Many take break dancing and hip hop as an entertainment form, a quick show that can be easily arranged and in a quite inexpensive way. Actually, we need to demystify this false myth
Few might imagine Secretary of State Anthony Blinken playing blues music with his guitar, but this is what happened, at the end of September, when the State Department launched the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative. This is going to be a new tool at the disposal of the American government to promote people-to-people diplomacy by harnessing the power of music.
It could not be a better time to do so and not only because music can bring nations together as we recently saw with the Philadelphia Orchestra playing in Beijing, helping to soften and steer ahead the ongoing challenges between China and the USA. The launch of the new initiative was also timely because this year is the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop, probably one of the most important crowd sourcing artistic inventions, even though, when started, the word crowd sourcing did not exist yet.
In a recent chat, I got some education about the power of Hip Hop that is often mistakenly thought as just a form of dance. It is also about graffiti art; it is about mastering a unique form of DJing/Beat making. It is also about spoken word poetry, and yes it also about break dancing. Dipesh Thapa is the director of the Nepal Hip Hop Foundation, or NHF, a groundbreaking initiative that was initially launched by Krisada Kanjanawat, mostly known as Miki Dai. Miki put a lot of passion and determination in creating something unique, a space for young people to express themselves through breakdancing.
Now a disclaimer: several years ago, I had partnered with both Miki and Dipesh and all the team at the NHF to promote dance with and among persons with visual impairment, an initiative that was co-led by Shristi KC, the well-known classic dancer, public speaker and disability activist.
After a long gap, I wanted to hear from Dipesh about the current status of play of the hip hop movement in Nepal and learned about some activities that NHF wants to undertake. Unsurprisingly, I learned that the COVID pandemic was very tough on the artists and the whole movement.
Young people need forms and spaces to expresses themselves. Hip Hop can be one of them, and it has been spreading enormously in main urban centers of Nepal.
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Hip Hop offers a platform for young people to express their experiences, concerns, and aspirations," explains Dipesh. "It's also a powerful tool to address social issues."
Since, back in 2014 Dipesh started taking a stronger leadership role in running the organisation, the focus has not changed. Hip Hop, specifically break dancing, is a platform to engage people to healthy life styles and behaviours.
"The arts of DJing, MCing, graffiti, break dancing, slam poetry, beatbox and beat making have become worldwide ways young people and adults use to express their thoughts, feelings, ideas, values, knowledge and wisdom in urban, rural, suburban and other environment," Dipesh explains. "We use Hip Hop as a tool to uplift young children, youths in Kathmandu to keep them away from street violence and focus their energies on more positive pursuits."
At the NHF, "everyone can learn and everyone can teach and has the capacity to be positive role models to others and leaders in our own communities, bringing positive changes through Hip Hop," Dipesh further told me.
That's why any programme like Global Music Diplomacy Initiative does really make sense. Jenisha Dangol Maharajan, Sonu Nepali, for example, are among the most accomplished break dancers in the country. Right now, they are working hard to mentor a new generation of young break dancers. In the past, they enjoyed of the support of the State Department through the International Visitors Leadership Program or IVLP. Such experiences are life changing.
I know both of them not just as great artists and performers but also as responsible young citizens that are committed to promoting break dancing as an "anchor", as a platform to help their younger peers.
This is the powerful goal of NHF, and similarly the same applies for other arts-driven initiatives being run in the country. While it is great to count on foreign people-to- people diplomacy, Dipesh told me that ideally it should not be just the State Department providing help and support. The national institutions, starting from the government, the private sector, can also do their part.
He is well aware of the many competing priorities, the many challenges that the government has to deal with. Still investing in youth programmes through dance can be a smart investment for the future of the nation.
I see the work done by NHF as a sort of leadership platform where young artistes come together and work in a team. They do so by adhering to a certain type of philosophy based on personal accountability, hard work and respect.
There are many organisations like NHF that do great work but struggle financially.
Dipesh was explaining, for example, the sometimes paying the rent every month is a big issue. To overcome the challenges, they have been working as a sort of social business, providing, for example, accessible, low fee break dancing classes to children.
Many in the corporate world here in Nepal think of break dancing and hip hop as an entertainment form, a quick show that can be easily arranged and in a quite inexpensive way. Actually, we need to demystify this false myth. Break dancing, like spoken word poetry, requires a lot of preparation as they are both arts that need huge commitments but, once expressed, do make wonders.
No matter the challenges, all the team at NHF have some great plans ahead for 2024. They have the grit to keep their mission alive, working for the youths of the country to be able to express themselves and find their role in the society with music.
Galimberti is the co-founder of ENGAGE and The Good Leadership
