Welcome to the Rennie Harris American Street Dance Archive (RHASDA), a project of Rennie Harris Puremovement – the longest running Street Dance theater company in American history.
About RHASDA
The American Street Dance Archive (RHASDA) is a leading collaborative digital archive committed to preserving, documenting, and sharing the rich histories of Hip-Hop and Street dance. Created by and for a global community of practitioners—including legends, pioneers, scholars, educators, cultural leaders, and emerging artists—RHASDA serves as a living resource that honors the people, places, movements, and creative practices that have shaped these traditions over time. Through community-centered archival work, storytelling, research, and cultural documentation, RHASDA traces the roots, evolution, and ongoing influence of Street dance forms while ensuring that the voices and experiences of those who built and continue to sustain the culture remain at the center. Our mission is to increase the visibility and accessibility of these histories, strengthen academic and public records through authentic partnerships, and celebrate the lasting legacy, innovation, and global impact of Hip-Hop and Street dance culture.
PRINCESS LOCKEROOO'S UPCOMING WAACKING DOCUMENTARY IS ALMOST HERE!
“Princess Lockeroo is the reigning force behind waacking, a dance born in 1970s Los Angeles clubs that nearly disappeared during the AIDS crisis, but is now booming with popularity across the globe. Mentored by original waacking icon, Tyrone Proctor, Lockeroo found healing and purpose through the dance. Since his passing in 2020, she is determined to carry on the legacy of waacking’s origins.”
“Her mission: to build the first American waacking company in decades, The Fabulous Waack Dancers, and train them to compete in one of the world’s largest street dance competitions in Guangzhou, China.”
Fall Events
Micaya Presents
November 14-15, 2026
The four elements of Hip-hop are Deejay, Emcee, Graffiti, and Dance. The fifth element – Knowledge – grounds the other four, as an intrinsic value to the dissemination and preservation of the culture. While innovation at home and abroad is vital, it can also result in appropriation, misunderstanding and misrepresentation. Visit the 5E Knowledge / Rennie Harris Library for first person, oral and embodied narratives which are VITAL to public understanding of the enduring American art forms of Hip-hop and Street Dance.
MC / DJ / GRAFFITI / BREAKIN
The Mother of rap sits down w/ Jazzie Belle to discuss the inception of hip hop and how she became the 1st female mc to rock the mic w/ the funky four + 1. She also tells us about their iconic performance on SNL and what it was like being
Filmed at Street Science in 2009, Kool Herc discusses his thoughts on the current state of b-boying and hip-hop, thoroughly intimidates us and drops some eye-opening surprises.
I had the honor of speaking with a legend of our culture: Darryl CORNBREAD McCray. This exclusive interview reveals his early graffiti in 1965 in Philadelphia and highlights the significant moments of his journey that led him to paint his name on the Jackson 5's jet, dozens of police cars,
Hear from one of the leading ladies of breaking. Rokafella has a serious story to tell.
WE'RE ON THE GRAM
Starts tonight 🔥 @rhuniversity @rennieharris
Snippet of 2026 SSDI’s Freestyle Shoot
📹: sceneamatix.mov
Putting raw freestyle under the lens takes vulnerability, but our students stepped up and executed their style(s).
No gimmicks, just letting the movement speak 🗣️
#10KMovement #HipHopandStreetDance
Popin Pete, @popinpete teaching the importance of expressing yourself through your hands and your face when popping.
Want to learn more about Street Dance, check out the link in our bio to our Digital Archive. 📸: @everydaypopping
Aaron “A1” Benjamin at the @theruckusrevival at the @continentalcluboakland in performances with @agatronica
To learn more about Street Dance and its artists, check out our Digital Archive linked in our bio.
📸: @agatronica
GQ lecture and demonstration today Sat 10/3
3:30 – 5p eastern via zoom. Comment GQ for zoom link
GQ: IT’S A PHILLY THING
Lecture / Demo
Taught by Rennie Harris @rennieharris @rhpm.1992
Assisted by Rachel Hungry Ray @hungry_ray
Hosted by Peoples Media Camp @peoplesmediarecord
and Rennie Harris American Street Dance Archive @americanstreetdancearchive
🎥1: @ynotism @rennieharris
🎥2: American Street Dancer, Choreographer Rennie Harris @rhpm.1992
GQ: It’s a Philly Thing
G.Q. is a dance style rooted in Philadelphia highlighting Black dance culture and social scene. Growing through clubs, balls, parties, and local dance spaces, G.Q. is recognized for its intricate footwork, sharp lines, quick transitions, musicality, and individual style. Also known as Stepping, in some parts of Philadelphia it was known as iking, or Geek. G.Q.’s history begins in the early to mid 1960’s and is born from the popular Latin dance the Cha-cha. The Cha-cha was generally done to a four-four rhythm which set the foundation. The next generation of dancers (1970’s) developed their own unique style and because the style required you to wear a suit the style was named after Gentleman Quarterly Magazine. Although each G.Q. dancer/group displayed their own unique rhythm and style, all G.Q. dancers shared the same foundational movement vocabulary like Russian kick outs, half splits, sweeps, helicopters and more. The G.Q street dance style was popular from 1960’s-1980’s. This lecture will explore the history and foundation of Philadelphia’s G.Q. while demonstrating basic steps, rhythm patterns, and combinations.
Dance is a community. If you want to learn more about Street Dance and the people it brings together, check out our digital archive that is linked in our bio.
📸: @noahlot_gotit
First clip is from a recent class this year, while the second clip is from the 2019 VMA Awards 📸: @dance.a.lilbit @officialblairchristian
