We are so excited to bring you a Women’s History Month screening of our Bgirl Documentary on March 17th at the Legendary Nuyorican Poets Cafe from 6-830p with special guests Sha Rock ( who is a pioneer MC and Bgirl) and just confirmed Aiko Shirakawa who is featured in the film as a pioneer from the West Coast as a Popper and Locker!
It has been a while since our team has been able to get together but the pandemic really had an impact on our daily and monthly operations since 2020. We are happy to see so many Bgirls are active and preparing to enter the Olympic arena for Paris 2024!!!
It is the 50th anniversary of Hip hop and we are elated to screen this film in the birthplace during Women’s History Month at the Legendary Nuyorican Poets Cafe that is presently under the leadership of Caridad De La Luz / La Bruja! Hats off to her!
If you want to screen this film any time this year or beyond, do not hesitate to contact us here!
We are happy to partner with local dance groups like Bgirl Herstory, Cuda Culture and NYC Bgirl Sessions! Shout to Momma’s Hip hop Kitchen who always repped in March in the Bronx and always donated some of their funds to our yearly fund raising campaigns!!!!!
Back in 2006, our film was still a set of mini DV tapes in Bgirl Rokafella’s universe. A grant award from the Ford Foundation made travels across the US possible with a camera woman (Nadia Halgren/Jaquita Ta’le) and Kwikstep. We encountered different events that helped to expose and share the B girl lifestyle. By August, stops at Minneapolis, Miami and San Jose were already bringing Graffiti artists, MC’s and other female Hip hop practitioners to join into discussions and jams. Still ahead on the horizon were events in Chicago and Atlanta. A call came in from Martha Cooper to let Rokafella know Lincoln Center Out of Doors envisioned female Breakers on their stage to mark the anniversary of the legendary battle between the NYC Breakers and Rocksteady Crew in August. Bgirls from the UK were invited to battle local Bgirls on the specially built stage with a female DJ and hosts. 2 on 2 teams signed up and the judges included OGs and iconic dancers from NYC.
A full sized crowd turned up and as the clouds gathered the final 2 on 2 battle happened and the NYC Fox Five Crew won the 1st prize and the UK crew performed came in 2nd. Teams from NYC and New Jersey also did their best moves!
We wanted to let you know the journey has been amazing and it has only begun to be celebrated globally with the journey to the Olympics. Red Bull had their first top 16 Bgirl battle in 2018. Please check out the preliminary battles in Zurich hosted by our very own Bgirl Rokafella. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxkwhALI3qM
Internationally Bgirls have made their presence and contributions known range from the UK’s young B girl Terra to California’s Asia One hosting a virtual Bboy Summit event in 2020. Some Bgirls have created lanes as commentators while others are teaching as professors and some have created support groups for promoting mental health and self defense like Bgirl Rockill with the Bgirl Cypher– on IG @thebgirlcypher
Below is a video Bgirl Rockill produced and edited to raise awareness in the Street dance community about Sexual harassment and the need for it to be resolved.
We will soon be releasing an interview with Bgirl Mantis and Bgirl Ntegrity and continue with Bgirl Peppa from California. Please stay tuned and keep your eye out for more as we build out “All The Ladies Say” Bgirl media platform.
NJPAC will share our film with their dance students for Women’s History Month so stay tuned for other activities coming up. Thank you for your support and if you want to donate you can send it to PayPal @FCS360 or fullcirclesoul@hotmail.com
Thank you to Melissa Ulto for her media talents and her support to this day. Photo is by Melissa at the Bronx Museum of Arts for the launch in 2009.
The day long streaming and interview with Champ Aiko Melissa and Rokafella was a success. Many people were able to see the film and listen to the journey of our cast and team members. So many people are not aware of the underground life of female Hip hop dance masters. Melissa was able to share how the film world is also challenging for women who make films to find success. We want to thank Third World Newsreel for sharing their platform with us. Thank you Melissa Ulto for her undying dedication to this film through the years. She designed this new website and edited the film and hosted our Zoom and Facebook TWN interview. She truly is a visionary mutli faceted media master.
There were some of our cast members who were not able to join the Saturday Reunion so we will be planning a second one for October.. most likely Sunday. We were happy to enjoy the presence of Aiko, Severe, Mantis, Baby Love, Frak ( who joined us all the way from France), GI Jane, Asia One, Bongo Roc and Candy B! Many of the topics spontaneously discussed were as relevant back in the day as they are today. We hope that our community can heal and grow beyond the difficult issues that frustrated so many of our talented dance family members in the past.
Here is a link to the music video produced by Violeta Galagarza who is a cast member of our film project and a pillar inour NYC dance community holding on to a dance program for 30+ years in East Harlem called Keep Rising to the Top (KR3Ts). She wanted to honor NYC’s underground sisters who have always repped for the dance community regardless how the main stream media has not always uplift their work or journey. She also wanted to give tribute to Marjory who has passed on to the next realm but she will never be forgotten. Violet’s IG is @violet_K3Ts
Please stay tuned for more activities and events. please check for daily updates on our IG @alltheladiessay
