1. Designer: Tee the Creative | Artwork: Lucky Banks’ Just Shake single artwork cover | Design: Umbrella Man Drawing of K Shakes

2. Designer: Natalie Miccile | Flier Design: Jayy Wavy workshop with Slaughterhouse Boston

3. Designers: Maka and Kaka | Flier Design: Lady Slic workshop with Litefeet Intensive Prague (Czech Republic)

The first time that I heard the word Litefeet was during a panel discussion in Fall 2009. I asked a question about the history of Hip Hop Dance and the panelists responded by telling me about its future instead. They described a new iteration of Hip Hop Dance from uptown; that was footwork heavy, involved a chant, “No MUSIC,” and was performed to a dynamic series of clave patterns clapped out by the audience. 

Dance civilians (the general population) usually experience the hype or the flashy elements of Litefeet first. When people think of Litefeet they most often associate it with hitters on the train (“It’s Showtime dancers”) or the song “Chicken Noodle Soup.” I had the access & luck to bear witness to Litefeet during its era as a recreational youth activity while it was being practiced and developed in Harlem. In April 2010, my “dance nephew” K Slicc (Kinen) invited me to accompany him and his team (Rocket) to COL at the YMCA on 135th. COL means Center of Lite, it was a weekly Litefeet battle produced & hosted by Swinton “Mr. YouTube” Hanley between 2009-2014. COL is where I ended up photographing a vibrant community of culture creators wearing shelltoes (Adidas Superstars) and building the movement systems (dance vocabulary; footwork transitions, combos & tricks) that continue to animate Litefeet. 

That April afternoon at COL, I got to see some Litefeet pioneers, forefathers, veterans and the hood stars establishing their reputations citywide. In retrospect I realize that I was listening to the soundtrack first hand; the chants, the jeers, the whispered hype, and of course peanut gallery remarks. I was blessed to witness the creative stakes personified; the side eyes, sequencing, smiles, sweat, stress, sacrifice, embodied genius, and the musicality that makes Litefeet possible. All the way back in 2010 ! When I walked into COL, I knew I was witnessing a Litefeet battle but didn’t really know what that meant at all. Fortunately, my dance instincts have never failed me so I caught images of Mr. YouTube, King of Spank, Chrybaby, 40 LB, Matt Live, Esolo, Ralph, K Slicc, Trini, Jedi, Dark as teens/young adults. I even caught a row of legendary shoe trick shoes. 

Fast forward a decade to when we were all contemplating the existential questions during the pandemic and Kinen asked me if I had still had the photographs from COL. I found them and sent them to him. He called me a few weeks later to explain the history portrayed through my images. Talking with Kinen and looking through the images, I began to wonder: how had Litefeet evolved as a dance form? Were the young people I photographed a decade ago still dancing? If so, how has the music they dance to evolved? Where were they getting down? How had the dance form evolved with time and the pioneers growing up? Also where were/are the ladies?

1. VIDEO ARCHIVE - E Solo’s Library of Lite - is an archive of veteran and contemporary Litefeet videographers and battle events from 2008 to the present. START HERE.

2. It looks chaotic. But NYC’s underground dance is only following the rules. - Article by Christopher Maag

3. DOCUMENTARY- Lock in: A Litefeet Story - is a CBS Sports documentary on the Litefeet dance movement that sprung out of Harlem in the late 1990s. Produced by Only Child Productions OCP-Productions.com

4. VIDEO CLIP- When Waffle Crew won America’s Got Talent- Waffle is NYC based dance & lifestyle collective made up of prominent Litefeet dancers

5. GOVERNING BODY- Litefeet Awards Committee - Founded & led by SNS, the awards committee hosts seasonal battle events; produces the Litefeet community’s annual award weekend and Hall of Fame achievement rankings

6. IG LIVE SHOW- Litefeet Liberals - is a daily IG live chat show that stimulates dialogue, debate and fruitful conversation within the Litefeet community hosted by Unkle Gzz

7. TRIBUTE IG PAGE-Long Live K Shakes- instagram page dedicated to uplifting the legacy of K Sean “K Shakes” Nurse, curated by his father Bakeman

All events take place at Artistic Noise 2185 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd @129th Street

May 30, 6-8 PM - Closing Cipher

March 29, 2-4 PM - Opening Reception