TURF (Taking Up Room on the Floor) is an acronym for a dance style that originated in Oakland, combining popping, locking, and street ballet with signature movements like gliding, an optically illusive step sourced in jazz dance and familiarized by Michael Jackson’s moonwalk. Saliently, it draws from a history of political reclamation that used dance as a strategy to take back Oakland streets. In the early 1970s groups like The Black Resurgents and The Black Messengers helped draw crowds at Black Panther rallies, creating a style now considered a mash-up of Boogaloo, Robottin’, and Struttin’ (BRS). The imperative then was to speak through bodily movement rather than depending solely on music, to use funkiness to occupy space but to command attention with the robotic synchronicity of R.O.T.C.-like struts. Now, TURF dancing is a means of memorializing victims of violence, to mime personal and social narratives, and to assert presence with the body. The freestyle animation of these stories are played out by hundreds of dancers everyday throughout the city of Oakland.

Here, TURFinc curates an event that highlights some of the best dancers from across the country paired up with the best in TURF, with a special performance by the Oakland Boogaloo Conservatory. Featuring:

MAIN BATTLES
1. Ladia Yates (Memphis) vs. Agatron (SF)
2. Phoenix Lil Mini (Sacramento) vs. NAY NAY (NY)

TURFIN (CA) VS. LITEFEET (NY)
3. Chonkie F Tutz (Turffeinz) vs. Mr. Jones
4. Stuck (Academy of Villains) vs. Kid Pat
5. Jerm aka Galaxy (Turffeinz) vs. 40 Pounds
6. Slowmotion (NoSympathy) vs. Larry Smoove

BAY AREA VS. LA, ATL, INDIANA & AZ,
7. No name (Turfin) vs/ Projecc (Krumping)
8. Grim & Leftside from BTA (Turfin) vs. Eddz & Kidd
9. Johnny 5 from TURFinc (Turfin) vs. Singen
10. Krow (HEAT) vs. Kid Strobe from Turffeinz
11. Lil Motor Mouth (Street Kingdom) vs. Poppin Jun (DemBogueBoyz)
12. Nasty (No Mercy) vs. K Turbo (ATL)
13. Footwork vs. Oasis aka o2 (Indiana)
14. Turf Beiber vs. Deadend (AZ)

OFFICIAL TURFinc KING DANCE BATTLE
NOH-JUSTICE (Turffeinz) vs. McFLY (Knuckle Neck Tribe)

HOSTED BY PHAT BOI & JOHNNY5

JUDGES
- Plik Plok (BRS )
- Oakland Breakers
- Scorpion (Animaniakz)
- OG Mike (O.B.C)

Presenting -- DJ HAWK BEATZ on the 1's & 2's.

Special Performances by Oakland Boogaloo Conservatory (OBC) BRYCE / OGMIKE / DOC