Arizona K-pop Dance Crew (AKDC) offers a variety of K-pop dance classes, workshops and private sessions catering to all levels of experience. They hold regular workshops every Tuesday and Thursday at J’s Martial Arts Performance Academy at 1810 W. Baseline Road, Ste. 2 in Mesa.
Participants can pay $15 per class or $85 for an eight class package. Their Tuesday and Thursday classes run from 8 to 9 p.m. Going through a song a week, Tuesdays are typically focused on going through the dance moves and choreography. On Thursday’s they’ll go through the dance moves again, but add in formation. Guests can come on either day or both, however, on Thursday they’ll run through the choreography quicker.
Once a month, typically on a Saturday during the day, the crew travels up to North Phoenix, offering a workshop at Diverse Elements at 625 W. Deer Valley Road in Phoenix. Patrons can also reach out to schedule any private workshops for one on one work, group parties, etc.
AKDC promotes a welcoming, inclusive environment where people of all ages can learn choreography, build friendships and enjoy K-pop culture. Their skilled instructors focus on creating a fun, pressure-free environment.
Rina Ohkuma, K-pop dance instructor and founder of Arizona K-pop Dance Workshop originally taught in Japan before coming to Arizona for college. Upon graduation, Ohkuma met a K-pop enthusiast who was doing Taekwondo and is now her work partner. She also met the studio owner where, for the past five years, she’s hosted her lessons.
“Even if you don’t know anybody or you feel nervous and unsure how good at dancing you are, just come try out a class. If you’re interested in K-pop, you’ll find friends,” Ohkuma said. “That’s why we call it a community. We teach K-pop dance choreography, but the participants find that from our classes they’re not just learning a dance move, but they're also finding people who share their same interests and hobbies.”
Over the past five years, the group has done over 300 songs. In addition to special holiday events, the studio also hosts two talent shows a year, giving students a chance to shine onstage.
“Even if you’ve never danced before or aren’t confident in your dancing, don’t worry. Our instructors are well trained and we go through everything step by step. Most people are able to pick up some moves from the day,” Ohkuma said. “Our workshops are open to all levels and ages.”
The goal is to expand their K-pop dance workshop. This past summer they had 17 libraries across Maricopa County request them to travel to their library and hold a dance class. They’d love to continue that moving forward and spread their joy for the style and culture of K-pop.
In addition to founding AKDC, Ohkuma is also a fitness instructor. For the past eight years she’s shared pilates and dance fitness classes on YouTube. Her channel @BiEssentialMovement has 210 thousand subscribers.
Guests can sign up for one of AKDCs workshops through Airbnb Experiences or through their website, arizonakpopdancecrew.com. Information regarding upcoming events can be found on both their website and Instagram, @akdc_2020.
