About the crew
The Stick and Move Youth Crew is a youth dance crew and leadership program dedicated to empowering youth through the art of breakdance, acrobatics, popping, and choreography. The SMYC was designed for children for children who are passionately drawn to dance and a very strong desire to realize their potential as an artist. The teaching methodology at the core of the program was created with the participants' wholistic development in mind. So in addition to learning to perform the impressive movements of breakdance safely, the program is dense with transferable skills that can be applied across life. The SMYC a vehicle where young dancers can have fun with a supportive group of peers while developing into thriving professional level artists. Though we value the talent development aspect of the program, it's a co-product of the core priority, partnering with families in the effort to successfully enrich children's lives, helping them develop into good, well-rounded, responsible, healthy, independent people.
Participants engage in diverse activities that engage them both mentally and physically drawing interesting connections between their academic studies and dance, strengthening both their brains and brawn. Crew members work together on a variety of fun projects and educational/academic activities including Reading, Word searches, Writing, Mathematics, Drawing, interactive Group games, discussions, and more on the subjects of dance history, philosophy, geography, social studies etc. and experience the fun and enthusiasm of making art with old and new friends. Each session of the program come to enthusiastic finishes with Showcases and/or events in May, August, and December, in addition to the other performances and competitions through out the year. More details coming soon. Be sure to join our mailing list to stay updated on the coming events!
History
The Stick and Move Youth Crew is a Youth Breakdance Crew and Leadership Program. Founded by Jonathan St. Clair in 2010 the first youth crew members practiced with Stick and Move Dance Crew the professional dance company Jonathan directed from 2002-2012. The 2nd Generation of the crew was initiated in 2015 and training, performing, competing, and forging lasting friendships. With those members heading off to college, we started the 3rd generation of the SMYC in spring 2022.
About the Director
Jonathan St. Clair, an interdisciplinary artist, healthy lifestyles coach and youth development specialist, is the founder and director of the Stick and Move Youth Crew. Artistically he specializes in the foundational Hiphop dances of Breaking & Popping, Choreography, Acrobatics, Improvisation, Music production, and Spoken word. His artistic career spans over 28 years of experience in performing Arts and 22 years teaching locally in the midwest, nationally, and internationally. Throughout his career, Jonathan has worked to provide access to quality opportunities in the arts to the brilliant people inhabiting marginalized communities. Through his years of full time experience performing and teaching, he developed several methods to empower others, using art as a catalyst to bolster self confidence and a healthy self image. In addition to that, he found and refined several effective ways to motivate people to choose healthy lifestyle practices, develop critical thinking skills, social skills, leadership skills, and more all through professional level artistic training, helping to ignite their passion for life.
From 2002 - 2012 Jonathan served as Artistic & Executive Director of Stick and Move Dance Crew, a company of movement artists specializing in breakdance, acrobatics, choreography, popping, locking, power tumbling, improvisation, and comedy. During that time Jonathan established a cultural exchange program with Breakdance Project Uganda and held residence in Kampala Uganda, represented the USA performing at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai China, served as a Cultural Envoy with the USA State Department to Morocco, Algeria, and Pakistan, performing, teaching, and speaking, sharing the life skills & principles available through the American born Art form of Hiphop dance.
Click Play a watch InLight perform across America, Africa and Asia
Currently Jonathan is training the 3rd generation of the Stick and Move Youth Crew. In addition to that , directs the Breaking Department at the Hyde Park School of Dance and is developing a certification program to train instructors who aspire to teach breaking safely and effectively.