Kent Chan, Hip-hop Pro

CEBU, Philippines - For young people who are looking for a good activity to get involved in this summer - consider Hip-hop! It's an effective physical exercise and a lot of fun to do. You may not only gain confidence in body movement, but a lot of friends too.

Hip-hop has become a major movement among the young these days. Although, true, Hip-hop performers are a distinct subculture among the youth, they are fast growing in numbers. And the dance form is gaining more and more ground with the general population.

Every year since 2011, there have been significant Hip-hop events in Cebu. In all those so-called "movements" the past years, the name Kent Chan always stands out. The guy is considered as Cebu's top B-Boy coach and Hip-hop pioneer.

 By the way, B-Boy is the Hip-hop term for dance. The first "B" of the term means "break," the part of the music where there's no vocals or forceful melody, when B-Boys come in to do their act. It's actually B-Boy for boys and B-Girl for girls. The Hip-hop dance form has been around for quite a while now, since the time of Turbo (remember him doing head spins on MTV back in the '80s?), but has not been institutionalized here in Cebu until the likes of Kent Chan and other Hip-hop crews came out to the open.

This summer, Kent Chan is holding a workshop for those interested to learn to do the "flares," the "spins," or the "windmills." It is also for beginning Hip-hop performers who want to improve on their "baby freeze," or the "chair," or the "air baby." All workshop participants are to get to try the Four Elements of Breaking: Toprock, Downrock, Powermoves, and the Freezes.

 This Hip-hop pro has come a long way from very simple beginnings. His B-Boying skills go back to 1998, in free tutorials by the rice field near his home in Talisay, Cebu. His former mentor is the guy known today as B-Boy Step BeBe in the local Hip-hop circles - Vitorio Villadolid. In time, Kent Chan has carved a name for himself.

He has since collaborated and worked a lot with Cebu's top B-Boy crews like God of Styles, UBC, Urban Floor Kids, Shock Engage Crew, GTR, Fear Factory, and his own crew, the Ars Nova. Hip-hop has become a major life undertaking for Kent. He is continually learning in his craft; he surfs the internet for new moves and styles with B-Boys across Europe and the United States. He particularly likes B-Boy Rico (Germany), Mouse (US), and Dyzee (US). Last year he completed Tony Blackman's (U.S. Hip-hop Ambassador) workshop with flying colors.

Hip-hop almost cost Kent Chan his academic studies. He nearly dropped out of high school because of it. Then, by early college he realized that the dance need not be a hindrance to his dreams, but an inspiration, instead. With a new mindset, he finally got his college diploma in BSED Major in P.E. from the University of Cebu in 2009, to the great pride and joy of his family.

Kent Chan is now a licensed High School Teacher and currently teaching Physical Education at the University of San Carlos South Campus. Sir Kent, as his students would call him, is currently helping his school superior in devising to integrate Hip-hop and B-Boying into the MAPEH curriculum. The dance form is to be taught to grade 10 students starting next year.

Last year, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) commissioned Kent Chan to give a Hip-hop and B-Boying workshop to P.E. teachers from the different schools in Cebu City. Apparently, the educational sector was beginning to see the value of Hip-hop and B-Boying in Physical Education.

Kent Chan knows very well that a lot of people still think negative about Hip-hop, linking it with drugs and violence and sex. He is determined to change the bad perception. He hopes that through his workshops the positive side of Hip-hop will continue to unfold. 

In 2011, Kent had only 10 students. Then he had 15 in 2012. Last year, he had 50! These past months, curious parents would inquire about his workshops, some of the inquiries even coming in the dead of nights.

If this means anything, it could be that more and more parents are becoming okay about letting their kids learn and do Hip-hop and B-Boying. Or, maybe the parents want to engage in it themselves, B-Boying being a cardio exercise that's not only good for teens but for adults as well. In which case, the pessimists are proven wrong in their prediction that the dance form was just a passing fad. 

The dance form, like martial arts, really fosters discipline aside from developing muscle strength, stamina, endurance, friendship, and a sense of family.

Kent Chan's Dance Workshop takes place at the Aerobic Gym, City Sports Club at the Cebu Business Park. Sessions start on April 7; Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 1-3 p.m. The workshop runs for 12 sessions. Inquiries are entertained at mobile no. 09154060674, Kent Chan's personal phone. (FREEMAN)