Dancing Across the Ocean

Japanese-born dancer Tony Tee, who runs a studio in Granada Hills, is doing his part to take hip-hop street dancing to Japan. He gets a little closer to his goal today when he brings Japanese dance finalists to Cal State Northridge to compete with Americans and Europeans in the World Dance Competition in L.A.

Tee, 43, who studied sports kinesiology in Japan, holds licensing agreements with 250 dance studios in Japan, where he uses his “pulse rhythm training method” to teach students to loosen their torsos, hips and neck, and move like urban American dancers.

Most of the dancers entered in today’s competition are from those studios, although some are from the Tony Tee Entertainment Academy in Granada Hills where Tee teaches.

“Most of the time, hip-hop is done by African Americans, and when they try to explain it, they say they ‘feel the beat,’ ” said Tee, who has performed with Michael Jackson and Madonna.

“But it is very difficult because they have it already,” he continued. “I’m Japanese. When I was a child I didn’t know anything about rhythm. So I broke down everything and analyzed each part [of street dancing].”

Tee said rhythm is not inborn but comes from environment and circumstances. Donald Campbell, originator of the 1970s street dance called locking, agrees.

“Hip-hop isn’t a ‘black thing,’ ” Campbell said. “Once you get into it, you love it because you have so much freedom. Any time you can bring different cultures together and they all still have a common love for dance, that shows that it’s good and special.”

Campbell’s 1970s dance clothes--striped socks, purple knickers, suspenders, white tank top and apple-shaped hat--are displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. He and break dancer “Mr. Freeze” of Rock Steady Crew, will perform today, and Campbell will give a motivational speech.

Tee, who teaches children as young as 5 as well as adults, said he produces his own music for his dancers because most hip-hop music has too much bad language.

Campbell said Tee is inspiring because he is Japanese and a great dancer.

“If there was anybody to teach the dance I invented, Tony Tee would be my first choice,” he said.

Tee said his two biggest challenges are convincing people that the Japanese can street dance and that his teaching theory works: “They understand when they see me dance.”

BE THERE

World Dance Competition in L.A., today at 2 p.m. at Cal State Northridge Performing Arts Center, 18111 Nordhoff St. Free admission. Call (818) 368-8789.