BGIRL PEPPA

- by Casey Chin

With the sound of jazz, hip-hop, and funk flowing through the background, Peipei Yuan gave an explosive performance as she meticulously moved her hands and feet to the sound of the beat.

Yuan is a B-Girl, short for what is known in the hip-hop world as a break-dancer. She has performed with many singing sensations from Pink for the 2003 Billboard Music Awards to more recently Gwen Stefani during the Harajuku Lovers tour. The clothing lines Nikita and New Breed Girl also sponsor her.

Yuan finds that there are no boundaries when it comes to break dancing. She incorporates different styles of dance such as swing, lindy hop, salsa, and jazz into her choreography. These different styles help her build technique into her footwork and bring uniqueness into her dance. In order for her to keep and hone her talent, she practices at least five days a week for five hours or more at a time, eager to learn and create.

“I am a student for life,” Yuan said.

According to Yuan she has been dancing all her life from the time she was an infant when she first learned to walk. Yuan even got the nickname Peppa from her fellow dancers for her fiery moves.

Her passion for break dancing was sparked by her love for hip-hop music. She came across break dancing in her mid teens while participating in the underground hip-hop dance scene in New York. She was mesmerized by the break-dancers she saw and entranced by their edgy fast paced movements that seemed to defy gravity. Since break dancing classes weren’t really widely offered then, she learned to break dance by mimicking other dancers and asking those dancers to teach her their moves. Her life has never been the same ever since.

“"Dancing has allowed me to translate my passion for music rhythm and soul, through my body,” Yuan said.

With her new love of break dancing came disapproval and little support from her parents. Yuan’s parents didn’t believe their daughters new love for a form of street dancing would get her anywhere in life, or even be considered a profession. According to Yuan getting her parents to understand the true essence of hip hop culture has been a very long and slow process.
“I wanted to break down the stereotypes that my parents, as well as the mainstream public, has about hip hop being involved only with gangsters, criminals, foul language, and tough ghetto life.” Yuan said “I want to show them that everyone who performs and breaks does it purely for the love of hip-hop culture, the arts, and the dance.”

Yuan moved to Los Angeles in 2000 at the age of 24 to further her dance career. Since 2003, she has been on a solo mission to break the stereotypes of hip-hop and founded a program called B.A.D. standing for Breakers against Drugs. It is a non-profit organization held at the Electric Lodge, a dance studio in Venice Beach provided by her sponsor New Breed Girl. Every Sunday Yuan gives break dancing lessons to at-risk youth or anyone who just wants to learn about hip-hop culture and breakin.

“Dancing has given me the power to gain confidence and helped me express my emotions.” Yuan said, “This is my love for life.”