kidsqueaky:

There’s a movement going on to make hip hop a part of the dance curriculum at the University of California, Irvine. There are so many of us who are affected by hip hop and most of us do not realize it. Many of us say we like hip hop music, that we do hip hop dance, yet most of us do not know what real hip hop music is, or what real hip hop dance is. We all must learn about what we are listening to, what we are doing, the era we are living in.

UCI is—no doubt—one of the most dance-oriented campuses, but dance teams are restricted to practicing late into the night in parking structures when there are numerous dance rooms available for use. Dance teams represent UCI at numerous dance competitions all over California—some even outside California—yet the faculty—both on the main campus and in the dance department—are completely ignorant of these dance teams and show no support for them. The dance teams represent UCI with hardly any gain, except for the pride of representing their team and UCI.

Where is the support from the dance department? Why aren’t dance teams allowed to use the dance rooms? Why aren’t there history classes on the culture of hip hop, the culture that most dominates the campus?

Really think about these questions because it most likely affects you. You don’t need to be a dancer to love hip hop. You don’t have to love rap music to love hip hop. Hip hop is not limited to those things. It is dance, music, fashion, a lifestyle, life.

Hip hop is our culture and we deserve the opportunity to learn about it, to have an active role in its evolution, and become united under peace, love, unity, and respect through hip hop.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/legitimize-breakdance-and-hip-hop-at-uci.html