FreeStyle Presents the 20th Annual Jam On It Event to Benefit Boston City Lights
FreeStyle, Wellesley’s hip-hop dance troupe, welcomed Russell “Gutta” Ferguson, winner of So You Think You Can Dance 6, and his dance group Side Street, as the featured performers at this year’s Jam On It. The annual event celebrated its 20th year on April 15, showcasing more than a dozen New England dance groups and raising more than $1,500 through ticket sales, raffles, and contributions from the audience and guest groups for the free performing arts school Boston City Lights.
The school offers classes seven days a week for inner-city youth, and is staffed by three full-time volunteers with the pro bono support of student teachers and local professionals. “Boston City Lights is such an inspiration, and it is such a privilege to have Jam On It share that with Wellesley and beyond,” said FreeStyle co-president Jamie Yang ’17.
Ferguson, a professional dancer and visual artist from Roxbury, Mass., is an alumnus of Boston City Lights. He has appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show and the Academy Awards broadcast, and in two films, Battlefield America and Things Never Said—and in every Jam On It since he won So You Think You Can Dance in 2009. His Facebook page explains that his company, Side Street, is dedicated to “opening doors for anyone that has a passion for the arts and needs structure and encouragement through hard work and discipline.”
In addition to Side Street and FreeStyle, Jam On It featured the following guest performing groups, in order of appearance: Ridonkulous (MIT); Impulse Dance Company (Brown University); EMS Steppers & Spark Academy (Edwards Middle School); MoveMENtality (MIT); Sheba Dance Troupe (Dartmouth University); Boston City Lights; CONcept ARTists; 1millionaires; QWAM (“Queens with a Mission”); Boston Community Dance Project; Mocha Moves (MIT); and Expressions Dance Company (Harvard University).
To view additional Jam On It performances, visit FreeStyle's YouTube channel.
Photo and videos by Joseph Lee.
