Welcome to ‘Backstage Pass’, CultureWorks artoberVA blog series where we highlight the amazing organizations participating in this year’s artoberVA celebration. artoberVA 2024 is a month-long celebration of arts and culture in the region, featuring a variety of events and activities for everyone to enjoy. Today, we’re excited to introduce you to Richmond Urban Dance, a great group that is a partner organization the artoberVA All-Access Pay-What-You-Will event series!

About the Organization

CultureWorks: Can you tell us a bit about Richmond Urban Dance and its mission?

RUD: Richmond Urban Dance (RUD) started in 2015 with nothing more than a boombox, a few 8 counts of choreo, an open street corner and a desire to spark a new passion for dance in the city. Holding weekly street sessions in any open space available it quickly caught wind and sparked a fire that is still burning today. Currently located at The House. in Carver (right outside of VCU), RUD functions both as a top notch training facility as well as a ministry with a heavy focus on outreach. 

Our mission is to bring street style into the studio and showcase the raw talent and passion found in our community. To reflect our core values and create a positive and safe space for our dancers to grow their talents and become contributing members of our community. 

We have a weekly schedule full of drop-in classes, enrollment classes, pop-ups, and are home to numerous dance teams. From our youth enrollment classes to the crew at our weekly Seniors Hip Hop class, we really do believe there is something at RUD for everyone!

CultureWorks: How long has Bridge 9 been involved in the arts and culture scene in the region?

RUD: We started in January of 2015, so we are coming up on 10 years!

Spotlight on the Event

CultureWorks: What is the name of your event, and what can attendees expect?

RUD: Richmond Urban Dance’s week of PWYW classes will allow attendees to get a taste of all the drop in classes we have to offer. Register on the Eventbrite for the day(s) you plan to come, and that serves as your all-access pass to any classes happening in our studio that evening/morning! You can also register at the studio upon arrival. 

We have a variety of levels and styles so there is a little something for everyone! It will take place for the duration of one week so attendees have the opportunity to check out the entire schedule of classes (and our talented crew of instructors). Classes start with a warm up, followed by technique drills and/or learning of a choreography based in the class style. Every class and instructor is a little different, so we encourage you to try out as many as you can! 

Our weekly schedule includes Teen and Youth Hip Hop, House, Adult Beginner Hip Hop, Intermediate and Advanced Hip Hop, Seniors Hip Hop, K-Pop, Afrobeat, Street Jazz, Contemporary, Gospel, Tap, and Heels. Our specific class times and daily schedule can be found on the Eventbrite and our Instagram @richmondurbandance. 

CultureWorks: What inspired you to participate in this year’s artoberVA celebration?

RUD: artoberVA program season is such a fun time of year for the Richmond community. We really believe that collaboration is essential in the success of the arts, and CultureWorksVA has proven that. We really appreciate the ongoing support!

CultureWorks: Can you share some details about the date, time, and location of the event?

RUD: RUD hosts all of our classes at The House. at 900 Catherine Street. The renovated church is located in the Carver neighborhood and has a city vibe that the dancers love and find inspiration from. 

Classes will run Monday, October 7th - Thursday, October 10th from 5pm-8pm and on Saturday, October 12th from 8am-11am. Register for the day(s) you plan to attend on the Eventbrite, or you can register at the door!

Impact and Community Engagement

CultureWorks: How do you hope your event will impact the community?

RUD: We love to bring the community together and get people dancing. Whether you are looking to grow your skills, find a stress outlet, improve physical health, build community, or just have fun — dance is for you! Dance is for everyone! 

Overall it’s such a healthy outlet, and we believe that everyone is a dancer or will at least leave feeling like one.

CultureWorks: Can you share any stories or experiences from previous events that highlight the importance of arts and culture in our community?

RUD: Our annual I Am Hip Hop Dance Concert (IAHH) produced each spring is the highlight of our season. IAHH brings together artists across the Richmond region and beyond including DJ’s, emcees, rappers, musicians, videographers, photographers, choreographers, dancers, graphic designers, music producers, and more! It is a huge celebration that the community looks forward to every year.

This year we held our 6th IAHH event and had a lot of fun with our show theme of “VA Artists.” All of our music was selected from producers, songwriters, singers, and/or rappers with Virginia roots including Missy Elliot, Timbaland, Pharrell, and Boygenuis — we were so excited and honored to help showcase how much artistic talent has come from right where we are now. Last year, our IAHH5 theme was “Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop.” For each decade, we had a short video play before the set to help the audience understand the cultural influences and artists’ thinking during that period. There’s a lot of history and culture that comes with hip hop (and any art form), and our performances serve as a storytelling tool that makes us, and we hope the community, stop and reflect on the power of arts and culture. 

Getting Involved

CultureWorks: How can the community get involved or support Richmond Urban Dance during artoberVA?

RUD: We encourage everyone to try something new during artoberVA! We invite you to come to classes even if you are nervous, or even if you have no desire to dance. You are welcome to just observe, or take pictures and videos to share. The energy is infectious and you will leave happy that you came by!

CultureWorks: Where can people find more information about your event and Richmond Urban Dance?

RUD: Follow us on Instagram and Facebook or head over to our website at richmondurbandance.com

Closing Thoughts

CultureWorks: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about your event or your organization?

RUD: We are a 501c3 that offers scholarships and free programs for the Richmond community. We are in constant need of resources to fund those programs. For more info on how the public can get involved in our mission, contact info@richmondurbandance.com.

We are thrilled to have Richmond Urban Dance as a part of artoberVA 2024 and encourage everyone to attend their pay-what-you-will events. It’s a fantastic opportunity to experience the richness of our local arts and culture scene. Stay tuned for more interviews with other participating organizations, and don’t forget to check out the full calendar of events on our website.

Visit our artoberVA Event Calendar to explore all the exciting happenings this October. Don’t miss out on the chance to celebrate arts and culture with Bridge 9 Theater and many others!