Dancers from the Chicago Multicultural Dance Center showed off their unique dance style that pairs ballet en pointe and hip hop on Good Morning America on Tuesday.
The style's creator Homer Hanz Bryant calls it "Hiplet," and he says he crafted it to remain relevant with younger dancers.
He told GMA "In order to stay relevant with young people, you have to do what they’re doing now." So he encourages his classically trained dancers, most of whom are Black, to dance with more fluid movement in toe shoes. He posts short videos to his Instagram account with music snippets from Megan Trainor and Jason Derulo.
Time Magazine reporter Maya Rhodan sat down with President Barack Obama and prima ballerina Misty Copeland for a conversation that covered several topics familiar to the pair who've reached the top of their professional fields.
During the 30 minute chat, the two delve deep into issues of gender, race and representation.
Misty notes that though she has faced incredible obstacles in the ballet world, they've only pushed her to work harder. In the conversation she says, "...it’s also allowed me to have this fire inside of me that I don’t know if I would have or have had if I weren’t in this field."
The two were also able to have a robust conversation about the ways that beauty standards cast aside women who don't fit into the mainstream ideal.
Misty says that her skin color and body type have often come under scrutiny. "I think that being in this position and showing that I can execute and do all of these things that it’s possible to have any skin complexion, to have a healthy body image for the ballerina body."
As a father of two, the President says he worries about the messages his teenage daughters receive. "It’s part and parcel of a broader way in which we socialize and press women to constantly doubt themselves or define themselves in terms of a certain appearance," he says. "And so Michelle and I are always guarding against that."
President Obama highlights the value of representation but underscores that the systems marginalized groups must navigate are fundamentally unfair, "But what we also have to remember is that the barriers that exist for them to pursue their dreams are deep and structural," he says.
IamDLOW's "Bet You Can't Do It Like Me" has inspired countless dancing videos on social media. Folks of all ages have Whipped, Hit the Quan, Sexy Walked etc and had a blast doing it.
What we haven't seen until now is gorgeous Black ballerinas putting their own spin on the dance craze. Watch as these girls hit the dances with incredible grace.
Bet you ain't seen pointe like this before lol. Caleb and Demi and their shenanigans Aaron Duplessis Cassandra Duplessis-Collins Betty Duplessis Dwight Collins Caleb Dowden
Posted by Tomica Duplessis on Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Misty Copeland is the author of a new children's book, "Firebird" wherein she guides a young aspiring ballerina to follow her dreams. She spoke with NPR about the inspiration behind her book, and why she continues to fight hard to make history in the world elite ballet world.
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" wherein she guides a young aspiring ballerina to follow her dreams. She spoke with NPR about the inspiration behind her book, and why she continues to fight hard to make history in the world elite ballet world.