My name is John Barrella. I am a Hip Hop/Street Dance artist & educator with a range of roles in the dance community. I presently serve as a business owner, adjunct professor, professional company director, active  performer, and guest artist on an international scale. My career in dance keeps me focused on hundreds of students and my own dance company each week as I travel my home state, across the country and out of the country to set work, train dancers, & train teachers. I offer a technique-focused approach to dance with emphasis on Hip Hop as an art form and a culture, giving students the tools necessary to build upon themselves while staying rooted in hip hop. I’ve trained for over 2 decades in a number of genres. My early training in Ballet and Modern introduced me to dance in a highly structured atmosphere. Combined with my years of study in dance history, technique, human anatomy, theatre, playwriting, childhood education and communication, I developed a method for Hip Hop training that follows similar patterns, but with a “street styles” approach. Taking years to fully understand the vast information on Hip Hop, Breaking, Popping, & Locking, I began to offer all styles in my classroom. Today, my dancers learn about each style individually and their influence on modern movement. My vast experience in the dance world has allowed me to educate from the perspective of Hip Hopculture, professional/industry work, education programs, competitive training and standard training. Each class I run is designed to be a challenge and I never base my work on what my students already know how to do. I refer to myself as a dance educator that is a choreographer, not simply a choreographer. Classes I offer are for all learning levels and can be based around all the street styles I teach, as well as street choreography, freestyle, creativity & competitive techniques. Most importantly, I consider myself an employee of Hip Hop first. My number one priority is authentic education.My work has been recognized for unique approach, music choice and dynamic movement. In the professional world, many students of mine have gone on to teach, perform or choreograph themselves. As a company director, I have mastered skills in leadership and discipline that I feel are essential to commanding a class and effectively conveying the message of movement. My vast experience in coordinating events has made me efficient at commanding large groups, while approaching each student with care & an overall welcoming attitude in order to make all dancers feel comfortable. It is always my highest priority to grow
students exponentially while offering a safe environment to be individuals. My outgoing and easy personality combined with an ability to communicate and command has become a perfect balance for “speaking the language” of students. My strong belief is that I can be a valuable asset to any educational institution due to my understanding of the education process and my dedication to my art form. My lengthy experience as a lecturer and presenter, as well as my time as an adjunct professor lend particularly well to my understanding of the jobs I seek