)
The projector at the center of our AOTA hub at Lansing Public Media Center can’t project a project without a project manager to project its projection. Alone it’s just a thing in a room. It’s a well decorated room adorned with our organization’s personality, but simply a room, nonetheless.
A space of endless opportunities, it needs energy around it for anyone watching to get the picture. |AOTA – Photo by Yo Joe Photo
Shout out to our program coordinator and instructor, James Gardin for championing and encouraging Lansing’s youth!
Breaking 101 + 102: Back Once More AKA Bigger and Deffer
Our Breaking 101 and Breaking 102 classes are back at Foster Community Center for another exciting 8-week session! This marks our third offering at this location. We’re grateful for the support.
Under the tutelage of instructor Tabor, our intermediate students return to Room 105 to continue their development in Breaking 102.
Thanks to tremendous interest throughout the community, our Breaking 101 class for beginners has moved to the gymnasium! Backed by Ozay Moore on the ones and twos, here instructor Young teaches this group the basics of breaking. He is preparing them for what awaits in their B-boy and B-girl futures. | AOTA – Photo by Yo Joe Photo
Youth B.A.R.S: Space Program (After James)
Once you add James Gardin to the AOTA hub at Lansing Public Media Center, all its decorations in our organization’s opportunistic space seemingly comes to life after an injection of his electrifying personality!
When students of our YOUTH B.A.R.S program enter the space, they take their seats and wait for the figurative fireworks display. James and his infectious enthusiasm are those fireworks. |AOTA – Photo by Yo Joe Photo
Shout out to our program coordinator and instructor, James Gardin for championing and encouraging Lansing’s youth!
Youth B.A.R.S: Space Program (Before James)
The AOTA hub at Lansing Public Media Center is decked out and decorated with our organization’s personality.
It’s an opportunistic space for the students of our YOUTH B.A.R.S program and more, an inviting location that comes to life with the right addition. |AOTA – Photo by Yo Joe Photo
Shout out to our program coordinator and instructor, James Gardin for championing and encouraging Lansing’s youth!
Breaking 101 + 102: Stand and Deliver
Breaking 101 and 102 instructors Young (Rt) and Tabor (Lt) are both proud, honored, and privileged to share their knowledge, wisdom, and love of breaking with the youth of our community.
Each person that takes part in our program gets to benefit from all that Young and Tabor have to give.
The two of them stand and deliver their message to impressionable ears and eyes, helping to cultivate the future of the breaking community. | AOTA – Photo by Yo Joe Photo
Breaking 101 + 102: Snap
When given the opportunity for a group photo, our young breakers don’t hesitate to bond for a shot or two. During an open floor session these 5 students were eager to show their togetherness on camera!
When prompted to pose, though, getting to display more of their personality in a picture, they struck these poses in a snap. | AOTA – Photos by Yo Joe Photo
Breaking 101 + 102: Put It Down
Our young breakers have been learning and practicing more advanced techniques. They’re attempting freezes, head and handstands, and complex poses that test their flexibility and athleticism.
We want them to be safe and protected as they try these, so we encourage the use of padded mats.
During open floor sessions where they’re free to use the space to hone skills, they’ll grab the mats without being prompted. | AOTA – Photo by Yo Joe Photo
Breaking 101 + 102: Parents Just (Do) Understand
Our Breaking 101 and 102 classes at Foster Community Center wouldn’t be what they are without the youth from the community. They’ve dedicated themselves to the art, and that’s coupled with the desire of our instructors to teach them.
Another key and vital component is the support of the parents. Having them there watching and encouraging their young breakers adds to their confidence. They too want to learn and understand this element of the culture. | AOTA –
Photos by Yo Joe Photo
AOTA Photo Friday
Photo by Yo Joe Photo
AOTA Photo Friday
Photo by Yo Joe Photo
Above & Beyond: Smile
This is what we want the community to see whenever they attend one of our classes, sessions, or events.
This is what we want the community to walk away with after sharing time and space with us.
This is what we want to pass along to one another no matter where we are or what we’re doing.
Hip Hop. Education. Community. All of the Above. | AOTA – Photo by Yo Joe Photo
Breaking 101: Stand Up
Our Breaking 101 instructor B-boy Young One makes learning fun!
The students in the beginners’ class practice basic moves and techniques, and sometimes they do that by playing the game Simon Says.
Here you see the last two standing during a round of lighthearted competition.
After “Simon says look at each other”, Young tried to get the young breakers to do a backstep without asking properly. They remained locked on each other as their peers laughed and Young acknowledged their attentiveness with a thumbs up. | AOTA – Photos by Yo Joe Photo
AOTA Photo Friday
Above & Beyond: A is for All
A is for All. Us. We. United. Together. Community. Culture. Support and encouragement powered by love.
Hip Hop. Education. Community. All of the Above. | AOTA - Photo by Yo Joe Photo
AOTA Photo Friday
Photo by Yo Joe Photo
Above & Beyond: Table the Discussion
This is where we greet and welcome everyone who comes to Foster Community Center for our Breaking 101 and Breaking 102 classes.
It’s a simple table decorated with flyers and backed by our Breaking 101 banner. The setup doesn’t require a lot to be inviting.
People that are unfamiliar with who we are and what we do as All of the Above Hip Hop Academy, but have their attention caught by what we’re doing at Foster, can stop and talk with us, ask questions and get answers that build awareness, interest, and an increased sense of community. | AOTA - Photo by Yo Joe Photo
AOTA Photo Friday
Photo by Yo Joe Photo
Above & Beyond: H is for Hip Hop
“All of the Above Hip Hop Academy is a non-profit organization made up of artists, educators, and advocates that mentor youth, support artistic expression and serve communities as a Hip Hop Cultural resource for the purpose of youth development.”
Hip Hop. Education. Community. All of the Above. | AOTA - Photo by Yo Joe Photo
