Christine Joy Amagan Ferrer (a.k.a. "Tine") is the the creator and editor of eyesopenedblog.com. Ferrer is a Filipino American multimedia journalist and dancer based in the San Francisco Bay Area who graduated from SF State with a Bachelor of Arts dual degree in Journalism and Dance. She is currently working part time as the web and publishing assistant for Urban Habitat‘s Race, Poverty & the Environment Journal (www.urbanhabitat.org), where she is also curator of the Oscar Grant Memorial Arts Project. She is also the social media and editorial consultant of the ZSTC project and AVE (www.zanzibarstc.org). You'll find her teaching gymnastics and dance to her Tiny Tots, Tootsie Rollers, & Tumblers at AcroSports. She has recently joined the Performance Track Program of City Circus (www.citycircus.org) as a folk apprentice and choreographer. Dance training in: Ballet, Modern, Latin-American Social Folk Dance, Hip hop, praise dance, Urban Jazz, Capoeira, Break dance, Afro-Haitian, and Dunham Technique. Some of her personal interests and pursuits include: choreography, progressive religion, photography, the arts and urban culture, race & ethnicity, sociology, acrobatics, poverty, youth, mental illness, environmental and social justice, and Chai tea.

“I want to be known as the woman who ran after God’s heart, caught it and kept on running. He opened my Eyes.” – Christine Joy Amagan Ferrer

Alexandra "Ladieone" Graniello was born on April 11th, 1990 in Chicago, IL. Growing up with her two siblings and single mother she then moved to South Florida at the age of 12 where she found her calling in the Hip Hop/ artistic world. At the age of 13 she started indulging in the Graffiti Art scene, where she started using aerosol art as an expression of herself. Trying to figure out how the rest of this underground graffiti scene would get to know and respect her as a women in hip hop she was then given the name "Ladie." Being around Graffiti she then found another element of the Hip Hop scene which was the expression of body movement; Bgirling. Introduced to the dance through her best friend, Ladieone then met her soon to be crew members "IMC"; illmatic movements crew from carol city, Miami, FL. Inspired from many original and new school Miami Bboys, Ladie grew fond of the miami breaking style and foundation which soon grew upon her. At the age of 20, Ladieone being a full time nursing student dropped her career in the medical field and moved to Los Angeles, CA to pursue her dream and passion in Dancing and Arts. She is now full time Dancing, Modeling, Acting, and indulging in her Makeup Artistry passion as well. She is Current To nation wide competing, Commercials, T.V. Shows, Music videos, Movies and film.

Binagirl was born and raised in San Francisco and started bgirlin in 2000 while working on her undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley. She was one of the original members of the Sisterz of the Underground performing at their first show in 2001. Later that year she moved to Japan to teach English and joined Team Oh to compete in the Battle of the Year where they received second place.

Since then Binagirl joined the Extra Credit Kru and has taught bgirlin in Japan, Washington DC, San Francisco, Vermont, and Uganda. She has been working in the field of international education where she always incorporates hip hop education in her curriculum. Recently, Binagirl spent two years working in Uganda with war affected youth in various capacities while working on her Masters degree in International Education. She has been working with the Breakdance Project Uganda in Gulu where she has participated in judging competitions, dancing in performances and organizing girl empowerment workshops.

Binagirl plans to move back to Uganda in January 2012 where she will continue to work with youth empowerment through hip hop.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cassaundra "Sassy" Bustamante – Resume

I, Cassaundra Bustamante was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico March 1^st 1986. Known as B-girl Sassy, I arose threw the hip-hop community by attending local teen dances, and competitions. The B-Boy dance form and its Hip Hop culture instantly captivated me.

It started in Elementary school. I was introduced to Flamenco dance and was also a member on my schools 5^th & 6^th grade Spirit Squad. Middle School came and I began studing and practicing Breaking moves that I would see being done at local teen dances in my bedroom at home. I was extremely shy and nervous at first, to perform or as you say it in our language step into the “cypher” in front of anyone. Until one day at a school dance I got the courage to go in the cypher and bust out what I had been practicing. Since that day I have never stopped B-Girling, and now it has been 13 years that I have actively been involved in the Hip Hop Community by dancing and organizing events.

After getting my High School Diploma, I attended the Santa Fe Community College and pursued a degree in Performing Arts: Dance. My degree program fell short of students and as a result was taken out of my school. After that I began to realize that I needed to go forth and pursue what I really loved to do most. I saved my money and moved out of New Mexico to Hollywood, California. I relocated to California in December 2007 to expand my expiriences and gain more growth as a dancer. I had to over come many struggles with the industry and begin networking to establish more opportunities for myself. I soon found myself having to work full time to pay my bills instead of pursuing my passion.

I was almost to the point of giving up all hope and moving back home, until I was given the opportunity to become a core dance member with an Urban and Hip Hop Dance Company called “West Bound”. I was booked out to perform with the company at various events & gatherings. I also was introduced to an all female collective called Sisterz of the Underground and got down with an all female B-girl Crew named Extra Credit Krew.  After establishing myself more in the California hip-hop community, I was able to train and vibe with some of the worlds best male and female Pioneers and very talented individuals that before then I  had only dreamt of meeting.

I am truly very blessed to have been able to meet, not only the Love of my Life, but the father to my beautiful daughter, Bboy Ronnie Ruen while in California. Growing up seeing him on videos and wishing I could do what he was doing, makes me still think it’s a dream. We met unannounced, and fell in love so fast. We shared this same passion for dance and so many other interests. He and his crew, Killafornia, became family and helped me grow tremendously as a dancer and individual. 

Just being apart of this powerful culture has been one of the greatest Blessings to me. I am passionate about creating positive change in the lives of others especially the youth. Displaying a powerful presence in a male dominated culture such as hip-hop generates a powerful understanding of self-confidence that I want to share with as many young women as possible, because I believe in the powerful force behind it. I believe in the positive persuasive power of hip-hop dance. It brings me great joy in teaching and passing on the blessings that were passed on to me.

Much Love to:

GOD, My Beautiful Daughter Marialys, Family & Friends, My Other Half =), all you who inspire me to keep doing what I love, Ladies First Crew, Harambe Movement, West Bound, Sisterz of the Underground, Extra Credit Krew, Killafornia, Style Elements Crew, Tribal Gear, Nikita, and Red Bull Beat Riders.

Catch my class:

Warehouse 508 
508 First st nw
Albuquerque, nm 87102

Wednesdays 6:00pm-9:00pm
Started 9/6/11 

 

GRUPO BSBGIRLS

O Brasil Style B. Girls (BSB. Girls) – 2003. Missão: Promover através do Breaking a difusão da cultura urbana e sua mensagem de transformação social, de fortalecimento dos valores éticos através da arte e educação. Últimas apresentações importantes em 2010: Aniversário de Brasília 50 Anos; Criadoras – Mostra de Cultura Urbana Brasil Espanha SESC; Encontrão Raízes Africanas Embassy EUA.

 Fabiana Balduína – FaB*Girl

Fundadora do grupo BSBGIRLS é dançarina, produtora e arte educadora desde 2001; autodidata no estilo de dança breaking, estudou e fez diversos cursos, workshops, seminários de vários estilos de danças urbanas, Frevo e dança Afro Brasileiro, com profissionais de renome nacional e internacional.

Group BSBGIRLS

Brasil Style B. Girls (BSB Girls) – 2003. Mission: Promote a diffusion of urban culture through breaking, it's mission is social transformation of ethic values through art and education. Recent notable presentations in 2010: 50 year Anniversary of Brasília; Creators – To show the urban culture of Brasil and US Embassy African Roots Encounter.

Fabiana Balduína – FaB*Girl

She is the founder of the group BSBGIRLS. Fabiana has been a dancer, producer, and arts educator since 2001; self-educated in the style of dance called "breakdance", she has studied, facilitated, and participated in diverse courses, workshops, and seminars of various styles of urban dance including Frevo and Afro Brazilian dance with nationally and internationally renowned professors.