After 22 Years MOCA Honors Controversial Street Dance History Film "Underground Dance Masters"

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - May 11, 2016 - PRLog -- Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in association with Dance Camera West (DCW) are producing this public event that will take place on June 11^th 2016 @ 1pm at MOCA. The event will include the premier of the feature documentary film, "Underground Dance Masters: Final History of a Forgotten Era" (A Clockman Vision).

It has taken a 22-year journey to complete the movie, recently honored by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2/2015 ). Latino dancer/historian/filmmaker Thomas Guzman-Sanchez has survived death threats, kidnapping/robbery (Paris, 2009) and physical attacks in search of the true history. "Its just dance!" says Guzman-Sanchez, "but there are many around the world who have adopted this art and taken it to delusional extremes, like some kind of religion." In the face of all these adversities the researching and writing was just one part of the challenge. Over the years Guzman-Sanchez developed a new method of data verification for spoken history. Now, his work has become a new academic field called "Urban Dance Studies" and is being taught at many universities in the United States and around the world.

The film features a collective of 21 legendary street dancers along with director/choreographer Kenny Ortega. The result is a unique historical analysis factually presenting new unknown facts in American pop culture history. The film is based on the book "Underground Dance Masters: Final History of a Forgotten Era" (ABC-Clio) and follows key dance groups (Chain Reaction, Electric Boogaloo, The Lockers, Rock Steady Crew and more) through often momentary but impactful careers. This work documents for the first time the who, what, when, where and why of individual dance innovations and creations.

From Michael Jackson's Thriller to the millions of video clips on YouTube these dance movements have continued to influence generations. The film and book reveal the innovators and the origins of these important dance forms. This work exposes the facts through rare archival video, film and photo's as proof of the history, evolution, diaspora and origin. Thomas Guzman-Sanchez and many of the legendary street dancers featured in the film will be attending the premier.

Premier Promo Video: youtu.be/VTfIjVQ0KvY



Tickets are available for purchase at:
dancecamerawest.org/tickets.htm

Official website:   www.dancemaster.com

Facebook:   www.facebook.com/UndergroundDanceMasters

Twitter: @UrbanDanceBook-   twitter.com/UrbanDanceBook

For more information please contact: Publicist - 818-727-1979