Bring It On (17 page)

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Authors: Jasmine Beller

BOOK: Bring It On
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“You should come,” Emerson said.
“I could eat a slice.” Devane held up one finger. “But know this. I'm going to do whatever it takes to get off probation. And I'm going to do whatever it takes to get myself a solo in the Disney World show.”
“
Whatever
it takes?” Emerson repeated. Had she been wrong about Devane actually getting it?
“Not like that,” Devane said. “I just mean that I'm going to work my butt off. Every class I'm going to bring it. So I'm warning you now, both of you—and everybody else in this locker room—you better bring it, too, if you don't want to end up as one of Divine Devane's backup dancers.”
Emerson nodded. “Consider it brought.”
DEF-INITIONS
1990:
A rotating handstand.
Bronco:
A move where the dancer falls to his/her hands, kicks up the feet, then jumps back up to a standing position.
Clowning:
A mix of popping, locking, break dancing, and African tribal dance.
Cross-legged flare:
A more difficult version of a flare done with crossed legs.
Eggbeater:
A sustained backspin with legs in the air and hands high on the hips.
Flare:
A move where the dancer is on the floor with the weight on his/her hands and swings the legs in big circles in front of and behind the arms.
Float:
The dancer balances on his/her hands with the body horizontal (legs sometimes bent).
Kip up:
A move where the dancer is flat on his/her back, rolls backward, kicks out the feet, and lands upright.
Locking:
A jerky style where dancers move through a series of ultra-quick poses.
Popping:
A style where dancers move through poses in a more fluid way than in locking.
Slide:
Sliding across the floor on some part of the body.
HIP HOP KIDZ
®
Wassup, Peeps?
I've been in Hip Hop Kidz for about 4 years now. I'm currently 17 years old. Thinking back, I have had some awesome times with HHK, like the time we went to Connecticut to perform in their annual parade, or when we were invited to be in the Miami segment of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and all those trips to New York. Even the local events are cool because I enjoy what I do and I get to do it with people I love.
 
When I first started with HHK I was about 13 years old and I was an okay dancer . . . okay, let me stop lying . . . I was bad (haha). I felt very self-conscious about it—kind of the way a lot of the kids in the book feel about certain things. Like the way Sophie feels about her weight, Emerson feels about being rich, and Devane feels about being poor. I guess it's natural to feel like you're different from everyone else in the beginning. But my instructors, Dee and Suzy, encouraged me to stay with HHK because they saw that I had potential.That was around the same time that my family wasn't doing its best financially. But Suzy believed in me and allowed me to be on a full scholarship. Through the years, I worked really hard and got better and better and moved up the ladder until I reached where I am now—“The Professionals.” (Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?) One thing that I can say for sure is that if it wasn't for Suzy's encouragement, I would not be doing the things I do today.
 
Besides everything I do with HHK, I have also branched off to do other stuff with the entertainment “ biz.” I have performed in many live music award shows, modeled and acted in commercials, and been in some music videos. And it all started because I was looking for a chance to make friends, get some exercise, and just be able to perform. I found all that and more through HHK. I have grown in my abilities, I make nice money for a teenager in “the biz,” and my mom, sister, and I live comfortably. I'm so glad I stuck with HHK, even though it was hard in the beginning. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't let feeling different get in the way of doing what you love.
 
Sean, age 17

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