Event Recap:
On behalf of all of us at Rae Studios’ More Than Movement, we want to say thank you for attending The Art of Turfing with Turfing Pioneer Scorpion (he/him). We are grateful for our students who experimented with a new style and learned more about its rich roots and culture. Thank you to Scorpion for sharing your expertise in and passion for Turfing.
What is Turfing?
Turfing is a street dance form that was born in West Oakland, California in 1998. The name Turfing means “taking up room on the floor,” which was coined by Jeriel Bey, one of the pioneers of Turfing and founder of The Artchiteckz. Turfing gained more recognition after the 2009 release of YAK Films’ “Dancing in the Rain” video on YouTube.
The Turfing movement utilizes Boogaloo, Gliding, and Popping. Turfing is distinct from other dance forms in the smooth transition between moves and its use of storytelling. Scorpion says that turfing is “a way of life, not something you do. It’s in you, not on you.” The music is based on the Hyphy Movement, a Bay Area culture that emerged in the early 2000s. You can stream Turfing music here.
On behalf of all of us at Rae Studios’ More Than Movement, we want to say thank you for attending The Art of Turfing with Turfing pioneer Jamauny “Scorpion” Belton (he/him). This was Scorpion’s first all-women class! We deeply appreciate all of the students that swagged it out throughout the Turfing workshop. Thank you to Scorpion for sharing your passion for Turfing.
Scorpion stacked various Turfing fundamentals with great energy and enthusiasm. After breaking down the fundamentals, Scorpion and our dancers came together for a cypher to close out the movement portion of the workshop. Scorpion even showcased his signature move “The Insect.” We loved seeing our students put their style into the Turfing moves, such as:
Kick Out
The Busta
Brookfield
The Oakland Drop
Backward Cliffhanger
The Dopey Dip
Stutter Walk
West Oakland Shake
Storytelling
After the cypher, we joined Scorpion for a Q&A session about his dance journey, his hopes for the future of Turfing, and how our students can support the Turfing community. Scorpion’s goal for Turfing is to see it go global!
You can find Scorpion’s resources and more on our More Than Movement Resource Google Document.
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Credits:
Our Teacher: Jamauny “Scorpion” Belton (he/him)
Event Staff: Lexi (she/her) and Kristie (she/her) of the More Than Movement Committee for hosting the event and taking photos and videos.
Operations Team: Jessica (she/her), Kevin (he/him), and Andy (he/him) behind the scenes
Photos/Video found here! Tag: @raestudiossf , @scorpionthedanceemcee , and @lexinut7 (event photographer/videographer) #MoreThanMovement
-Past Event Workshop-
About the workshop: In this workshop, dancers will learn the art of Turfing, a street style born in Oakland, California! Learn about the origins of Turf dancing and its pioneers, history, and essence from Turfing pioneer, Scorpion (he/him). This class will include a breakdown of Turfing foundations, a freestyle session, and a Q&A at the end of the workshop.
Date: Saturday, February 12th, 2022 | 1:00pm- 3:00pm PT
Location: Rae Studios, 414 Mason St. 705, San Francisco, CA 94102 and Online livestream via ZOOM
Hosted by the More Than Movement Committee. Learn more about their work.
Tickets: Register on Eventbrite or using your MindBody App.
Tickets: Register on Eventbrite or using your MindBody App.About Scorpion:
Jamauny Belton AKA Scorpion (he/him) is a pioneer of Turfing. With thirteen years of street dancing experience, Scorpion has trained with street dance legends in Turf, Bone Breaking, Gliding, Contortionism, Waving, Capoeira, and Tai Chi.
Scorpion has performed and battled at hundreds of events around the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Memphis, New Jersey, and Hawaii. Scorpion has been featured on So You Think You Can Dance and The George Lopez Show, as well as World of Dance Bay Area and DAMsf.
Watch some of his raw performances:
Tickets: Register on Eventbrite or using your MindBody App.Ticketing is a suggested price tier based on income:
A sliding scale is a tool for building economic justice. If implemented effectively, everyone pays a similar percentage of their income for the same produces or services.
Annual Income | Suggested payment |
Under 25K | $10 |
25K-50K | $20 |
Over 50K | $30 |
Registration and proof of vaccination are required for this event.
Eventbrite: https://art-of-turfing.eventbrite.com
Tickets: Register on Eventbrite or using your MindBody App.Tickets: Register on Eventbrite or using your MindBody App.
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