Denizens NYC is a freestyle street dance collective that makes space for dancers to build community and hone their craft. This November is our one year anniversary! We’ve spent the past 12 months hosting free dance sessions (The Den Freestyle Session) and guided labs (HONDEN Labs). Our members have created dance concept films, participated in performances, and competed in battles. Most importantly, we’ve grown together as dancers and as members of this special and welcoming community.

During our second year, we plan to expand across the US and internationally. We’ve already built a community of dancers with members in Switzerland, Spain, and many other countries who share progress videos and training prompts virtually via WhatsApp.

In order to increase visibility and keep our members connected around the globe, we create and sell Denizens merchandise. These hoodies, shirts, kimonos, pants, and more are for dancers and for supporters alike.

The funds from this fundraiser will go to merchandise operations to allow us to share our brand, practice and performances spaces, and equipment to make more short visual pieces. We keep our sessions free so that even dancers who can’t afford studio classes can attend. This fundraiser will allow us to keep operational costs down, and keep growing our community.

About Denizens NYC

THE DEN, the name of our session, stands for Transparent Healing Exchange to Discover Explore Navigate. We believe in giving dancers of all styles the tools to improve their dance via movement, musicality, and character practice. We dance to all types of music and welcome dancers from all backgrounds.

We’ve divided our efforts into phases.

Phase I - Genesis

Establishing a social presence and recruiting a small number of members through consistency of hosting sessions and supporting other dance events and organizations. Wearing our apparel while hitting those marks over time piqued the interest of both locals and newcomers. Developing unique graphic design for our event posters and promotional methods that allow the circulation of otherwise unseen talent to be presented to communities they havent met yet both locally and internationally.

It all came down to setting the tone of this is who we are and what we do, not just for ourselves but also for you.

Phase II - The Local Initiative was all about doubling down hard on our support of the community that we are in. Recruiting even more members to create a sense of family both immediate and distant (as some members are less available but still active) and to connect those members as well as guests to other systems styles and scenes simultaneously happening, such as; E.mb.ody - A waving collective of exceptionally skilled dancers that host classes workshops events and more

Cultura Cypher - A hiphop focused space to session and socialize weekly

Stuytown Breakdown - Another open styles training and sessioning space with guided lab-work weekly

DICE - An event organization hosted by Jungle, an upcoming high profile trailblazing figure in the world of house dance culture . With battles, parties, & picnics he helps foster unity in his corner as well.

And let’s not forget people like Big Mike (popping master) who teaches at PMT studios & BDC

Future Kelly (waving & house master) who teaches at PJM studios

As well as tutelage from favored and proficient mentors like Byron Cox II, B. Polite, & Kinen

The goal was concrete expanse on network, visibility, training/dancing routes to strengthen social bonds and fully establishing foundation.

Phase III - The Global Initiative phase that is fast approaching/ we are currently in is taking that expansion even further beyond NYC. The lofty goal is to delegate elected leaders in different states and even cities within countries to host THE DEN session and begin gathering collectives and reconnecting everyone to the centralized event happening in NYC. This will allow places that are unfamiliar with the culture of freestyle/cyphers to share the love and camaraderie even across state lines, even across oceans. Absolute establishment within studio spaces would also lead to opportunities where representatives from the central group could travel to other states and countries to oversee the operation and deepen the roots of the exchange. Together we can build a worldwide network that inspires, uplifts, and empowers dancers & artists directly rather than through intangible means like internet fame or celebrity status which evokes worship and praise rather than connectivity and social engagement. Our merchandise is undergoing its first design upgrade as well as the grand launch of GAIDEN FILMS a subsidiary department of Denizens similar to HONDEN and THE DEN sessions focusing on the high quality capture of dance for social media reels, short films, and portfolio.

There is so much in store and as you know it is an expensive and effort-filled venture but well worth the positive impact it makes on the people around for a better united tomorrow.

About our anniversary party

We’re throwing a party! On November 19th at Jupiter Disco in Brooklyn NY, we’re welcoming all dancers and supporters to celebrate Denizens NYC entering our second year. Come vibe to multiple genres of music (hip hop, electronic, house, and more) and celebrate the NYC dance community with us!

Want to learn more about us?

Follow us on instagram @denizens.nyc

No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe.