Hip hop and breaking in Oakland

Step into the circle

Hip hop, breaking and house for ages 8 and up, in two rooms near Uptown. Try a class, then come to cypher night on the third Friday.

Try a class See the schedule

Teens in a circle cheering a dancer in the middle, with their coach at the edge

Classes

Three styles, one floor

Every style starts from the beginning, in groups by age.

Hip hop
Grooves, footwork and freestyle, taught in small steps that stack into a combination.
Hip hop classes
Breaking
Toprock, footwork and floor basics, built up slowly on mats.
Breaking classes
House
Fast, light footwork over house music, and the habit of never stopping.
House classes
Open class
A mixed-level class for ages 16 and up. Drop in with a pass; no experience needed.
See the schedule

The week

The class schedule

Pick a style, pick an age group, and find your night.

Fall session

MondayMon
- 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
  Hip hop
  Khalia Monrose · Room A
  Ages 8 to 11BeginnerOpenTry this class
- 5:45 pm – 6:45 pm
  Breaking
  Nico Magsaysay · Room B
  Ages 12 to 15BeginnerOpenTry this class
- 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
  House
  Khalia Monrose · Room A
  Ages 16 and upAll levelsOpenTry this class
TuesdayTue
- 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
  Breaking
  Nico Magsaysay · Room B
  Ages 8 to 11BeginnerOpenTry this class
- 5:45 pm – 6:45 pm
  Hip hop
  Keyshawn Irby · Room A
  Ages 12 to 15IntermediateWaitlistJoin the waitlist
- 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
  Open class
  Hip hop · Keyshawn Irby · Room A
  Ages 16 and upAll levelsOpenTry this class
WednesdayWed
- 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
  House
  Khalia Monrose · Room A
  Ages 8 to 11BeginnerOpenTry this class
- 5:45 pm – 6:45 pm
  House
  Khalia Monrose · Room A
  Ages 12 to 15BeginnerOpenTry this class
- 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
  Breaking
  Nico Magsaysay · Room B
  Ages 16 and upAll levelsOpenTry this class
ThursdayThu
- 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
  Hip hop
  Keyshawn Irby · Room A
  Ages 8 to 11IntermediateFull
- 5:45 pm – 6:45 pm
  Breaking
  Nico Magsaysay · Room B
  Ages 12 to 15IntermediateOpenTry this class
- 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
  Hip hop
  Keyshawn Irby · Room A
  Ages 16 and upAll levelsOpenTry this class
FridayFri
- 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
  Hip hop
  Khalia Monrose · Room A
  Ages 12 to 15BeginnerOpenTry this class
- 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
  Youth crew
  Hip hop · Keyshawn Irby · Room A
  Ages 12 to 15CrewOpenTry this class
SaturdaySat
- 10:00 am – 11:00 am
  Hip hop
  Khalia Monrose · Room A
  Ages 8 to 11BeginnerOpenTry this class
- 11:15 am – 12:15 pm
  Breaking
  Nico Magsaysay · Room B
  Ages 8 to 11BeginnerOpenTry this class
- 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
  House
  Khalia Monrose · Room A
  Ages 12 to 15IntermediateOpenTry this class
- 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
  Open class
  Hip hop · Keyshawn Irby · Room A
  Ages 16 and upAll levelsOpenTry this class

Sample classes.

Times change by session. The registration page has this week's.

Ways to join

Pick a way to come

Three ways to join, and none of them needs a contract. Our figures are on the registration page, and we are glad to talk them through by phone.

Open-class pass
Drop in to any open class, whenever you can make it. For ages 16 and up, and no experience needed.
- Any open class on the schedule
- Come when you can; no set night
- Teens 16 and up, adults and everyone between
Term:
Month to month
Cancellation:
One week's notice
Refunds:
Visits don't roll into the next month; ask us about a pause for travel or illness
Register
Weekly classes
Start here
One class a week in your age group for the whole session, with the same teacher and the same group.
- The same class, level and teacher all session
- Make-ups in another class at your level
- Cypher night and watch days
Term:
A session is 12 weeks
Cancellation:
One month's notice
Refunds:
A session in progress isn't refunded; tell us if something changes
Register
More than one class
Two or more classes a week in your age group, mixed across styles and billed together.
- Mix hip hop, breaking and house
- Billed monthly by autopay
- A second dancer in the family is handled differently
Term:
Session by session
Cancellation:
One month's notice
Refunds:
A session in progress isn't refunded; tell us if something changes
Register

Tuition depends on the class length, the age group and how many classes a week.

Every month

Cypher night

Once a month the whole floor opens. Dancers from every class, parents, friends and anyone curious stand in one circle and take turns in the middle.

Through the year

Third Friday of every month
Event
Cypher night
Doors at 7:30 pm. A DJ, an open floor and one circle anyone can step into. Families are welcome to watch from the benches.
Details
In May
Event
Showcase night
Dancers from every class show a piece they have been building all session.
Early September
First day
Fall session begins
Registration opens in August.

Sample dates.

The teachers

Meet the people on the floor

Seven teachers share the floor. These are the three you will meet first.

Keyshawn Irby
Director and hip hop teacher
Keyshawn grew up dancing at family cookouts and school talent shows in East Oakland, and opened Cypher to give younger dancers a floor of their own. He teaches the hip hop classes for ages 12 and up, the open classes and the youth crew.
Khalia Monrose
House and hip hop teacher
Khalia found house at an open floor in the East Bay and kept coming back. She teaches house for every age group and the younger hip hop classes, and she is usually the first face families meet at the front desk.
Nico Magsaysay
Breaking teacher
Nico started breaking in a high school club and still practices before every class he teaches. He teaches every breaking class, from the first toprock to the first freeze, and keeps the mats in order.

Questions parents and dancers ask

I've never danced. Can I come?

Yes. Every style starts at the beginning, and the first week of a session is made for people who have never done it. Pick the class for your age and we will take it from there.

How old does my child have to be?

Classes are for ages 8 and up. Dancers move between three age groups: 8 to 11, 12 to 15 and 16 and up. If your child is close to a line, tell us and the teacher will help place them.

What should we wear?

Clothes you can move in and clean sneakers that stay in the studio. Breaking is easier in long pants and a long-sleeve top. There are no costumes.

Do I stay while my child dances?

Parents of dancers 8 to 11 are welcome to wait on the bench outside Room A. Older dancers come in on their own. Watching a class is covered in the family policies.

What is cypher night?

A monthly night on the third Friday when the floor opens to everyone. Dancers take turns in the middle of a circle, and it is fine to pass. Families are welcome to watch.

How does tuition work?

It depends on the class length, the age group and how many classes a week. The tuition page explains it plainly, and our figures are on the registration page.

Try a class

Pick a class from the schedule and book on our registration page. Wear something you can move in; clean sneakers are all you need.

Try a class

Phone(510) 555-0106

HoursMon to Thu 3:30 pm to 9:30 pm Fri 3:30 pm to 10:00 pm Sat 9:30 am to 5:00 pm

Hip hop

Breaking

House

Open class

MondayMon

Hip hop

Breaking

House

TuesdayTue

Breaking

Hip hop

Open class

WednesdayWed

House

House

Breaking

ThursdayThu

Hip hop

Breaking

Hip hop

FridayFri

Hip hop

Youth crew

SaturdaySat

Hip hop

Breaking

House

Open class

Open-class pass

Weekly classes

More than one class

Cypher night

Showcase night

Fall session begins

Keyshawn Irby

Khalia Monrose

Nico Magsaysay

I've never danced. Can I come?

How old does my child have to be?

What should we wear?

Do I stay while my child dances?

What is cypher night?

How does tuition work?