A TRIBE is born
Pasadena’s Athletic Garage studio provides a healthy outlet for kids who just gotta dance
By Kristy Lucero 07/17/2008
When kids think of summer vacation many imagine unending free time, which includes catching up on their favorite TV shows and advancing to the next level of their favorite video games. This is not the case for the 18 members of TRIBE Dance Troupe, the newest hip-hop dance group to form at the Athletic Garage in Pasadena. These kids are using their love for dance as an outlet for their energies and a stepping stone to greater things.
“Can we stay another hour?” ask 10 of the members as their weekly Friday practice comes to an end. Although these kids who range in ages from 10 to 16 have all been practicing nonstop for a little over an hour, their enthusiasm is unwavering. “I think when you love something you don’t mind working hard for it,” says Melissa, age 14, “I find dancing more fun than other things.”
Unlike many other kids their age, the members of TRIBE seem very mature about their hobby and take direction from their instructors Aukai Cain and Dine’ Walton without second-guessing themselves. “The kids love structure and form, and they want to be told what to do — they like it,” says Cain, the lead choreographer. “They don’t question it the way adults might.”
Adds Walton, the assistant choreographer, “These kids love to dance. It doesn’t matter what their ability is when they start out, but it’s really their motivation that makes the difference.”
TRIBE dance troupe formed in March when Athletic Garage founder Sandy Portero saw how dedicated the kids were to learning hip-hop after a performance at Kidspace’s annual Pumpkin Festival. “The choreographer [Cain] couldn’t make it to the performance because of car trouble, but the kids told me ‘we can do it, we know this,’” recalled Portero, “and they were able to do it anyways — they were so good. After that, I decided I needed to make a dance team. And TRIBE was born.”
Since its formation, TRIBE has already performed in at least one show per month, which reflects the group’s dedication. “They really want to be in this industry,” says Cain.
Says Portero, “A dancer’s life is very short — by the age of 27 usually your dance career is over. … That’s why it’s best to get out there at 17 or 18 and really work your hardest to make it in the industry.”
At 16 and younger, the members of TRIBE are hoping that through their early performance experience they can learn some of the moves needed to make it in the professional dance world.
“They see what I do and they want to be professional dancers,” says Cain, who is an award-winning dancer and has choreographed shows for various hotels in Las Vegas, as well as for Clay Aiken’s “Invisible” video. “I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to be in this industry,” she says.
While most of the kids have aspirations of taking their dance careers pro, others are part of the team simply because dancing is their passion. Alyssa, age 10, says, “I dance because I love to do it and I’ve been doing it since I was 2.”
“We take anyone who’s really motivated to come and we train them to dance regardless of level,” says Portero, “although level does determine what performances they can participate in.”
Portero says that the troupe’s goal is to give everyone a chance to perform, but the dancers must earn that chance by practicing and staying dedicated. She feels that a dancer should always strive for improvement. “We try to teach [the kids] to accept the fact that they will always have some work to do, so they can take criticism and work on it,” she says. “I don’t think it’s necessarily unmotivating a child to say ‘look, you’re good, but you can be better.’”
“We always let the kids know that having fun is really what dance is all about,” says Walton, a former member of the Huron Dance Co. who also performs regularly with the Groovaholix All-Female Dance Company.
“Dancers are like artists,” adds Portero. “They don’t dance for the money; they dance because they love it.”
And that love is apparent when watching how dedicated the kids are to learning their steps and improving their moves.
Asked if she ever feels intimidated by other dancers, Melissa, 14, is quick to answer. “Not at all,” she says. “If someone really amazing walked into class and got all the moves down the first time just by watching, I’d be more impressed than intimidated.”
This kind of maturity is what aids the members of TRIBE in gaining the confidence needed to perform at higher levels. “Kids are more willing to learn and they have no fear and no shame,” says Cain.
“It’s so incredibly stimulating to watch young kids find their passion,” continues Portero, “and here they don’t have to be afraid to make a mistake, they don’t have to be afraid to look dumb. We just want them to try. Try, fail, try, fail, try, and you will succeed.”
The Athletic Garage is located at 121 Waverly Drive in Pasadena. For more information about classes, call (626) 229-9769 or visit their Web site at www.athletic-garage.com. To book TRIBE for a performance, contact Ridini Entertainment at (818) 884-0104.
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