MALLOZZI: AAH!

WHOA!

"BARE FEET!"

HA HA HA!

I'M A DANCER, AND I'M A TRAVELER, AND WHEREVER I GO, I EXPERIENCE THE WORLD ONE DANCE AT A TIME.

I'M MICKELA MALLOZZI, AND THIS IS "BARE FEET."

"BARE FEET" IS FUNDED IN PART BY... ANNOUNCER: ROAD SCHOLAR, OFFERING EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL ADVENTURES FOR ADULTS SINCE 1975.

ANNOUNCER: ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN THROUGH THE YUEN FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

MALLOZZI: THESE GENEROUS SUPPORTERS.

ANNOUNCER: AND BY THE ANN H. SYMINGTON FOUNDATION.

NEW YORK CITY IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF HIP-HOP, A GENRE OF MUSIC, DANCE, AND A WHOLE CULTURE THAT HAS TOUCHED AND INFLUENCED THE ENTIRE WORLD.

ON THIS "BARE FEET IN NYC" ADVENTURE, I GO BACK TO THE ROOTS OF HIP-HOP TO UNDERSTAND ITS ORIGINS AND SEE HOW IT HAS EVOLVED OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS RIGHT HERE IN THE BOOGIE DOWN BRONX.

MY FIRST STOP TAKES ME TO THE TROPS GALLERY AND ITS COURTYARD IN MANHATTAN'S EAST VILLAGE FOR THE ANNUAL LADIES OF HIP-HOP FESTIVAL.

I MEET WITH MICHELE BYRD-McPHEE, FOUNDER OF THE FESTIVAL, AS THE DAY'S EVENTS BEGIN.

LADIES OF HIP-HOP 2021, HOW ARE WE FEELING?

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] [HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] BYRD-McPHEE: I KNEW LOTS OF WOMEN WHO WERE IN HIP-HOP WHO WERE TEACHING, WHO WERE TRAINING OTHER WOMEN, BUT I ALSO KNEW A BUNCH OF WOMEN WHO WANTED TO LEARN, SO I WAS ONE OF THOSE WOMEN AND JUST INVITED SOME WOMEN, AND IT KIND OF BLEW UP INTO WHAT IT IS NOW.

SO KICK, STEP, OUT, KICK, STEP, OUT.

ALL RIGHT?

MM-HMM.

SO KICK, STEP, OUT, KICK, STEP, OUT.

GA GA GA, GA GA GA, GA GA GA!

WHOO!

OK. ALL RIGHT?

THIS IS-- WE'RE GONNA LEVEL UP RIGHT HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GONNA GO DOWN.

CRACK.

POP OUT.

COME BACK IN.

IF WE'RE CROSSED HERE, THEN WE TURN.

TURN.

AND KEEP GOING.

OH, YEAH.

AND DOWN.

COME IN.

MAN, YOU CAN DO ALL THAT STUFF!

HA HA HA!

YOU'RE GONNA BE BATTLING LATER.

HA HA!

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] BYRD-McPHEE, VOICE-OVER: THE FESTIVAL IS ONE WEEK ONCE A YEAR, BUT WE DO A GIRLS OF HIP-HOP PROGRAM, WHICH IS A PROGRAM WITH FREE CLASSES FOR GIRLS 7-17.

WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED ARTIST TOOLKIT.

IT'S BASICALLY JUST TRYING TO TEACH OTHER ARTISTS THAT ADMIN SIDE OF THE BUSINESS.

MALLOZZI: I THINK THAT'S THE HARDEST PART FOR AN ARTIST IS HOW DO YOU MAKE A LIVING, HOW DO YOU CONTINUE TO DO YOUR CRAFT AND MAKE IT A CAREER?

YEAH.

SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] AAH!

AAH!

AAH!

I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT!

MALLOZZI: NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE LADIES OF HIP-HOP EXHIBITION BATTLE TO BEGIN.

EMCEE: WHEN I SAY "LADIES," Y'ALL SAY, "HIP-HOP"!

LADIES!

HIP-HOP!

LADIES!

HIP-HOP!

LET'S GO.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] [HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] MALLOZZI: ALL 16 COMPETITORS REPRESENT VARIOUS STYLES OF STREET DANCE, AND THEY WERE EACH HAND-PICKED AND INVITED BY THE ORGANIZATION TO COMPETE.

EMCEE: ARE MY JUDGES READY?

3, 2, 1.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] MALLOZZI: SOME OF THE DANCE STYLES FEATURED IN TODAY'S BATTLES INCLUDE POPPING... FLEXN... WAACKING... KRUMPING, AND MORE!

HEY!

HEY!

HEY!

HEY!

TAYLAH GANG IS A LITEFEET DANCER, AND SHE IS THE YOUNGEST COMPETITOR HERE TODAY.

MALLOZZI: TAYLAH, HOW OLD ARE YOU?

I'M 11.

OH, MY GOSH.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DANCING?

WELL, I'VE BEEN DANCING, LIKE, MY WHOLE LIFE, BUT I STARTED LITEFEET 3 YEARS AGO.

IT'S MY FIRST TIME COMING HERE.

IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY AMAZING.

IT'S LIKE A PARTY, AND IT'S REALLY FUN ACTUALLY.

WOMAN: GIVE IT UP FOR TAYLAH!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] K-OS: ♪ SPACESHIP TAKE ME HOME ♪ ♪ BACK TO THE SEVENTH SUN, THE SEVENTH ONE ♪ ♪ WHEN I DROP PATIENCE ♪ WOMAN: I JUST LOVE THE COMMUNITY.

THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR BATTLING HERE.

I'M REALLY EXCITED, AND I LOVE WHAT IT REPRESENTS, THE SISTERHOOD, THE TOGETHERNESS, THE EMPOWERMENT.

IF SOMEONE'S WATCHING THIS AND THEY'RE LIKE, "I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD TRY THIS," WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM?

I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO IT.

IT'S A SAFE SPACE.

YOU'RE GONNA LEARN, YOU'RE GONNA GROW, AND NOT ONLY GROW WITHIN DANCE BUT JUST IN FINDING YOURSELF.

IT'S JUST A GREAT SPACE TO BE IN, AND IT'S A GREAT COMMUNITY TO BE A PART OF.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] NAS: ♪ THEY WATCH ME LIKE THE CHIP' ♪ ♪ COURTSIDE AT THE RUCKER ♪ ♪ FLOW ONLY GETTING TOUGHER ♪ BYRD-McPHEE: FOR ME, IT'S REALLY ABOUT COMMUNITY AND JUST A VIBE AND, YOU KNOW, SISTERHOOD.

BECAUSE IT'S A GLOBAL CULTURE AT THIS POINT, I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILDING LONG-TERM FAMILIES THAT ARE AROUND THE WORLD BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I FEEL LIKE.

EVERY YEAR, MY FAMILY COMES HOME.

YES.

CHERYL LYNN: ♪ MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE ♪ ♪ OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY ♪ ♪ WHAT YOU FIND-AH ♪ ♪ WHAT YOU FEEL ♪ MALLOZZI: NEXT STOP, I HEAD TO BRONX TERMINAL MARKET 11 JUST 10 BLOCKS AWAY FROM YANKEE STADIUM.

I'M HERE TO GET A LIVING HISTORY LESSON IN HIP-HOP CULTURE AT THE [R]EVOLUTION OF HIP HOP EXHIBIT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRAND-NEW UNIVERSAL HIP HOP MUSEUM.

I MEET WITH FRIEND AND HIP-HOP EDUCATOR JAMEE SCHLEIFER, ALSO KNOWN AS LADY JAM.

I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL HIP-HOP DANCE TEACHER.

I STARTED IN '86.

MY BACKGROUND WAS IN BALLET AND TAP AND JAZZ, AND THE KIDS WERE NOT HAVING THAT.

THEY WOULD BOYCOTT ME, YOU KNOW, SAY MY STEPS ARE WACK, AND THEY WOULD NOT DO THAT, BUT THEN I SAW THEM BREAKING IN A CORNER, AND I SAID, "AH."

WE STARTED TO COMBINE WHAT I DID WITH WHAT THEY DID, AND WE DEVELOPED THE HIP-HOP CURRICULUM.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] MAN: ♪ GET DOWN ♪ ♪ UNH ♪ MALLOZZI: JAMEE BROUGHT ME HERE TO MEET WITH POPMASTER FABEL, HIP-HOP LEGEND FROM THE ROCK STEADY DANCE CREW TURNED HIP-HOP EDUCATOR.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] [CLAPPING] COME ON NOW!

GET IT!

GET IT!

HA!

WHOO!

AHH!

HEY!

[CHEERING] MALLOZZI: HE IS ONE OF THE CURATORS FOR THIS EXHIBIT, AND HE IS GIVING US A DEEP DIVE INTO THE ROOTS OF HIP-HOP CULTURE.

FABEL: EVERY INCH OF THIS SPACE BREATHES HIP-HOP AND A MAGICAL TIME IN NEW YORK, WHERE THE STREETS WERE, LIKE, JUST FLOWING WITH CULTURE AND VIBRANCY.

MALLOZZI: YOU HAVE A LOT PERSONAL PIECES IN THIS EXHIBIT THAT WILL EVENTUALLY MOVE INTO THE UNIVERSAL HIP HOP MUSEUM.

HOW OLD ARE YOU IN THIS PICTURE?

15.

OH, MY GOSH.

1980.

I SPENT THE WHOLE WEEKEND PAINTING THOSE PANTS BECAUSE I WANTED TO WALK INTO SCHOOL ON MONDAY AND JUST CRUSH EVERYONE.

IN MY OPINION, HIP-HOP FASHION ISN'T NECESSARILY, LIKE, WHAT YOU BUY IN A STORE BUT HOW YOU ROCKED IT, HOW YOU FLIPPED IT, YOU KNOW, SO ADDING YOUR OWN TOUCH DO IT MADE IT YOURS.

MM-HMM.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ELEMENTS THAT MAKE UP WHAT HIP-HOP IS.

SO THERE'S THE DANCE ELEMENT.

WE CREATED B-BOYING OR B-GIRLING, WHICH MOST PEOPLE CALL BREAK DANCING, AND ANOTHER DANCE FORM CALLED ROCK DANCING, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S MOSTLY FANCY FOOTWORK.

OF COURSE, THERE'S THE DJ.

WITHOUT THE DJ, THERE'S NO PARTY.

SO YOU HAVE THE MC, WHICH PEOPLE CALL RAPPERS, BUT WE CALLED THE MCs, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE AEROSOL ART.

I LIKE HOW YOU SAY, "AEROSOL ARTISTS," BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW IT AS GRAFFITI ART, RIGHT?

THE TECHNICAL TERM FOR GRAFFITI IS OF COURSE VANDALISM.

I FEEL THAT WE HAVE TO DEFINE OURSELVES AND COME UP WITH OUR OWN TERMS, AND THEN THERE'S THE FIFTH ELEMENT-- KNOWLEDGE OF SELF, YOU KNOW, KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR CULTURE, AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR CRAFT.

THESE ARE THE COMPONENTS, AND THEY ALL SORT OF CAME TOGETHER AT THE JAMS, THE BLOCK PARTIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS.

DJs ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY WOULD BRING OUT THEIR EQUIPMENT AND HAVE THESE SOUND CLASHES, AND IT WOULD ATTRACT THE B-BOYS, THE B-GIRLS.

FOR ME AND FOR A LOT OF US, IT WAS A TOTAL BLESSING TO HAVE THIS CULTURE.

IT GAVE US A SENSE OF SELF-EMPOWERMENT.

FIRST OFF, A POP IS A MUSCLE CONTRACTION, RIGHT, SO YOU CAN USE YOUR TRICEP.

A SHARP CONTRACTION, AND THE KEY THING IS IS TO CONTRACT AND RELEASE.

1, 2, 3, 4.

SO 1 FOOT PASSES IT TO THE OTHER, RIGHT?

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND YOU SNEAK YOUR POP IN RIGHT HERE.

BOOM.

BOOM, RIGHT?

BOOM...BOOM...AND ARMS, ARMS... MMM, AND BOOM...BOOM.

FABEL, VOICE-OVER: HIP-HOP, IT'S JUST A NEW NAME FOR IT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS EXISTED.

WE INHERITED IT FROM OUR INDIGENOUS BROTHERS AND SISTERS, OUR ELDERS, OUR ANCESTORS, AND AT THIS POINT, IT'S UNIVERSAL.

THAT'S WHY THE MUSEUM IS CALLED THE UNIVERSAL HIP HOP MUSEUM.

I MEAN, THERE ISN'T A PLACE ON EARTH WHERE HIP-HOP ISN'T ALIVE AND WELL.

UHN, AND POP.

UHN, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

CAREFUL.

OHH!

HA HA HA!

MALLOZZI: FROM THE BRONX, I HEAD TO ALBEE SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN FOR THE VINYL NIGHTS DANCE PARTY.

AS POPMASTER FABEL EXPLAINED, ONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF HIP HOP IS DJing.

I'M HERE TO MEET WITH LEGENDARY DJ KENNY PARKER FOR MY VERY FIRST LESSON IN DJing.

THE DJ IS LIKE THE BANDLEADER OF THE BAND.

THE DJ CONTROLS WHAT MUSIC COMES OUT, WHEN, HOW, HOW LONG.

THE MC's ORIGINAL JOB WAS TO HYPE UP THE DJ.

BEFORE THERE WAS RAPPING, THE MC's JOB WAS TO COME ON AND SAY, "HEY, EVERYBODY.

LOOK AT MY DJ.

ISN'T HE GREAT?"

BUT THE MC EVOLVED.

THEY'RE LIKE, "WELL, SINCE I'M UP HERE"... "I MIGHT AS WELL"-- "MY NAME IS."

HA!

YOU KNOW.

MY BROTHER KRS-ONE... YEP.

PEOPLE KNOW THIS, BUT KRS-ONE IS A GOOD-- A VERY GOOD DJ.

YEAH.

HE SHOWED ME THE BASICS, AND I USED TO COME BY HIS HOUSE, PRACTICE EVERY DAY.

COINCIDENTALLY, HIS DJ, THE WORLD FAMOUS D-NICE, WAS GOING SOLO, AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS I HAPPENED TO BE JUST LEARNING HOW TO DJ, AND THAT WAS 30 YEARS AGO, AND I'VE JUST BEEN GOING EVER SINCE.

LET'S START SIMPLE.

WE HAVE TWO RECORDS AND A MIXER.

OK.

THE MIXER'S PURPOSE IS FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO PLAY EITHER SIDE THAT YOU WANT OR BOTH SIDES IF YOU WANT...

RIGHT.

DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU MOVE THE CROSS FADER.

RIGHT.

WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET THE TEMPO OF ONE SIDE AND THE OTHER SIDE TO BE THE SAME.

RIGHT.

THE TRICK TO MATCHING, TOO, IS THAT YOU HAVE TO--YOU HAVE TO THROW THE RECORD, YOU KIND HAVE TO THROW IT IN ON THE ONE, WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT.

ON THE ONE.

OK. YEAH.

[BEAT PLAYING] OK.

THE ONE IS RIGHT-- 2, 3, 4, 1!

THAT'S THE ONE.

YEAH.

OK.

SO WHILE THIS IS PLAYING, LISTEN TO THIS SIDE.

HOW DO I DO THAT?

SWITCH THAT.

OK. GET RID OF THIS.

RIGHT.

OK. NOW PRESS PLAY ON THAT.

NOW YOU HAVE TO FIND THE ONE.

1, 2, 3, 4.

OH, THE BRING THE FADER OVER.

BRING THE FADER OVER IF YOU GOT IT.

HEY!

HA HA HA!

CONGRATULATIONS.

WHAT?!

WHAT?!

THAT WAS AMAZING!

THAT'S DJing.

GRANDMASTER FLASH WAS THE GUY WHO SAID, "WHY DON'T WE BRING THEM IN ON TIME "SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE DANCING IT WON'T MESS UP THEIR FLOW?"

RIGHT, RIGHT.

SO ONCE HE FIGURED OUT TO BRING TWO RECORDS IN ON TIME, HIP-HOP!

CHANGED THE WORLD.

CHANGED THE WORLD.

[SCRATCHING] YOU WANT TO GET ON THE KICK.

OH, YEAH.

YEAH, YEAH.

OK. THAT'S THE KICK.

SCRATCHING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!

WHOO!

HA HA HA!

OH, NO!

I SCREWED UP!

DJ's GONE WILD!

THIS IS AWESOME!

THIS IS EXCELLENT.

CHERYL LYNN: ♪ WHAT YOU FIND-AH ♪ PARKER: IT'S CHERYL LYNN, 1981.

CHERYL LYNN: ♪ WHAT YOU FEEL NOW ♪ MALLOZZI: TONIGHT IS A PARTY CO-HOSTED BY THE MOBILE MONDAYS!

CREW WITH DJ KENNY PARKER AND DJ MISBEHAVIOUR SPINNING VINYL.

HOW YOU DOING, ALBEE SQUARE?

YOU GOOD?

GOOD.

[CHEERING] CHERYL LYNN: ♪ FIND-AH ♪ ♪ I THINK I LOVE, BABY ♪ ♪ WHAT YOU FEEL NOW ♪ ♪ I FEEL I NEED YOU, BABY ♪ WOMAN: WE'RE HERE AT VINYL NIGHTS, AND WE PLAY EVERY GENRE FROM THE SEVENTIES, EIGHTIES, NINETIES, DISCO, HIP-HOP, FUNK, AND SOUL, SALSA.

WHEN YOU HEAR ALL OF THAT MUSIC IN ONE NIGHT, I MEAN, THAT'S THE NEW YORK THAT I GREW UP IN.

YEAH.

[FUNK MUSIC PLAYING] MISBEHAVIOUR: WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I USED TO ENJOY, LIKE, MAKING MIX TAPES FOR MY FRIENDS' PARTIES.

WHEN I GOT TURNTABLES, I GOT THE BUG, YOU KNOW, JUST PRACTICING, PRACTICING, BUT IF YOU REALLY LOVE IT, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE HARD WORK.

PATTI LABELLE: ♪ I'M ALIVE AND LIVING NOW ♪ ♪ FROM THE DAY THAT I WAS BORN ♪ ♪ I CAN FEEL IT, WHOA, FEEL IT ♪ ♪ AHH, AHH, AHH ♪ ♪ AHH, AHH, AHH, AHH ♪ MALLOZZI: FROM DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN, I HEAD UP TO HUNTS POINT IN THE SOUTH BRONX.

I'M MEETING WRITER AND ENTREPRENEUR SULMA ARZU-BROWN, AND SHE IS TAKING ME TO SOME OF HER FAVORITE SPOTS HERE IN THE SOUTH BRONX, INCLUDING THE BOOGIE DOWN GRIND CAFÉ, WHICH SHE IS A PART OWNER OF.

ARZU-BROWN: THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR OUTDOOR SEATING SPACE.

OH, HOW COOL.

I NEED ALSO ADD THAT IT IS AWARD-WINNING.

WE JUST WON THE AL FRESCO AWARD.

IT'S ONE OF THE BEST SEATING SPACES IN NEW YORK CITY, AND OUR TRAIN, THIS IS THE 6 TRAIN.

IT'S THE 6 TRAIN.

I LOVE IT.

ARZU-BROWN: OH, MY GOODNESS.

YOU DRAW NICE.

YEAH!

ARZU-BROWN: THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST HIP-HOP CAFÉ THAT WE HAVE IN THE BRONX.

WE ALSO USE IT AS AN EXHIBITION SPACE, AND LOCAL ARTISTS COME HERE, DISPLAY THEIR ART, AND EVEN SELL THEIR ART.

A LOT OF OUR NAMES ARE HONORING HIP-HOP ARTISTS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS THE FIRST HIP-HOP COFFEE SHOP.

MALLOZZI: YEAH.

I GREW UP IN THIS AREA, AND THERE WAS A POINT THAT I WANTED TO LEAVE, BUT I DECIDED "WELL, IF I LEAVE, THEN I'M NOT HERE TO HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM."

IN THE PAST, WE WERE KNOWN FOR THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT, WE WERE KNOWN FOR THE LIQUOR STORES, SO THIS SIGN ACTUALLY CAME OUT OF ONE OF THE LIQUOR STORES, AND THIS OTHER SIGN OVER HERE CAME FROM ONE OF THE INDECENT CLUBS THAT WE HAD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE WERE LIKE, "LET'S MAKE ART OUT OF IT."

"LET'S EMBRACE IT."

YEAH.

"LET'S EMBRACE IT, AND LET'S TURN IT AROUND."

WE NOW USE IT TO TELL A STORY OF HOW WE'VE COME UP.

WE ARE CREATORS HERE IN THE BRONX.

WE CAN INVEST IN BUSINESSES.

WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR BIG COMPANIES TO DO IT FOR US.

IF WE COME TOGETHER AS ONE COMMUNITY, WE PRETTY MUCH DO IT FOR OURSELVES, AND THAT'S WHY WE CALL IT THE BOOGIE DOWN GRIND BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT THE GRIND, RIGHT, AND THE GRIND MADE IT HAPPEN.

YEAH.

AND THE COFFEE GRINDS.

AND THE COFFEE GRINDS.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

WHICH WE ARE ABOUT TO GET.

SULMA THEN TAKES ME TO MOTT HAVEN TO BEATSTRO, AN UNASSUMING RECORD SHOP WITH A SPEAKEASY ENTRANCE TO A BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANT THAT PAYS HOMAGE TO HIP-HOP CULTURE.

BEATSTRO.

OH, MY GOSH.

WOMAN: WELCOME TO BEATSTRO.

MALLOZZI: THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

HOW ARE YOU?

HEY, GIRL.

HOW YOU DOING?

THIS IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANT.

IT IS SUCH A COOL SPOT.

IT'S AN HOMAGE TO HIP-HOP, AND WHAT BETTER PLACE THAN THE BRONX?

HAVE ORIGINAL ARTWORK FROM ANDRE TRENIER, THE SPEAKER WALL.

YEAH.

I MEAN, THIS IS, LIKE, THE CENTERPIECE RIGHT HERE.

IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

SO IT'S ALWAYS THIS INSTAGRAM PLACE.

IT'S ALWAYS THE WALL OR THE PHONE BOOTH.

THE MENU IS BASICALLY A FUSION OF SOUL FOOD AND PUERTO RICAN CUISINE.

RICE AND PORK BALLS, CHICKEN AND WAFFLES.

WE HAVE A FRIED CATFISH WITH LOCRIO.

OUR KALE SALAD.

SOMETHING TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO BE HEALTHY.

HA HA HA!

ARZU-BROWN: NO.

LET ME DO SOMETHING GUILTY.

WHY DON'T YOU ADD STRAWBERRIES TO MINE?

HA HA!

MM-HMM!

FRIED CHICKEN, WAFFLES, SYRUP, STRAWBERRIES, AND SOME LOVE.

SALUD.

SALUD.

SALUD!

BETWEEN THE FOOD AND THE VIBE, IT JUST KEEPS YOU-- IT'S JUST RIGHT.

MALLOZZI: FOR OUR LAST STOP, SULMA TAKES ME TO THE BRONX NATIVE SHOP TO MEET WITH OWNER AMAURYS GRULLON.

HELLO.

PLEASURE.

WELCOME TO THE BRONX.

AND "EL BRONX."

I LOVE IT.

EL BRONX.

YES.

THIS IS ONE OF THE SHIRTS THAT WE DO HERE, THAT WE SELL HERE AT THE BRONX NATIVE SHOP AND ONE OF OUR FAN FAVORITES, ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR SHIRTS, AND... 718!

AREA CODE!

YOU ALREADY KNOW.

YES, YES.

GOT THE BRONX ON OUR BACK.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] MIC, MIC, MIC.

MIC CHECK, MIC, MIC.

1, 2.

1, 1, 1, 2.

GRULLON: WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE BRONX, I THINK ABOUT MY COMMUNITY, RIGHT, BLACK AND BROWN, IMMIGRANTS, HARD-WORKING INDIVIDUALS THAT CAME HERE AND MADE IT HAPPEN.

IT'S THE BIRTHPLACE OF HIP-HOP, BIRTHPLACE OF SALSA, DOO-WHOP.

SO MUCH DIVERSITY HERE, SO MUCH CULTURE, HISTORY, AND THE BRONX NATIVE REPRESENTS THAT.

[SINGING IN SPANISH] ♪ FOR YOU TO JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?

♪ ♪ JUST LET ME LIVE ♪ ♪ LET ME SEE YOU DANCE NOW ♪ ♪ LET ME SEE YOU DANCE NOW ♪ ♪ LET ME SEE YOU DANCE NOW ♪ ♪ STAND BACK AND WATCH IT GO, GO MO ♪ MALLOZZI: YOU HOST A LOT OF COMMUNITY EVENTS.

GRULLON: THIS SHOP REALLY BECAME A STAPLE FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER, TO CONNECT, AND FOR ME WHEN I'M HERE, ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS IS MEETING NEW PEOPLE, EXPERIENCING NEW PEOPLE.

I'M ALL THE TOURISTS' FAVORITE, BUT IF YOU KNOW ME, YOU DON'T CARE.

SOME DAYS, I'M 3rd AVE, BUT MOST DAYS, I'M WESTCHESTER SQUARE.

I'M FROM A PLACE WHERE GUYS SPIT THEIR FIRST RHYMES, WHERE THEY TELL YOU "MAKE IT OUT THE HOOD OR RESORT TO CRIME," WHERE YOU SLEEP TO THE SOUND OF MUSIC AND COPS, WHERE YOU HANG AT BODEGAS AND BARBERSHOPS.

ONCE, THE BRONX WAS BURNING, AND I WOULD SAY THE BRONX IS STILL BURNING, BUT THIS TIME WITH THAT PASSION, WITH THAT LOVE, WITH THAT CREATIVITY, AMBITIOUSNESS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

SO WE ON FIRE.

YEAH!

WE'RE REALLY ON FIRE!

YOU ALREADY KNOW, YEAH, WE'RE VIBING, AND IT'S GONNA BE-- IT'S A VIBE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A VIBE TO BE PART OF THIS, YOU KNOW, AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE, CREATING SOCIAL IMPACT, AND HELPING OUR PEOPLE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: CREATIVITY IN THE BRONX IS CULTIVATED BY COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING.

I MEET WITH IT'S SHOWTIME NYC, A PROGRAM FROM THE BRONX-BASED NONPROFIT DANCING IN THE STREETS, WHOSE MISSION IS TO OFFER PROFESSIONAL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES TO STREET AND CLUB DANCERS HERE IN NEW YORK CITY.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] MAN: IT'S SHOWTIME NYC IS A PROGRAM THAT WAS STARTED BY MAYOR DE BLASIO TO GIVE STREET DANCERS AND TRAINED PERFORMERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MONEY DANCING LEGALLY.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS THIS IN THE CITY.

NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE HOW GREAT IT IS TO BE MAKING MONEY DOING STREET DANCE.

IT'S LIKE...

THE ULTIMATE.

THE ULTIMATE.

MALLOZZI: IT'S SHOWTIME NYC's DANCERS FEATURE SO MANY STYLES OF STREET AND CLUB DANCE.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] WOMAN: AT LEAST IN NEW YORK, THERE'S NO OTHER STREET DANCE PROGRAM THAT ENCOMPASSES MANY DIFFERENT STYLES.

IT CHANGES US BECAUSE WE'RE ASLO LISTENING TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF MUSIC AND LOOKING AT DIFFERENT MOVEMENT.

MALLOZZI: JUNGLE, ONE OF THE DANCERS IN IT'S SHOWTIME NYC, GIVES ME A QUICK LESSON IN THE DANCE STYLE HOUSE.

JUNGLE: HOUSE IS A STYLE THAT ORIGINATED, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ASK, BUT MOST PEOPLE SAY THAT IT ORIGINATED IN NEW YORK.

HOUSE MUSIC, THOUGH, ORIGINATED IN CHICAGO.

FIRST STEP IS ONE AND TWO.

AND 3 AND 4.

TRY TO GET THAT HIP IN THERE, YEAH.

♪ DO ♪ ♪ DO DO ♪ HEEL, BACK.

♪ DO DO ♪ HEEL.

YEP.

NOW ARM.

JUNGLE, VOICE-OVER: ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE MOVE OUR BODY IN HOUSE IS CALLED JACKING.

THERE'S FOOTWORK THAT IS AKIN TO OTHER STYLES, BUT WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT IS THE RHYTHM AND THE CADENCE.

7, 8.

HA!

HEY!

YES!

THANK YOU!

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] MALLOZZI: NEXT, COCOMOTION TEACHES ME A DANCE STYLE CALLED WAACKING.

COCOMOTION: WAACKING CONSISTS OF STRIKING THE POSE AND ACCENTING THE MUSICALITY, BEING VERY, LIKE, LARGER THAN LIFE.

THAT'S WHERE YOU GET ALL THE POSES AND THE THEATRICS OF THE DANCE.

YOUR PLACEMENT STARTS HERE.

YOR WRIST ROLL IS THE TRANSITION TO TAKE YOU TO THE SECOND PLACEMENT.

YOU RIFF ROLL BACK DOWN TO TAKE YOU BACK TO YOUR FIRST PLACEMENT.

YOU ONLY HAVE TWO PLACEMENTS.

TWO, AND LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE, LIKE, THROWING SOMETHING.

WHEN YOU DO IT, YOU'RE LIKE PFFF!

YES, BECAUSE I'M REALLY MAKING SURE THAT I'M ACCENTING THE ROLL BACK AND THEN THE ROLL BACK DOWN.

RIGHT.

AND 1 AND 2 AND 3 AND 4.

RIGHT.

AND 5 AND 6 AND 7 AND 8.

THERE YOU GO.

OK.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

YEAH.

WE DIDN'T EVEN GET STARTED YET.

COCOMOTION: THE WAY THAT I DANCE IS I OUTLINE THE MUSIC SO THAT IF SOMEBODY WERE DEAF THEY COULD STILL SEE WHAT I'M HITTING AND BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS WHAT THE MUSIC IS DOING.

SO YOU HAVE ONE FULL AROUND, POSE, POSE.

POSE, POSE.

THERE YOU GO.

DON'T PIVOT, PIVOT.

GO, LIKE, POSE, BAM!

YES!

LIKE THAT.

OK.

SO YOU'RE ACCENTING THAT MOVEMENT, THAT SOUND WITH YOUR BODY.

EXACTLY.

LIKE A ONOMATOPOEIA, LIKE TO WAACK, BAM, CRASH, BOOM!

5, 6, 7, AND 1.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] AHH!

HA HA HA!

MAN: HEY!

HEY!

MALLOZZI: AND FINALLY, QU SHOWS ME LITEFEET.

OHH!

QU: LITEFEET IS A DANCE STYLE.

IT'S ALSO A ENERGY.

THE ORIGINAL TERM WAS GET LITE.

IT WAS A PLAY ON BEING LIGHT ON YOUR FEET.

WE'RE STARTING OFF WITH A LIFT OF THE LEG, DROP, OPEN, CLOSE.

WE'RE GONNA REPEAT THAT.

SO 1 AND 2, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE 3 AND 4.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, HEY 7, AND GREAT.

ALL RIGHT.

MAN: HEY.

THIS BEAT SOUNDS STUPID.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING] QU: WE LIKE TO CALL IT A POCKET THAT LITEFEET LIVES IN THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN HIP-HOP, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN OTHER STYLES.

THE MAJORITY OF OUR DANCES COME FROM BEING ABLE TO ALMOST LOOK LIKE YOU'RE FLOATING, AND A LOT OF THE FOUNDATION IS A LOT OF FOOTWORK.

[MUSIC CONTINUES] YEAH.

NICE.

AMAZING.

THANK YOU.

WIILDKARD: FOR THE MET TO APPROACH US AND SAY, "WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU," WAS, LIKE, ♪ "I THINK SOMEONE'S STARTING TO GET IT" ♪ IT IS A BEAUTIFUL ARTFORM, AND IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT, JUST AS SPECIAL AS, LIKE, BALLET AND ALL THOSE OTHER FORMS THAT PEOPLE PUT UP HERE.

YEP.

COCOMOTION: I THINK THE DANCE IS GONNA GO WHEREVER THE PEOPLE TAKE IT, BUT MUSIC IS CHANGING, SO WE HAVE TO ADOPT TO THAT.

THAT'S WHAT I DO NOW.

I DON'T--I DANCE TO EVERYTHING.

[CHEERING] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS, HIP-HOP HAS EVOLVED INTO SUCH A POWERFUL AND WIDE-REACHING ARTFORM, BUT IT HAS ALWAYS KEPT TRUE TO ITS ORIGINAL MISSION OF EMPOWERMENT TO THE COMMUNITY, OF CONNECTION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND THE EXPRESSION OF CREATIVITY AND GIVING VOICE TO THAT COMMUNITY!

MALLOZZI: AND I'LL SEE YOU ON MY NEXT "BARE FEET" ADVENTURE, WHEREVER IT MAY TAKE ME!

OH!

HEY, HEY!

YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED WITH US AT TRAVELBAREFEELT.COM, WHERE YOU'LL FIND EXTRA BONUS VIDEOS, JOIN OUR "BARE FEET" SERIES CONVERSATIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, AND STAY UPDATED WITH OUR NEWSLETTER.

YOU'RE GONNA BE LISTENING TO THIS COUNT AND COUNTING.

UH-UH.

HA HA!

WHOO!

HA!

[SCRATCHING] YEE!

YEE!

AAH!

WHOO!

ALMOST, ALMOST, ALMOST.

DJ GOING WILD!

WHAT?!

OK, OK. OK, OK, OK, OK.

WAIT.

MALLOZZI: "BARE FEET" IS FUNDED IN PART BY... ANNOUNCER: ROAD SCHOLAR, OFFERING EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL ADVENTURES FOR ADULTS SINCE 1975.

ANNOUNCER: ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN THROUGH THE YUEN FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

MALLOZZI: THESE GENEROUS SUPPORTERS.

ANNOUNCER: AND BY THE ANN H. SYMINGTON FOUNDATION.

[BABY BABBLING]