Leticia Miller – hip hop dance instructor

NEW TIMES: Can you only do hip hop dance to rap? 

LM: I try to give [the students] a wide range. Sometimes I’ve done hip hop to Jack Johnson.

NEW TIMES: Should hip hop dancers have a certain type of attitude? 

LM: You can either be angry or super happy. I try to get my kids to act thug.

NEW TIMES: Who is hip hop for? 

LM: Everyone … I’ve had a 70 year old ask for private lessons.

NEW TIMES: What’s your favorite thing about hip hop dancing? 

LM: The clothes. I like dressing like a boy.

NEW TIMES: What basic skills should someone come to a hip hop class with? 

LM: They just need enthusiasm and sneakers.

NEW TIMES: Why sneakers? 

LM: They ground you more, and that’s what hip hop is all about, being low to the ground.