O-pa welcomes legendary b-girl Ephrat Asherie, house and waacking icon Archie Burnett, and locker and funk dancer Flo Master to Omaha for a special residency centering street dance.
Events are Choose-What-You-Pay, open to the public, and designed for all skill levels:
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Nov. 2 – House Dance Workshop with Ephrat Asherie
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Nov. 4 – Lunch & Learn with Ephrat Asherie, Archie Burnett & Flo Master
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Nov. 4 – Locking & Party Dance Workshop with Flo Master
We sat down with dancer and O-pa Education Manager Aaron Derell Gregory to learn more about this iconic style and why it’s a good match for Omaha.
Q: Who is Ephrat Asherie and what is street dance?
A: Ephrat Asherie is a b-girl and choreographer who specializes in break dancing and house dance styles. Street styles are made up of various styles born out of the streets in marginalized communities. These styles include waacking, voguing, locking, popping, and many more.
Q: How did you learn about or meet Ephrat?
A: I first met her while taking her house class back in New York City, which was wild because she gave us a lot of floorwork, and I was still learning this style. I continued to see and interact with her throughout my time in New York.
Q: What does street dance look like here in Omaha?
A: In Omaha, hip hop classes have a presence in most studios, and we even have a few hip hop-based studios, but we don’t have a strong street dance scene here. I’ve been working closely with local street dancers to help revitalize the scene because it’s necessary, and I hope this residency will further that work.
Q: Can you tell us more about the other artists, Archie Burnett and Flo Master, and their involvement?
A: Absolutely! Archie Burnett is a legendary vogue, waacking, and house dancer from New York City. He’s widely known as the Grandfather of the House of Ninja. Flo Master is a dancer and martial artist from Maryland who’s best known for working with Usher and appearing in the dance films You Got Served and Step Up 2: The Streets.
Q: What can people expect at the workshops and what kind of experience do they need?
A: Attendees can expect exciting foundational learning of each style, and no experience is necessary. All skill levels are welcome!
