White-Owned Twerk Dance Studio Blocks Black Instructor and Calls Her Style “Basic”

Twerking is nothing new in the black community. This style of dance has existed for centuries and its roots can be traced back to West African traditions such as the mapouka dance. In 1993, the term “twerking” came to the forefront when New Orleans bounce artist DJ Jubilee made the record “Do The Jubilee All” where he calls out “Twerk baby, twerk baby, twerk, twerk, twerk.” From then on, black community has continued to creatively build on top of this style of dance internationally.

However, as most know, when black culture takes the creative agency to develop a product of it’s own, black people rarely are able to retain ownership. Although there were groups like Twerk Team in the early 2010s that garnered a following, twerking often and mistakenly been attributed to non-black women like Miley Cyrus and viral star Lexy Panterra who capitalized with her “twerkout” videos and classes.

But what happens when black women seek to claim a space in their own culture that was co-opted by the mainstream?

Enter Kelechi Okafor a personal trainer and instructor of twerk workshops around the United Kingdom.

We asked Kelechi for her thoughts on the matter:

I’ve always danced. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t. People told me I was good but I just thought everyone could move in a similar way. When I discovered that people couldn’t, I set about wanting to help them to connect with that inner space where I believe all my movements come from. I’ve been teaching dance for around three years. I’ve been a Personal Trainer for longer and it made sense to bring the two together to empower women but most especially WoC. For me, twerking is an act of resistance. I teach twerk because I refuse to have this art form whitewashed.

Here’s how it all went down.

Kelechi reached out to a local UK pole studio in efforts to expand her twerk workshops.

So I’m currently planning to spread my twerk workshops around the UK. I wrote to a pole studio in Machester called Bodybarre. — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

They have a twerk class that’s 30 minutes ONCE a week. So I figure they can’t cover that much in that time but it could work. — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

Their response.

On their page it says “Miley Cyrus made twerk popular” but this is their reply about one of my videos 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/c5Idj3jHaf — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

I touched a nerve with them and I don’t quite know how or why??? 🤔 — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

She’s evidently trying to be rude but for why?? — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

This is what she called basic… pic.twitter.com/NtfK4Elsep — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

This is what happens when black women try to be present in a genre that they created. — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

In case you needed to see what the studio was working with before in their advanced twerk class…

THIS IS A VIDEO OF HER ADVANCED TWERK CLASS SINCE MINE IS BASIC. https://t.co/oShMv9bVKV — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

The studio then tried to confront Okafor and accuse her of inciting a “gang of haters”

She just sent this: pic.twitter.com/4LkZE6fTJX — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

The studio owner went even further by messaging Okafor’s co-worker on facebook as well.

She just sent this to a colleague of mine… pic.twitter.com/zOeFwjziPo — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

Then the owner went off to claim she was being targeted by racist bullies. Spoiler alert: That’s not how racism works, girl.

Awww guys she says she’s feeling bullied and receiving “racist” comments…😞🙄 pic.twitter.com/wuzzQOt0qn — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

The Taylor Swift song choice.… *insert eyeroll*

She’s going to feel empowered by twerking to a Taylor Swift song… — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

A full re-cap of the first message exchange

Look at what I wrote to her, then look at her reply. What is open and warm about her behaviour? pic.twitter.com/mJ6edi3j3L — Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 12, 2016

Kelechi’s final thoughts:

The way this woman behaved when I contacted her about collaborating just goes to further prove how much the mainstream love to commodity blackness whilst simultaneously despising black people.

Here’s a video of Kelechi’s twerk and dance classes

If you’re in the UK, Sign up for one of these classes! Follow @kelechnekoff on instagram for updates!

How do you feel about the move to discredit black women?