Bringing dance to the Big House: Gangnam Style

The No Limits Dance Crew pumped up the crowd with their Gangnam Style performance in San Quentin’s H-unit Chapel.

The seven-person dance crew garnered cheers from the crowd as they danced to the song “Gangnam Style.”

“We’re so good its criminal!” one dancer yelled right before the first of four showings began.

Ms. Bridges, a clinician with the Enhanced Outpatient Program (EOP), created the dance crew as a therapeutic tool to treat the participants’ mental health issues.

She brings to the program 20 years of dance and choreography experience, as well as a degree in dance.

“I think it’s really helpful for me to focus my mind on something creative and peaceful,” Bridges said.

The men in blue learned many coping skills from being involved with the No Limits Dance Crew.

“It was a mindfulness exercise,” said Britton Schutte, “concentrating and being in the moment, almost like a meditation.”

“I’ve been wanting to exercise for a long time; exercise is good for fighting depression,” said dancer Matthew Paradise.

Dancing also helped the inmates gain confidence while staying clean and sober.

They mastered the choreography with just one month of practice.

“I used a lot of my coping skills,” Salvador Hernandez said.

The crew members brought varying levels of dance experience to the team, but they all brought open minds and great attitudes.

Geovanne Jimenez started dancing just four weeks ago. He appreciates the camaraderie that the crew members have built.

“Before, we used to just see each other and didn’t really talk. Now we get along and know each other,” Jimenez said.

Jonathan Terry brings previous dance experience to the crew.

He was involved in a dance program while incarcerated at Salinas Valley State Prison.

“You gotta stay smooth,” was Terry’s tip.

“If your day’s going bad, you could go dancing, and it brightens up your day,” said crew member Steven Minor. “I think they should have dancing on the whole yard!”