Learning Hip Hop with Luminescent Dance at the Reno Dance Company

On a recent Saturday, the doors at the Reno Dance Company were open to anyone who was interested in taking a beginner hip-hop class. 

Luminescent is a local Reno/Sparks dance team which hosts many yearly events along with monthly dance classes.

Justine Pereyra, a 27-year-old graduate student who is getting her masters in clinical mental health counseling at the University of Nevada, Reno, was the instructor for this specific dance class.

“For this dance specifically, it was more of like a  challenge piece because I’ve never really have done my own original choreography. So I told myself, like, I can’t look at anything else, only for inspiration, but I can’t copy the moves unless, like I’ve done it myself…,” said Pereyra.

Luminescent’s social media manager, 22-year-old Monisha Sidher has previously taken two of Pereyra’s classes and she explains how exciting it was to learn original choreo.

“It was different. We don’t do a lot of Reggaeton with Luminescent. I’m glad that we’re expanding the genres that we teach. It was more of a Hip-Hop like style, but the song itself was Moscow Mule by Bad Bunny, and so I’m glad that we’re expanding. But I also love how it's very unique to Justine’s style,” said Sidher.

Team leader 28-year-old Shaun Huynh emphasized how the dance classes are a safe space where anyone and everyone can learn and have fun by adding their own flare.

“For the community, I think the dance classes honestly, just brings an environment where you don't need to be the best dancer and you can come in and enjoy that. No matter what level we teach, I feel like people can just enjoy our vibe and people can just enjoy being in a place where they feel like they can't be they're not going to be judged and whatever they do wrong they feel like it's actually right because they're just having a good time with us,” said Huynh.

By incorporating different ranges of dance styles and offering classes to the public, Luminescent continues to provide a space where dancers of all levels can learn and express themselves with the Reno dance community.

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