Breaking through: Class aims to teach hip-hop dance techniques, confidence

When Anthony Kobak walked into On Cue Performing Arts Studio, the 17-year-old stood out from the other students. It was his first time attending a dance class, and his classmates were all at least five years younger than he.

The young dancers had gathered for their weekly Fingerprint Junior class -- a class of b-boy and b-girl dancers, also known as breakdancers.

While the age difference between Anthony and his fellow dancers may have discouraged some teenagers, Anthony found common ground with them using the ground beneath him.

As he balanced on his palms with his chest to the ceiling, Anthony's legs whipped through the air, while the rest of his body spun inches from the floor. Anthony had just performed a flare, a b-boy power move.

When Anthony's body came to a stop, his new dance crew was already trying to imitate the move.

Dance instructor and Fingerprint founder Michael Curry coaches Everett Motley, 9, through a breakdancing exercise Sept. 27 at On Cue Performing Arts Studio in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

Moments like these, of collaboration and creativity, led On Cue dance instructor Micheal Curry to create the Fingerprint Junior class.

Curry went into his freshman year at Southeast Missouri State University in 2013 with plans for fancy footwork on the football field until his left side went numb during a summer workout. Soon after, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Unable to return to football, Curry began to re-evaluate his future.

"I went into a deep depression, and dance was like my outlet out of depression," Curry said. "It helped me gain more confidence about myself and about life."

As his passion for the art form grew, Curry changed his major to dance and networked with other dancers to form his first Fingerprint group with members of the campus dance community.

Mariana Collins, 12, does a cartwheel during a breakdancing class Sept. 27 at On Cue Performing Arts Studio.BEN MATTHEWS

Now an instructor at On Cue, Curry created another dance group for younger b-boys and b-girls -- Fingerprint Junior.

The class combines creativity with discipline through improvised, freestyle dancing and grueling b-boy conditioning exercises before concluding with a practice dance battle.

The in-class practice battles aim to prepare the Fingerprint Junior dancers for competitions, where students dance individually.

"You get to be free all the time," 7-year-old Fingerprint Junior dancer Christopher Guada said. "Like, you get to have a lot of room to just work around and get your wiggles out."

Jason Zhang, 7, performs a headstand during a breakdancing class Sept. 27 at On Cue Performing Arts Studio in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

Christopher recently secured his first win at a large competition in a b-boy battle at Washington University in St. Louis. After winning third place overall, Christopher was so happy, he cried.

While Christopher and other dancers spent the in-class practice battle performing power moves or freezes, the only girl in the class, Mariena Collins, 12, used her acrobatic skills to set herself apart.

"If you progress, you understand that someone might be better than you. But at the same time, you're better than them at something else. Like, Yan's really good at b-boy, and I'm not that good at b-boy, but I like to try. And that's what the battles are all about -- to try and progress and try new things," Mariena said. "Like, if I can do tumbling and not most of the guys there, or girls, can do tumbling, I'd probably throw that in there because it shows that I'm unique and original -- as Fingerprint is called."

bmatthews@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3652