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!

AOTA Photo Friday

Photo by MilesYoung Media

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!

AOTA Photo Friday

Photo by MilesYoung Media

CAP City Breaking Jam 2022

All of the Above Hip Hop Academy and 99Stylez Crew proudly present CAP City!

CAP City is a two-day dance event in Lansing, Michigan's Capital, on Friday August 5th and Saturday August 6th. Summer vibes will be in full effect: fresh air, fresher music, and the freshest dancers on the scenic Lansing River trail!

SAVE THE DATE, spread the word, and prepare for TWO battles:  

2v2 breaking, $1500 first place prize, $500 second place

1v1 kids breaking, $200 first place prize, $100 second place

Schedule: Friday 8/5: Workshops with Bgirl Kate & Bboy El Nino, 5:30pm - 7:30 pm

Saturday 8/6: 1v1 kids prelims and battles, 2v2 prelims & breaking battles

Location: Friday venue: The Cadillac Room

Saturday venue: Shiawassee Street Bridge, Downtown Lansing.

For more details and to register https: HERE

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!

AOTA Photo Friday

Photo by MilesYoung Media

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!

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AOTA Photo Friday

Photo by MilesYoung Media

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

AOTA Photo Friday

Photo by MilesYoung Media

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

Above & Beyond: Thank You, Lansing School District and Sexton High School (Vol. 2)

As the Lansing School District went back to in-person learning this year, AOTA instructors James Gardin and Young Heat joined them at Sexton High School!

We’re all eager to jump into summer, but we can’t help looking back to celebrate this pilot program, RAP, with excitement and hope for the future!

Thanks for a great 2021/2022 school year, LSD and Sexton! | Hip Hop. Education. Community. All of the Above. – Photos by MilesYoung Media

AOTA Photo Friday

Photo by MilesYoung Media

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

Above & Beyond: The Promise of an Anthem

We’re proud of these young men!

This year All of the Above Hip Hop Academy launched our AYO (All of the Above Youth Organization) residency under the guidance and leadership of Jahshua Smith.

These talented gentlemen were commissioned by Lansing Promise to produce, write, record, and perform an anthem for the city of Lansing.

The song debuted June 9, 2022, at the Promise Gala at Lansing Lugnuts’ Jackson Field and it went hard! Shout out to The Player Music, 5am, Juice, and Devin Jones for knocking this opportunity out the park!

You made your folks and the city proud. Congrats!| Hip Hop. Education. Community. All of the Above. – Photos by Ozay Moore

AOTA Photo Friday

Photo by MIlesYoung Media

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