I first found out about Hiphop culture and dance at a small studio in my hometown of Whitehorse Yukon. A curious dance studio owner, Andrea Simpson Fowler, wanted to teach her son and his friends “breakdancing.” Soon enough, Mariano Abarca found himself flying up to the Yukon to teach these northern small town kids about breaking. That was 25 years ago.

 

Since then, Hiphop has taken root in the Yukon at Andrea’s dance studio and community centre. As I grew up dancing there, I saw countless youth applying themselves and changing their lives with the lessons they learned through Hiphop. In the Yukon, I was lucky enough to learn from some of the best people in the Canadian and Global Hiphop community. They taught me the true meaning of Hiphop and the importance of knowing your history and passing on that knowledge. I was constantly around all these amazing people that had powerful stories and lessons to share, yet most people would only ask them to dance, and not to speak.

 

As I started my journey into the film industry, I knew that this community was something I had to share with my newfound art form. I wanted to share what the community members had to say, and tell a story that represents the power and amazing community that Hiphop culture is. Thus, “All It Gives “was born.