All of the Above
Hip Hop Academy
Monthly Newsletter: August 2023
50 Years of Hip Hop
This month, Hip-Hop turns 50!
The impact it had in the past directly influences the future. Hip-hop is deep with emotion and light with humor...strong with activism and fun with battles in all elements...full of Social Emotional Learning aspects and broad with intent and meaning.
Yes, its stage is epic like at the Grammys, but it also mindfully reaches into the nooks and crannies of cities, homes, and individual hearts and minds.
It truly is all of the above...I don't say that as a funny pun, although if it makes you smile a little that's great too. If the past 50 years have taught us anything it's that the next 50 will be driven by the youth of our communities. We're so grateful to be a part of its impact here in Lansing, MI.
Even though the official birthday is August, 11th, this year, AOTA will be celebrating at the Cap City Breakin Jam on August 5th.
Thank you for partnering in this by donating, volunteer support, and sharing AOTA with your friends!
~ Carla Brooks
Marketing Coordinator // Events Committee
Program Announcements
Fall Classes
Image Credit: Amber Rose Photography LLC
We never like typing the words "summer is almost over" but fall classes always get us excited for the season change-up!
This session, we anticipate meeting new faces as we start this year out with several Back-to-School events and assemblies.
Classes resume the first week of October and registration will open mid-August!
Community Engagement
Cap City Breaking Jam
See you this weekend!
Click here for the event schedule, to register, and more details about workshops and special guest judges and Dj's!
FREE to attend!
$10 to compete!
New merch will be available along with posters from the jam!
Special thanks to our venue partner, The Lansing Shuffle. Their food vendors and beverage bar have so many delicious options including some allergy-friendly and preference choices.
Ozay at Lansing Rotary
Ozay Moore was a guest speaker at The Lansing Rotary recently. Here's what he had to say:
"Had the privilege of sharing space with these three phenomenal women. Sen. Sarah Anthony, Barb Whitney, and Rebecca Bahar-Cook at the Lansing Rotary International luncheon this past Friday. These three powerhouses are diligently working to build and strengthen the city of Lansing through the support of the arts, resource development, and advocacy on behalf of the people who call the 517 home. Thank you! I spoke on the service nature of Hip Hop Culture and the work we do at ALL OF THE ABOVE HIP HOP ACADEMY. Shout outs to my esteemed guest and AOTA comrades Tony Willis, Cristian Sanchez-Lambaren, Sam Herig, and Anthony Jones."
- Ozay Moore
Grants
We want to thank the Capital Region Community Foundation for supporting this year’s Cap City Breaking Jam. They have awarded us $4,000 to activate the Downtown Lansing Riverfront with a vibrant and culturally rich experience for the whole community.
Cap City Breaking Jam draws dancers from all over the country and showcases the talent of all ages. We are so grateful for the continued support to collaborate with them in creating a positive impact in our region and beyond!
AOTA Sneaker Gala
You're invited to All of the Above's inaugural Sneaker Gala!
October 20th, 2023 from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Cadillac Room.
We've worked out a few glitches and it's ready for you now. So sorry for any inconvenience an error issue may have caused you. Find sponsorship options and purchase tickets here.
Here's what you can expect at the Sneaker Gala Event:
Attendees will rock formal attire complete with their favorite pair of sneakers. The meal will be provided by Tantay with GF and vegetarian options.
There will be performances from our instructors and participants, fresh decor, a custom AOTA Sneaker raffle/auction, a live Dj, stories, videos, some vision casting, and The Trilogy as our house band for the night!
It's going to be bananas!
We are blessed to have you as a part of the AOTA community and look forward to seeing you there.
TEAM Highlight
When we think of Young, we think of balance. He has an unbelievable way of bringing so much fun, light, and good energy to a classroom (or any room for that matter) but he also brings structure, practice, and focus. All of which can be quite difficult when it comes to working with youth, ages ranging between 5 - 17!
We pinch ourselves at the fact that Young has been the backbone of our Breaking program for close to 10 years and is still able to say he's ready for more!
You make it look easy, Young, but we know it is absolutely not and that you've put many years of training into practice. Your intention is not lost on us.
We celebrate you, Young, and seemed fitting to say it publicly as we head into the Breaking Jam this weekend which you've helped plan as well! Thank you for all you do and the positive ways you impact the AOTA families and beyond!
#Build517
Thank you so much to our supporters, sponsors, and community partners!
We will never stop saying THANK YOU for your support because our gratitude is ever-present!
Let's continue to #build517 together with three ways to give:
Volunteer: Fill out the volunteer form and get involved with events in the community.
Spread the Word: Hit forward on this email and send to a friend who'd like to know about what we're doing.
Donate: Buy a ticket to the gala, give a one-time gift, or become a monthly donor.
Old school appreciation, new school application.
#EachOneTeachOne
#Build517
