Behind the SceneS

Directors Note:

The Jam is one of my favorite dance events in New York City. To me, it’s felt like the most natural flowing showcase I’ve ever been to with a solid variety of different acts. Street styles, a bit of contemporary, lite feet, and krump are all on one stage. What makes The Jam so different from other shows is that the audience is level with the dancers; the stage is the floor. This creates a unique sense of immersion, breaking down the invisible barrier between performers and viewers. You’re not just watching it. You’re in the piece, forreal!

I’m a little jaded with dance events because I get the privilege of documenting a bunch of shows, so it’s nice to get another person’s perspective. We were able to connect Richmond Hood Co with The Jam team to sponsor; that was a connection I was glad to see through. After the show I talked with Tariq, the owner of Richmond Hood Co what he thought, and he responded with, “Bro, this was insane, I had a real good time” Me too, man.

Creator of The Jam Showcase, Hanako Ohashi said in an instagram takeover that the close and intimate performances were inspired by small showcases inside of Japanese clubs. I was lucky enough to see a spontaneous dance performance once inside of a Shibuya whiskey bar and made the connection instantly. The energy inside of those clubs between dancers and audience literally 5 feet away from each other made for a very special experience that heavily reminded me of The Jam. I think her and the team knocked it out of the park.

Hanako Ohashi: Every Jam is special, but there are different things I especially love about each volume. For Vol. IX, I feel like we were able to create an even more inclusive and welcoming space for our performers, where people could really speak from their hearts, be unapologetically themselves, and receive the support and love they deserve. On stage and in the audience, we had folks from all sorts of different communities, and I think it’s what made this particular Jam so heart-warming to me. I was so happy to see people support one another, make new connections, and be in that room together, side by side, regardless of where they came from. And it didn’t feel forced; it felt natural, the good vibes fell into place, and I was really happy about that.

For Vol. X, since it’s gonna be a milestone of sorts, we’re planning to adding a little bit of extra seasoning to the event. Nothing too crazy - we still want to maintain the essence of The Jam - but it’ll definitely be a celebration! We’re cooking already, it’s gonna be a great time :)