How Brighton dance company Streetfunk helped students in lockdown

Since coronavirus hit and the studio was forced to shut in March, teachers at Brighton dance company Streetfunk had been pre-recording lessons to upload – a stark contrast from their dynamic studio classes, where students get a buzz from dancing alongside each other and doing syncopated routines.

Monique said: “I really struggled with that – trying to keep the energy and atmosphere up and giving students what they needed. It’s not easy when you’re in a room with just your phone.

A Streetfunk dance student at home during lockdown

“But we’ve really adapted and have been able to do live video classes, which is a much better system.

“Online will never be the same – but it shows just how much it means to the kids that they’ve basically all come to join these online classes. It’s really helped them through lockdown, and really helped us as well.”

Monique started dancing when she was three years old, taking modern, ballet and tap classes at the Rox School of Dance in Hove. She has been with Streetfunk for 13 years – first as a pupil and then as a teacher, having been offered her own classes at 18.

The 25-year-old has taught a range of street dance styles for the past seven years. These include krump, “an internal dance with aggressive moves that is all about control within the body”, while popping involves “tensing and then releasing tension in different muscles”, and house, which focuses on footwork and is done to house music at 120 beats per minute.

Monique said dance has been critical for students during the coronavirus crisis.

A Streetfunk student at home in lockdown

She said: “With the kids especially, it’s so important for their mental and physical health and for their concentration.

“Every single one of our teachers has some kind of mental health story and something dance has helped them come through.

“I’ve had kids come to me who’ve been bullied and the dancing is their relief.

“It’s something you can do on your own and it works your brain and body. Sometimes just putting your headphones on and having a dance can make such a difference. I’d encourage anyone to try it.”

Students performing earlier this month for the Streetfunk 12 Days of Alternative Christmas at Brighton Marina

One way Monique and other teachers kept younger students engaged during lockdown was to introduce a game to classes.

Monique said: “It was like a silly game show – we asked students to find objects in their house beginning with letters which would spell out a move we were learning.

“They responded so well to that and absolutely loved it.”

The dance company had very different plans for 2020, as crews were due to compete in the United Dance Organisations’s European Dance Championships in May.

One of the groups set to perform at the international competition in Germany was Monique’s Mums’ Da Word crew.

A socially distant class at Marina Studios. Photos: Lauren Mabbett

She said: “My Mums’ crew have won at the European Championships twice and they’re amazing.

“My youngest student is three while my oldest is about 65. I’ve had people come to me, including mums, who say they can’t dance or they’ve never done it.

“Kids will just throw themselves into it but with adults it’s different. But just giving it a go is the first step.”

Streetfunk classes have resumed at Marina Studios with limited in-person capacity and social distancing but students can also join classes online.

Monique said it was an emotional reunion with students.

Monique, bottom right, with one of the Streetfunk crews at the recent 12 Days of Alternative Christmas performance outside Marina Studios in Brighton

She said: “When we came back to the studio I cried. You don’t realise how much something is having an impact on your life.

“There are some children who for whatever reason can’t do the online classes. It’s also really hard as we can’t go near them in the studio, which can upset the little ones.

"I just can’t wait for the day that we can all just have a big group hug. They really become like your family.”