Sister Cities: Women in Hip Hop

B.flo-Girls present Sister Cities: Women in Hip Hop in collaboration with BGirl Rokafella (Full Circle Productions | Bronx, NY) and Expand the Cypher (Toronto, ON).

This free, family-friendly program will include a screening of thedocumentary, All the Ladies Say, a panel discussion, and share-outs from the BGirl panelists, music by DJ Lisa Lux, and interactive dance activities. 

Seating is Limited - RSVP here!

This program is made possible with support from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Arts & Culture Initiative administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

2PM - Welcome & poetry from Lea the Teacha - Auditorium 

2:15PM- All The Ladies Say documentary begins - Auditorium 

3:15PM - Panel Discussion & Audience Q&A with:

●      Bgirl Rokafella (Full Circle, Bronx/NYC)

●      BGirl Pretzo (Expand the Cypher, Toronto)

●      BGirl Mishap (Expand the Cypher, Toronto)

●      BGirl Resolve (B.flo-Girls, Buffalo). 

Moderator: Schondra Aytch of Sneakvibing - Auditorium 

4PM - DJ Lisa Lux - 2nd Floor Performance Space

4:30PM - Interactive dance activities with visiting artists - Rotunda, 2nd Floor

5-6PM - Dance Cypher/Party with DJ Lisa Lux - Rotunda, 2nd Floor

Ana "Rokafella" Garcia is a NYC native who has represented women in Hip Hop dance professionally over the past three decades. She co-founded Full Circle Prod Inc - NYC's only non-profit Break Dance Theater company with her husband veteran Bboy Kwikstep generating theater pieces, original poetry and local dance related events. In addition to directing the documentary about BGirls " All the Ladies Say," she premiered a new dance work Beauty Meets Beast to help explore the duality of women in Street and Club dance. She is hired internationally to judge Break dance competitions based on her knowledge of the classic Hip Hop dance style. She teaches unique workshops aimed at celebrating the roots and history as well as the technique of classic Hip Hop dance styles and has hosted Breakin sessions at various locations in NYC since 1997 including The Point CDC, The Door, High Bridge and Alfred E. Smith.  Presently an adjunct professor at The New School and a Hip Hop dance instructor at NJPAC she motivates aspiring dancers to understand and to learn the business side of being an independent artist. 

Expand the Cypher (EtC) is a collective that aims to increase representation and inclusion of BGirls, non-binary and trans breakers in the breaking (aka breakdance) community. We provide a supportive, judgement-free space where dancers can build their skills, grow in confidence, and find their place in the scene. Our goal is to help more people step into the cypher, expanding it to include those who have historically been underrepresented. EtC started in 2021 as a weekly drop-in practice session open to bgirls, non-binary and trans breakers. Since 2023, EtC has run three breaking programs for over 100 participants, partnered with Get Down Sisters and Kuru Crew to throw the Key Ingredientz jam, and hosted three youth Hip Hop and Breaking programs.

(Pictured Left) Emma Cabrera-Aragon, aka Mishap, is a queer Mexican Canadian breaker and wh/aacker, born and raised in Toronto or Tkaronto. She started Expand the Cypher with Pretzo to encourage more BGirls, trans and non-binary breakers to join the community.

(Pictured Right) Jess Chiu, aka Pretzo, is a queer streetdancer from Scarborough, who specializes in Breaking and Krump. Over the years, she’s been guided and inspired by the Toronto community and dance educators, including Unity Charity and Keep Rockin’ You. She currently serves as co-director with Emma for Expand the Cypher, a collective dedicated to increasing representation of women, non-binary, and trans artists in breaking.

B.flo-Girls is a Buffalo-based collective formed by DJ Lisa Lux and BGirl Resolve in 2021. Our mission is to uplift women in Hip Hop Culture, and help people explore identity and expression through music and dance. We aim to be a positive example, and equip the next generation with healthy outlets to express themselves and contribute to their community.   

DJ Lisa Lux grew up in NYC and was immersed in Hip Hop at a young age. Her first passion was writing, and she began exploring the craft of DJing at the age of 12, becoming a professional DJ at just 17years old. By 18, she was interning at 107.5 WBLS and playing industry events for recording artists, record labels, and athletes in New York and other US cities. Now a teacher and arts educator in Buffalo, Lisa continues to DJ and share her experiences with young people.   

BGirl Resolve is a Buffalo-based dancer, arts educator and organizer. She started Breaking in 2008 through a BGirl class at Verve Dance Studio, going on to teach throughout WNY, and battle at, judge and organize events. Resolve currently serves as an adjunct professor of Breaking and Hip Hop Culture at the University of Rochester, and provides programming for youth and adults as cofounder/codirector of B.flo-Girls. 

Lea the Teacha is a pro Black revolutionary poet, activist and Community advocate born and raised in Buffalo’s East Side.