By Michelle Terronez/reporter

Students from various dance backgrounds gathered in the South Campus gymnasium Thursday evening for the Hip Hop Residency with Ephrat Asherie, noted artist.

After participating in class sessions with her Feb. 6, students met with Asherie for one final lesson before she returned to New York. And this time they learned the art of breaking.

Dancing with Asherie gave the students an encounter with something new and different.

Guest artist Asherie, co-founder of Dance for Peace: One Step at a Time, complimented the group.

“Everyone was open,” she said. “People from all different parts of the college brought their own expressiveness to the dance floor.”

The class consisted of students taking hip-hop, ballet and jazz as well as a few members of Velocity, the South Campus dance team.

Gypsy Ingram, South Campus associate professor of dance, said the event was a reminder of how universal dance is with people in other parts of the world dancing at the same time as those in Fort Worth.

“It connects you to something really cool and really global, and, for tonight, we got a little glimpse of that,” she said.

The break dance class began at 6 p.m. with a small group of students learning basic moves, such as kick-outs from center court to the goal, and ended at 8 p.m. with twice as many students break dancing to an entire song.

The class left some students feeling confident in their dancing, especially their break dancing, while others chose to leave the break dancing to Asherie. 

Student Jessica Turner said the evening was intense and full of energy.

“The experience is hype,” she said.

But as for becoming a professional break dancer after three hours of class, Turner chooses to lean toward choreography, leaving the break dance profession to Asherie.

Dance for Peace: One Step at a Time, a non-profit organization specializes in bringing dance to urban areas. To find out ways to become involved, contact Asherie via Myspace at http//: www.myspace.com/ephrat.