Did you know that back in 2010-12, Neighborhood Ministries was home to a hip-hop dance class? Yup. Hip-hop dance, and it was a good one. The class was the brainchild of Alice and Sheryl Cooper, Kit Danley and a talented instructor named Hodgie Jo.
In 2012, the program was put on hold, but there’s always been hope that it’ll come back. Today, that reality is here, Hodgie Jo is bringing dance back to Neighborhood Ministries! But who’s Hodgie Jo?
As a young Korean immigrant of the 1970s, he faced bullying and prejudice throughout his public-school experience. After being removed from two high schools by his sophomore year, he found himself at Washington High, the near outskirts of Phoenix at the time. This was the late 1970s and hip-hop was just starting to permeate American culture. Love it or hate it, Hodgie was a dynamic early adapter. Blending these new moves with his martial arts training, his style became more and more theatrical, including performances with flaming nunchucks!
Today, Hodgie is investing his incredible talent in our kids. Nobody gets the kids moving like Hodgie! He’s funny, demanding and extremely certain that YOU can stick the move. The benefits for our kids are enormous: exercise, expression, education, teamwork and just good ol’ fashioned FUN! All of us at Neighborhood Ministries are looking forward to the fruits of Hodgie’s labor.