Step Kids: A Developmental Workshop
New York City, New York | Theatre
Musical, Comedy
Sadly, there are very real efforts to erase Black history in this country. Step culture and what it means to Black people deserves its time in the spotlight. Your support will allow Black Theatermakers to tell a story that is deeply rooted in celebrating Black History in our own words.
Step Kids: A Developmental Workshop
New York City, New York | Theatre
Musical, Comedy
1 Campaigns |
Green Light
This campaign raised $8,987 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
124 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Sadly, there are very real efforts to erase Black history in this country. Step culture and what it means to Black people deserves its time in the spotlight. Your support will allow Black Theatermakers to tell a story that is deeply rooted in celebrating Black History in our own words.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Step Kids is a new Black-led hip-hop musical that follows a group of seemingly unconnected students who find common ground in the most unlikely of places – the tryouts for their school’s competitive step dance team. With Book, Lyrics & Music by Tyrone L. Robinson & additional Lyrics & Music by Postell Pringle. Executive Producer Director Dolores Avery Pereira leads a creative team of Director, Raz Golden, and critically-acclaimed Choreographer, James Alonzo White.
in the words of our protagonist,
"STEP IS LIFE!"
This statement is not a platitude. Stomping, clapping, call was a fundamental way in which formerly enslaved Black folks communicated after being stripped of their drums and THAT is the history of Step. Step Dance is a staple in Black History and deserves its time in the sun. Step Kids is a story for the culture, written and told by Black Artists in our own words.
Step Kids began its development in 2020 and explores the need for community and how we need each other to overcome adversity. Since 2020, we have found ourselves even more divided than where we started. We have been thirsting for community and Step Kids aims to quench it.
WHAT IS THE FLED COLLECTIVE?
The Fled is an arts collective with underestimated artists at the helm. Leading with curiosity, empathy, and celebration, the Fled Collective aims to create space for both artists and audiences to innovate the way we organize and make theatre.
When we celebrate, serve, and lead our community with joy, we are revolutionary
SHARING STEP WITH ALL AGES
In an effort to bring step to communities across NYC, this past spring, The Fled Collective hosted a Step workshop at Kings Elementary School in Brownsville, NY, where scholars ages 5-10 were given firsthand the opportunity to learn the vocabulary of basic Step routines ahead of their graduating recital, Stepping Up! The goal of this workshop was to teach the students about the history of Step and the significant role it played throughout Black History and how it evolved into the artform it is today. Following a brief presentation of the history of Step (which you can view HERE), the students were taught some basic stepping phrases and ultimately the workshop will end with the students having learned a short routine. You can see excerpts from our partnership above!
WHO YOU WILL BE SUPPORTING
The Creative Team of Step Kids
Top Row (L-R): Tyrone L. Robinson, Postell Pringle
Bottom Row (L-R): James Alonzo White, Dolores Avery Pereira, Raz Golden
As of now, we have raised just over $11,000 in funds for this developmental workshop. This covers the cost of compensation for our Playwright, Stage Management Team, Design Techs, Dramaturgs, and other production personnel.
The funds gained through this campaign will help us to properly compensate our Director, Choreographer, Cast Members.
Leading with curiosity, empathy, and celebration, The Fled Collective aims to create space for both artists and audiences to innovate the way we organize and make theatre. One of The Fled Collective's core values is equitably paying our artists for their amazing work, and we are proud to bring this crowdfunding campaign to the forefront!
WHERE IS THE SHOW?
Presentations of STEP KIDS will take place at The Flea Theater in New York City starting:
Thursday October 26th, 2023 at 7pm
Friday October 27th, 2023 at 7pm
Saturday October 28th, 2023 at 7pm
WHY YOU SHOULD SUPPORT STEP KIDS
Our budget prioritizes paying our artists over everything else. We pay our artists equitably, finding every opportunity to pad the pockets of our collaborators. Artists can only create when they have the resources needed to thrive, and we work tirelessly to help reduce financial barriers that limit artists from their full potential.
As an emerging artist collective, we invite you to follow us on social media @thefledcollective on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
If you cannot support us financially, following our Seed&Spark page, following us on Instagram, and sharing this campaign with others will have nearly just as strong an impact.
Here are examples of posts you can share on social media!
Step Kids by Tyrone L. Robinson and Postell Pringle is a new Black-led hip-hop musical that follows a group of seemingly unconnected students who find common ground in the most unlikely of places – the tryouts for their school’s competitive step dance team. Directed by Raz Golden from Executive Producer Dolores Avery Pereira.
Support @thefledcollective and help bring Step Kids by to fruition.
https://www.thefledcollective.com/
You have the opportunity to The Fled radically transform the landscape of theatre with your support, by directly funding the development of theatre deeply rooted in African Culture, and we can’t wait to see you at the show to thank you for showing up for us.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Musical Director
Costs $1,500
To Compensate our Musical Director, who will be teaching the music to our cast.
Cast
Costs $5,600
Our ensemble of 8 needs to be compensated for their artistry.
Director
Costs $1,400
As the leader of our process, our director needs to be paid for their time and labor, as well as to cover their health care and pension.
Choreographer
Costs $1,000
Our Choreographer, James Alonzo White, puts the STEP in Stepkids. They will create the shared physical vocabulary between the artists.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Dolores Avery Pereira is making her Executive Producer debut with Step Kids! She is a proud Afro Latinx artists based in Harlem, NY. She is the creator and Host of Radio Fled, a podcast discussing the subjects of building a more equitable theatre landscape and developing liberating artistic practices — specifically centering Black artists who are change-makers in the industry. She is passionate about using Theater as a social justice tool and making it accessible too Black and Brown communities. She is a founding member of The Fled Collective and serves as the co-chair of Culture and Accountability.
Tyrone L. Robinson (Book, Music and Lyrics) is an Actor, Playwright, and Award-Winning Composer. His music has been featured at New York’s Public Theatre and The Vital Theatre (Off-Broadway Alliance Award Best Musical nomination). Recent commissions include Children’s Theatre Charlotte, First Stage Milwaukee, and TheatreWorks USA. He was awarded the ASCAP Frederick Loewe Award for his work as a theatre composer. In his filmmaking debut, Tyrone wrote and directed Un{H}armed which was an official selection of the New York Shorts, Hudson Shorts, Georgia, Big Muddy, and Harlem International Film Festivals. His short comedy screenplay Overrated won the Script Summit Festival Screenwriting Contest for Best Comedy/Web-series and he worked with writing teams at The Daily Show and The Colbert Report while working at Comedy Central Network in Chris Rock's Comedy Television Writing Program.
Postell Pringle [aka POS] - (Additional Music and Lyrics) - is a seasoned 20-year veteran of the stage, the lens, the pen and the microphone...And he’s just warming up. A critically-acclaimed performance artist, Pos takes a multi-disciplined approach to art. Based solely on an urge to fuse a love of stagecraft, visual and oral storytelling, folklore and hip hop music. Just as David Chang flips a southeast Asian noodle dish using NYC street cart ingredients, Pos is dedicated to creating new works by breathing life into a dusty, old cannon. The result: a transportive, historically rich, delicious trip. Family-style. No reservations necessary. He’s an actor, performer, rapper, music producer, playwright and occasional director and choreographer. He hails from Decatur, GA. He resides in ‘do or die’ Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn NY.
Raz Golden (Director) is a director of theatre, film, and audio. He likes new plays about old things and old plays about new things. His work embraces narratives that explore shared cultural histories and myths and that center on people of color. His directorial work, no matter the medium, embraces collage and juxtaposition, speculative genres, and multiple modes of storytelling.
Raz is a NYTW 2050 Fellow, a 2019 Drama League Classical Directing Fellow, a member of the second Roundabout Director Group cohort, and a former Resident Director at The Flea. He has developed work with the Mercury Store, the Public Theatre, IATI Theater, The National Black Theatre, NYU Tisch, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Waterwell, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and McCarter Theatre. He is currently a member of the Drama League Director’s Council.
James Alonzo White (Choreographer) is a North Carolina native, who received his Master of Arts in Dance Education at New York University. With a strong background in Street Jazz, Hip-Hop, Modern, Contemporary and Commercial Dance, James is one of the most acclaimed choreographers and dance teachers in today’s industry. Currently, he is a teaching faculty member at world renowned Broadway Dance Center, Brickhouse NYC and Peridance Capezio Center. James’ choreography credits include: Mad Apple – Cirque Du Soleil, Disney Cruise line, Norwegian Cruises, MSC Cruises, Footloose – The Rev Theater, Dream Girls, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and the Knicks City Dancers. He currently works with rising artists such as: Chloe Flower, Alex Mali, Saint Ahmad, and Miss Madeline as their lead choreographer. Choreographing several of their musical videos and live performances. In 2020, during the global pandemic James released a visual entitled “Brand New Day” featuring NYC’s finest dancers, inspired by the iconic film, The Wiz. With a pure intention to spread joy during uncertain times, Brand New Day took on a life of its own by quickly becoming a viral success garnering attention from acclaimed artists like Diana Ross, Evan Ross, Jennifer Garner, Octavia Spencer, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Todrick Hall, Billy Porter and Deborah Cox.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Step Kids is a new Black-led hip-hop musical that follows a group of seemingly unconnected students who find common ground in the most unlikely of places – the tryouts for their school’s competitive step dance team. With Book, Lyrics & Music by Tyrone L. Robinson & additional Lyrics & Music by Postell Pringle. Executive Producer Director Dolores Avery Pereira leads a creative team of Director, Raz Golden, and critically-acclaimed Choreographer, James Alonzo White.
in the words of our protagonist,
"STEP IS LIFE!"
This statement is not a platitude. Stomping, clapping, call was a fundamental way in which formerly enslaved Black folks communicated after being stripped of their drums and THAT is the history of Step. Step Dance is a staple in Black History and deserves its time in the sun. Step Kids is a story for the culture, written and told by Black Artists in our own words.
Step Kids began its development in 2020 and explores the need for community and how we need each other to overcome adversity. Since 2020, we have found ourselves even more divided than where we started. We have been thirsting for community and Step Kids aims to quench it.
WHAT IS THE FLED COLLECTIVE?
The Fled is an arts collective with underestimated artists at the helm. Leading with curiosity, empathy, and celebration, the Fled Collective aims to create space for both artists and audiences to innovate the way we organize and make theatre.
When we celebrate, serve, and lead our community with joy, we are revolutionary
SHARING STEP WITH ALL AGES
In an effort to bring step to communities across NYC, this past spring, The Fled Collective hosted a Step workshop at Kings Elementary School in Brownsville, NY, where scholars ages 5-10 were given firsthand the opportunity to learn the vocabulary of basic Step routines ahead of their graduating recital, Stepping Up! The goal of this workshop was to teach the students about the history of Step and the significant role it played throughout Black History and how it evolved into the artform it is today. Following a brief presentation of the history of Step (which you can view HERE), the students were taught some basic stepping phrases and ultimately the workshop will end with the students having learned a short routine. You can see excerpts from our partnership above!
WHO YOU WILL BE SUPPORTING
The Creative Team of Step Kids
Top Row (L-R): Tyrone L. Robinson, Postell Pringle
Bottom Row (L-R): James Alonzo White, Dolores Avery Pereira, Raz Golden
As of now, we have raised just over $11,000 in funds for this developmental workshop. This covers the cost of compensation for our Playwright, Stage Management Team, Design Techs, Dramaturgs, and other production personnel.
The funds gained through this campaign will help us to properly compensate our Director, Choreographer, Cast Members.
Leading with curiosity, empathy, and celebration, The Fled Collective aims to create space for both artists and audiences to innovate the way we organize and make theatre. One of The Fled Collective's core values is equitably paying our artists for their amazing work, and we are proud to bring this crowdfunding campaign to the forefront!
WHERE IS THE SHOW?
Presentations of STEP KIDS will take place at The Flea Theater in New York City starting:
Thursday October 26th, 2023 at 7pm
Friday October 27th, 2023 at 7pm
Saturday October 28th, 2023 at 7pm
WHY YOU SHOULD SUPPORT STEP KIDS
Our budget prioritizes paying our artists over everything else. We pay our artists equitably, finding every opportunity to pad the pockets of our collaborators. Artists can only create when they have the resources needed to thrive, and we work tirelessly to help reduce financial barriers that limit artists from their full potential.
As an emerging artist collective, we invite you to follow us on social media @thefledcollective on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
If you cannot support us financially, following our Seed&Spark page, following us on Instagram, and sharing this campaign with others will have nearly just as strong an impact.
Here are examples of posts you can share on social media!
Step Kids by Tyrone L. Robinson and Postell Pringle is a new Black-led hip-hop musical that follows a group of seemingly unconnected students who find common ground in the most unlikely of places – the tryouts for their school’s competitive step dance team. Directed by Raz Golden from Executive Producer Dolores Avery Pereira.
Support @thefledcollective and help bring Step Kids by to fruition.
https://www.thefledcollective.com/
You have the opportunity to The Fled radically transform the landscape of theatre with your support, by directly funding the development of theatre deeply rooted in African Culture, and we can’t wait to see you at the show to thank you for showing up for us.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Musical Director
Costs $1,500
To Compensate our Musical Director, who will be teaching the music to our cast.
Cast
Costs $5,600
Our ensemble of 8 needs to be compensated for their artistry.
Director
Costs $1,400
As the leader of our process, our director needs to be paid for their time and labor, as well as to cover their health care and pension.
Choreographer
Costs $1,000
Our Choreographer, James Alonzo White, puts the STEP in Stepkids. They will create the shared physical vocabulary between the artists.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Dolores Avery Pereira is making her Executive Producer debut with Step Kids! She is a proud Afro Latinx artists based in Harlem, NY. She is the creator and Host of Radio Fled, a podcast discussing the subjects of building a more equitable theatre landscape and developing liberating artistic practices — specifically centering Black artists who are change-makers in the industry. She is passionate about using Theater as a social justice tool and making it accessible too Black and Brown communities. She is a founding member of The Fled Collective and serves as the co-chair of Culture and Accountability.
Tyrone L. Robinson (Book, Music and Lyrics) is an Actor, Playwright, and Award-Winning Composer. His music has been featured at New York’s Public Theatre and The Vital Theatre (Off-Broadway Alliance Award Best Musical nomination). Recent commissions include Children’s Theatre Charlotte, First Stage Milwaukee, and TheatreWorks USA. He was awarded the ASCAP Frederick Loewe Award for his work as a theatre composer. In his filmmaking debut, Tyrone wrote and directed Un{H}armed which was an official selection of the New York Shorts, Hudson Shorts, Georgia, Big Muddy, and Harlem International Film Festivals. His short comedy screenplay Overrated won the Script Summit Festival Screenwriting Contest for Best Comedy/Web-series and he worked with writing teams at The Daily Show and The Colbert Report while working at Comedy Central Network in Chris Rock's Comedy Television Writing Program.
Postell Pringle [aka POS] - (Additional Music and Lyrics) - is a seasoned 20-year veteran of the stage, the lens, the pen and the microphone...And he’s just warming up. A critically-acclaimed performance artist, Pos takes a multi-disciplined approach to art. Based solely on an urge to fuse a love of stagecraft, visual and oral storytelling, folklore and hip hop music. Just as David Chang flips a southeast Asian noodle dish using NYC street cart ingredients, Pos is dedicated to creating new works by breathing life into a dusty, old cannon. The result: a transportive, historically rich, delicious trip. Family-style. No reservations necessary. He’s an actor, performer, rapper, music producer, playwright and occasional director and choreographer. He hails from Decatur, GA. He resides in ‘do or die’ Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn NY.
Raz Golden (Director) is a director of theatre, film, and audio. He likes new plays about old things and old plays about new things. His work embraces narratives that explore shared cultural histories and myths and that center on people of color. His directorial work, no matter the medium, embraces collage and juxtaposition, speculative genres, and multiple modes of storytelling.
Raz is a NYTW 2050 Fellow, a 2019 Drama League Classical Directing Fellow, a member of the second Roundabout Director Group cohort, and a former Resident Director at The Flea. He has developed work with the Mercury Store, the Public Theatre, IATI Theater, The National Black Theatre, NYU Tisch, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Waterwell, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and McCarter Theatre. He is currently a member of the Drama League Director’s Council.
James Alonzo White (Choreographer) is a North Carolina native, who received his Master of Arts in Dance Education at New York University. With a strong background in Street Jazz, Hip-Hop, Modern, Contemporary and Commercial Dance, James is one of the most acclaimed choreographers and dance teachers in today’s industry. Currently, he is a teaching faculty member at world renowned Broadway Dance Center, Brickhouse NYC and Peridance Capezio Center. James’ choreography credits include: Mad Apple – Cirque Du Soleil, Disney Cruise line, Norwegian Cruises, MSC Cruises, Footloose – The Rev Theater, Dream Girls, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and the Knicks City Dancers. He currently works with rising artists such as: Chloe Flower, Alex Mali, Saint Ahmad, and Miss Madeline as their lead choreographer. Choreographing several of their musical videos and live performances. In 2020, during the global pandemic James released a visual entitled “Brand New Day” featuring NYC’s finest dancers, inspired by the iconic film, The Wiz. With a pure intention to spread joy during uncertain times, Brand New Day took on a life of its own by quickly becoming a viral success garnering attention from acclaimed artists like Diana Ross, Evan Ross, Jennifer Garner, Octavia Spencer, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Todrick Hall, Billy Porter and Deborah Cox.