Those surrounding Sierra Tower could hear the sound of Doechii’s “Catfish,” as Northridge Street Dancers (NSD) performed in an April Fool’s flash mob.
Street dancing is widely known for its hip-hop, pop lock and house styles. NSD performed in a hip-hop style with group and solo dancing, capturing students’ attention.
NSD put together the surprise performance to bring attention to their club. The team recently went through a name change and, as a result, has lost publicity.
“I feel like we lost a lot of performance opportunities, so we were wondering what was a good way to get our name out there,” said Amy Tuoyo, NDS president.
Tuoyo says the idea initially came from their social media manager, Adriana David. Tuoyo thought the “day of practical jokes” was a good time to showcase their dance to students.
“Crazy stuff happens on April Fools. I think people would be more well-receiving because it’s April Fools,” said Tuoyo. “It’s just a little bit of spice and a fun little moment for us and the team.”
The dance was choreographed and planned by Tuoyo and NSD Vice President Zoe Kono, and the group practiced for less than three weeks before hitting the campus.
“Amy and I choreographed ‘Catfish’ together,” Kono said. “We had this idea that we just wanted to perform and get our members out there.”
Kono has been dancing since the age of 13, after learning K-pop dances in her room, and later joined her school dance team, pursuing technical training. In the end, she ultimately decided hip-hop was her passion.
“I realized that hip-hop felt right in my bones, and I really wanted to pursue that more,” Kono said.
Kono also wanted to spread some love with the performance, and she hoped students passing by could enjoy and feel the positive energy from their dancing.
“The spirit of street dance is spontaneity,” Kono said. “Literally out on the street, with friends, sharing joy and movement and love to people. We hope that whoever passed and saw felt joy and felt our connection to movement and our appreciation for this dance.”
More information on NSD can be found on their Instagram page.
