Chosen Dance Company

Chosen Dance Company’s Mission Statement: “To create and present dance works using Hip-Hop as the foundation of movement, without the use of explicit content, providing entertainment from this exciting dance genre that is suitable for all audiences.”

Chosen Dance Company is a Hip hop dance company out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Chosen Dance Company was founded in 2001, and has promoted its mission through concert works and in presentations at schools, beginning with the Adelaide Festival of Arts in Australia. In 2006, The Prince Music Theater presented Chosen's first theater-length performance piece, called "From tha Hip". It was inspired by the immigrant life of Founder/Artistic Director, Clyde Evans Jr. and the influence Hip hop had on his integration into American society by giving him a way to belong. It used the vocabulary of hip-hop movement to tell the story in an artistic and engaging way, and used the original live music and performing abilities of the rap/rock group Subliminal Orphans to provide a uniquely exciting performance.

In March of 2007, Chosen's website was updated and relaunched by Zerflin as a portal not only for their members, but also as a place to show off their work though videos and photography.

In May and June of 2007, "Look Ma'…No Feet" premiered at The Wilma Theater for the prestigious DanceBOOM Festival called "Men Dancing", and gave a whole new look at the use of Hip-Hop to tell a story.

In 2008 Chosen announced the debut of its repertory work "Hip-Hop with a Conscience". This collective of works combines the many familiar facets of Hip-Hop into an evening of enlightenment, from the poetry to the traditional movement of Popping, Locking, Breakin', Hip Hop, and House that are utilized throughout the show to challenge the viewer's thinking about the hip-hop culture of today.

Chosen's commercial work includes an NFL Super Bowl XL spot.

In June 2008, Chosen Dance Company members (Jon, lil o', and SmartMark), accompanied Repstyles Crew members (Rukkus, and Blao) and Riot from Face Da Phlave, have come together to represent Philadelphia on MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew (Season 2)” as Phresh Select. As individuals, the members of Phresh Select have all taught in Philadelphia schools, and are dedicated to being positive influences and role models, using hip-hop as a medium to communicate tolerance and respect.

Sources

Chosen Dance Company Site. www.chosendance.com/. 23 June 2008. [http://www.chosendance.com/.]
First hand interview with Artistic Director and Founder Clyde Evans
Chosen Dance Company Myspace Page. www.myspace.com/chosendance/. 23 June 2008. [http://www.myspace.com/chosendance/.]

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