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Bringing dance to the Big House: Gangnam Style

April 30, 2019 by Aron Kumar Roy

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

Left to Right: Steven Minor, prisoner dancer, Jonathan Terry, Britton Schutte and Salvador Hernandez
Left to Right: Steven Minor, prisoner dancer, Jonathan Terry, Britton Schutte and Salvador Hernandez

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.

The No Limits Dance Crew with San Quentin staff performing a dance in front of an audience
The No Limits Dance Crew with San Quentin staff performing a dance in front of an audience

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.

Salvador Hernandez
Salvador Hernandez

“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.”

Matthew Paradise
Matthew Paradise

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

Britton Schute
Britton Schutte

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.

Geovanne Jiminez
Geovanne Jiminez

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.

Steven Minor
Steven Minor

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.

Jonathan Terry
Jonathan Terry

“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!”

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Filed Under: Health and Wellness, Mental Health Tagged With: Aron Roy, EOP, GAngnam Style, H-Unit

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