Discovering the Beat: A Decade of Urban Movement Evolution
It’s easy to get lost in the rhythm of our everyday lives, but there’s always time to appreciate the art forms that make our world more vibrant. Over a decade ago, in February 2014, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, in partnership with the college’s School of Fine and Performing Arts and Radio Department, orchestrated a unique harmony of hip-hop music and house dance music workshops. In this post, we’ll journey to that time, revisiting the “B-Real: A Look Inside Urban Movements” initiative and highlighting how it has contributed to today’s dance scene in 2025.
“B-Real” was a two-week series of workshops, performances, and conversations that brought together local, national, and international hip-hop talents. At the heart of the event were presentations by Compagnie Käfig, a French hip-hop ensemble with Brazilian dancers, and Philadelphia breaker Raphael Xavier. This unique convergence provided Chicago ” target=”_blank”> and audiences with a multifaceted platform to explore and engage in Black dance forms.
Event Schedule
Over two weeks, a series of events unfolded, each one enriching the urban dance scene. Here’s a look back at the schedule:
February 17, 2014
A DanceMakers session featuring Mourad Merzouki, the artistic director of Compagnie Käfig, took place at the Old Town School of Folk Music.
February 18, 2014
Stage Two hosted a “One-on-One B-Boy Battle” with dancers from Compagnie Käfig.
February 21, 2014
A panel conversation titled “B-Boys B-Men: Moving With/In Our Masculinities,” featured Compagnie Käfig Artistic Director Mourad Merzouki, Philadelphia hip-hop Raphael Xavier, and Moncell “ill Kozby” Durden. This was followed by a Breakin’ Workshop with Raphael Xavier and a Funk &; Ol’ School Hip Hop Workshop with Moncell “ill Kozby” Durden.
February 22, 2014
A symposium titled “Dance Music Evolution: The History of House Music in Chicago,” showcased the history and evolution of house music in the city.
February 24, 2014
A Rap Battle with Raphael Xavier took center stage.
March 1, 2014
The event series concluded with AMPLIFY, a teen-oriented open-stage dance gathering with Raphael Xavier.
In 2025, we remember these pivotal moments in the history of urban dance and continue to celebrate the diversity and richness they brought to our dance floors.
#UrbanDance #MusicEvolution #BReal #DanceEvents #HipHopCulture
