Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater present
NUTTIN' BUT A WORD
CHOREOGRAPHER, FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Rennie Harris
RENNIE HARRIS PUREMOVEMENT
Marguerite Waller, Rachel Snider, Joshua Archibald, Zakhele Grabowski, Genesis Castaneda, Alexis Curiel, Roukijah Rooks, Joshua Culbreath, Emily Culbreath
PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR & LIGHTING DESIGNER
Bob Steineck
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
This suite of works challenges the structural integrity of Campbell locking, house, hip-hop and B-boying. Now that we are a global hip-hop nation, we seem to have become hip-hop/street-dance zealots. This purist attitude has stagnated the natural progression of street dance. Simply put, we have become elitist about hip-hop culture. This elitism is due to this generation's obsession with "keeping it real." The truth of the matter is this generation will never relive my generation's era of original dance. My generation defined the three laws of hip-hop culture: innovation, individuality and creativity. At best, they can appreciate it, pay homage to it and acknowledge it as the foundational era of hip-hop/street dance. In doing that, they will tap into their individuality, creativity and innovation, which in turn ensures progress. The work's title, Nuttin' but a Word, was taken from a cultural phrase used among Blacks in the United States. The complete phrase is, "You ain't said nothing but a word." Loosely translated, it means "Your words mean nothing—pay close attention, because what I do next will trump anything you have to say." Hip-hop/street dance is progressive by design. There is nothing about the three laws of hip-hop that suggests stagnation. Nothing about these laws indicates that we as practitioners of hip-hop should only adhere to its foundation. It is quite the opposite. Nuttin' but a Word challenges hip-hop puritans at every turn and reminds us that we will not evolve as a form without individuality, creativity and innovation.
— Rennie Harris
NUTTIN’ BUT A WORD
The Word …
Choreography: Rennie Harris
Music: "Trinity Ov Me" by Osunlade
Unlocked
Choreography: Rennie Harris
Music: "Ambient" by Raphael Xavier
Bent
Choreography: Rennie Harris
Music: "Round, Round, Round" by Al Jarreau
A Funny Thing Happened
Choreography: Rennie Harris
Music: "Man With a Movie Camera"by Cinematic Orchestra
A Day in the Life
Choreography: Rennie Harris Restaged & Reimagined
Music: "Sacré the Wine Ode Suite" by Dhafar Youssef
Doubt & Dolo
Choreography: Rennie Harris
Written by Smokey Norful
Music: "I Need You Now"
Breath
Choreography: Rennie Harris
Continuum
Choreography: Rennie Harris
Music: "Mixed" by DJ Lee Jones
WHO’S WHO & WHAT’S WHAT
LORENZO ‘RENNIE’ HARRIS (choreographer, founder, artistic director) has been called "the most respected—and the most brilliant—hip-hop choreographer in America" by The New Yorker. Born and raised in an African American community in North Philadelphia, Harris has taught at universities around the country since 15. Advocating for the significance of "street" origins in any dance style, Harris believes hip-hop expresses universal themes that extend beyond racial, religious and economic boundaries and, because of its pan-racial and global popularity, can help bridge these divisions. Harris performed on the first nationwide rap tour, The Fresh Fest, starring Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Kurtis Blow, the Fat Boys, Salt-N-Pepa and other rap pioneers.
Known for bringing social dances to the concert stage and coining the term “street dance theater,” Harris has broken new ground as one of the first hip-hop choreographers to create works with ballet-based companies, including Ballet Memphis, Colorado Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco), Giordano Dance Chicago, Lula Washington Dance Theatre, Cleo Parker Robinson, Dallas Black Dance Theater, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Harris was the first street dancer commissioned to create an evening-length work for Alvin Ailey, and he served as a resident artist at the Ailey school for dance. He has received three Bessie Awards, five Black Theater Alvin Ailey Awards and a Herb Alpert Award, and was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award. He also received a lifetime achievement award in choreography from the McCullum Theater.
In addition, he’s received a Guggenheim Fellowship, a PEW Fellowship, a USA Artist of the Year Fellowship and a Governors Artist of the Year Award, and is the first street dancer to receive two honorary doctorate degrees from Bates College (Lewiston, Maine) and Columbia College (Chicago). He served as cultural ambassador for Ronald Reagan’s US Embassy Tour in 1986 and was invited to the White House by the Clinton Administration to share in the recognition of African American artists making a difference in the world. He received a medal in choreography from the Kennedy Center.
Rennie Harris Puremovement has performed for such dignitaries as the Queen of England and the Princess of Monaco, and was chosen as one of four US companies to serve as hip-hop cultural ambassadors for President Obama's Dance Motion USA and toured Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Japan, China, The Gambia and Kazakhstan. In 2020, Harris received the Doris Duke Artist Award. He was also awarded The Andrew W. Mellon Grant “Building a Legacy of Street Dance” (2022), as well as the Hermitage Greenfield Prize (2023) and the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award (2023).
CAST OF DANCERS
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Marguerite Waller
principal dancer, company manager
Artist Bio
Marguerite Waller
Marguerite Waller
Marguerite Waller is a dancer, choreographer and teaching artist born and raised in Phoenix. In her performance work, choreography and freestyle/battle practice, she pulls from various dance forms, such as waacking, house, locking, breaking, hip-hop, postmodern contemporary and tap. She is a graduate of Arizona State University, obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, a minor in Justice Studies and two certificates in Arts Entrepreneurship and Social Practice in Design and the Arts. In addition, Waller is a Fulbright Summer Institute Participant, a recipient of the Joan Frazer Memorial Award for Judaism and the Arts and a published writer. She recently became an FY24 Arts and Humanities Fellow through the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Waller is a resident of Brooklyn, and is so grateful to be writing, moving and making in her new home. She is continuously looking for new ways to connect with her community and create collaborative, inclusive, important dance and movement work on local, national and global scales. Waller is deeply honored to be a principal dancer for Rennie Harris Puremovement, as well as its company manager.
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Rachel Snider
principal dancer, rehearsal director
Artist Bio
Rachel Snider
Rachel Snider
Rachel Snider is a Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, native who relocated to Philadelphia in 2016. She started dancing at the age of 3, studied ballet and modern and competed in multiple dance competitions. Snider began learning hip-hop at the age of 12 with Jason Reed in REACH! Hip Hop based in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She discovered her passion for dance through Moncell Durden and his company Keystone Dance Project, learning styles such as hip-hop, locking, house, breaking, etc. Through Moncell, Snider met her biggest dance inspiration and mentor, Marcus Tucker. She has trained under the direction of Tucker and The Hood Lockers for eight years, and has become a core member of The Hood Lockers, and Hood Nation. She is an alumni of Jacob’s Pillow for Social Dances – Jazz to Hip Hop. Snider has performed in shows across college campuses, teaching workshops at Ursinus College and York College, and assisted Tucker’s teaching residency at Eastern University. She has been teaching for six years at Vince Johnson’s Movemakers Philly, as well as at Lisa Welsch’s First Position Dance Arts. Snider is a core member of Rennie Harris Puremovement as of 2022, and is eager to continue her journey with the company.
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Joshua Archibald
apprentice dancer
Artist Bio
Joshua Archibald
Joshua Archibald
Joshua Archibald is Jamaican-born and Miami-based. He is a multidisciplinary artist with a focus on spiritual and esoteric material. He was brought up in a firm, Christian household and draws inspiration from the teachings of his youth and the spiritual journey of adulthood. He comes from a musically inclined background, with a music producer for a father and having been raised as a percussionist. Archibald was a regular drummer for his church as well as his high school jazz ensemble. During the later years of his education, he became an engineering student and simultaneously found interest in theater. Although dance is his medium of choice, his education and training in these areas inform his creative process and ultimate expression as an individual and artist. As a dance major, he received most of his ballet and contemporary training at Miami-Dade College under Michelle Grant-Murray. In addition to his participation in the dance program, he independently studied hip-hop and other street styles with various crews and leaders in the community. Lately, he has focused on developing his own movement to lay the foundation for future works.
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Zakhele "Swazi" Grabowski
apprentice dancer
Artist Bio
Zakhele "Swazi" Grabowski
Zakhele "Swazi" Grabowski
Zakhele "Swazi" Grabowski is a competitive breaker, tap dancer and musician. Originally from Eswatini, he is now based in New York. Grabowski is a dynamic rocker and a member of Olympic Teen Team USA. He will be representing the USA in Slovenia in May at the Kidz World Breaking Championships. He is delighted and honored to be performing with Rennie Harris Puremovement.
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Genesis Castaneda
apprentice dancer
Artist Bio
Genesis Castaneda
Genesis Castaneda
Genesis Castaneda is a Cuban-American dancer born and raised in Miami. Her dance journey began under the guidance of Michelle Grant-Murray at Miami Dade College, where she cultivated a strong foundation in dance. Castaneda earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of the Arts. She specializes in street-dance forms and social dances, drawing inspiration from her diverse cultural background. Castaneda is an active member of the dance community, performing with Harris and contributing her talents to Carne Viva Dance Theatre. Her performances blend tradition with contemporary expression, reflecting her dedication to artistic innovation and cultural storytelling.
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Alexis Roberto Curiel
apprentice dancer
Artist Bio
Alexis Roberto Curiel
Alexis Roberto Curiel
Alexis Roberto Curiel is an Afro-Latino Dominican American multidisciplinary dance artist and choreographer born and raised in Miami and based in Philadelphia. He received a BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts in 2021 and began his full-time dance career in 2022. He’s had the opportunity to collaborate with faculty at UArts, choreograph for various schools and programs in the United States, presenting and performing work nationally and internationally. Curiel is a member of Rennie Harris Aweinspiring Works (RHAW) and MOV3 Dance Collective (directed by Jameel Hendricks). He is an instructor at Urban Movement Arts for adults and youth. With versatility and virtuosity Curiel embraces his love for commercial, concert and street dance throughout his journey exchanging with those he’s in community with and beyond.
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Roukijah "NutellaK" Rooks
associate dancer
Artist Bio
Roukijah "NutellaK" Rooks
Roukijah "NutellaK" Rooks
Roukijah "NutellaK" Rooks is an interdisciplinary dance artist and educator. She graduated from the University of the Arts, receiving her BFA in dance with an associate in business. Rooks is trained in dance styles including but not limited to hip-hop, African, ballet, contemporary and modern dance. She has worked with artists such as Ronald K. Brown, Kim Bears-Bailey, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Marguerite Hemmings and Sidra Bell. Rooks has choreographed for dance organizations, National Dance Institute, Bella Ballerina Dance Academy, Arts East New York, El Puente and others. Independently, Rooks has choreographed works for herself and other emerging artists, severing the idea of societal norms. Her works have premiered throughout Philadelphia and New York in proscenium and experimental settings.
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Emily Culbreath
associate dancer, MFA
Artist Bio
Emily Culbreath
Emily Culbreath
Emily Culbreath is an award-winning street and club-dance practitioner, educator and choreographer who is most known for her work as co-founder and director of hip-hop theater organization Snack Break Movement Arts, and as a core member and rehearsal director for Rennie Harris Puremovement. Culbreeath has shown her work at the "Illadelph" Street Dance Festival, "The Come Together Festival" hosted by Koresh Dance, "Here and Now Vol. II" sponsored by W.O.R.X, The San Francisco International Hip Hop Dance Festival, Summer Dance Forever's Theater Forever program (Amsterdam), Urban Movement Arts' "UMA Shows Up" program (PA), RADFest (MI), Xfest (IL), and as an artist in residence at Franklin & Marshall College (PA), Georgian Court University (NJ) and Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. Culbreath was invited to present her choreography at the American College Dance Association's National Festival (Washington, D.C.) in May 2025. She has taught and guest-lectured in various contexts, including Mark Morris Dance Group, New Visions for Public Schools, The New School, Princeton University and Rennie Harris University's street dance-certification program. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 2025.
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Joshua Culbreath
associate dancer
Artist Bio
Joshua Culbreath
Joshua Culbreath
BOB STEINECK (lighting designer, production manager) has design credits that include concerts, ballet, modern dance, opera and theater. He is currently the resident lighting designer for ReedDance, Texture Contemporary Ballet, Carnegie Stage and Mercyhurst University Dance Department. Steineck has toured throughout the U.S. and abroad with such companies as Rennie Harris PureMovement; R.H.A.W., Reed Dance, Squonk Opera, the Lyon Opera Ballet, Sankai Juku, PhoenixDance Company, Kirov Ballet Academy and the America Tour for Stars on Ice. His television/video/DVD credits include the DIZZY GILLESPIE Allstar Big Band for A&E Cable, the SPYRO GYRA concert for PBS, Lindy Loon for Maria Del Rey and JOHNNY A TRIO by WarnerBros. Publications. He has designed several corporate events and fundraisers.
Steineck is a lighting designer and clay artist based in Las Vegas. He is the production manager and resident designer for the Koresh Dance Company and The Snowy Range Summer Dance Festival. He also is a resident lighting designer for Nevada Ballet Theatre and Production Manager for Choregus Productions in Tulsa. He holds a master's degree from Temple University and has taught at several colleges and universities. He is the co-owner of Clay Arts Vegas, a clay studio, gallery and supply business. He teaches hand-building and manages the gallery season. He is happy to be working with Rennie Harris Puremovement.
RODNEY HILL (executive director) was born and raised on the tough streets of North Philadelphia, entering the hip-hop scene in 1988. For more than a decade, Hill has blazed stages in venues nationally and abroad. He has been featured in videos for such artists as Boys II Men, Will Smith and Musiq Soulchild. He has performed on TV shows such as R&B Divas: Los Angeles, Late Night With Conan O’Brien, Soul Train, NBC’s NFL Under the Helmet and BET’s Teen Summit. In addition, he has toured and performed with Rennie Harris Puremovement, R&B singer Brave Williams, Julian King, R&B group AAries, Mad Skillz, rapper Eve, R&B legend Teddy Pendergrass, Janet Jackson’s Dj Aktive, R&B singer Shanice Wilson, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Philly’s own The Roots. An accomplished dancer, choreographer and teacher, Hill has performed and taught at universities and dance studios locally, nationally and internationally in London, Santiago (Chile), Toronto, Bermuda, Monaco, Bogotá, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, England, Israel and Palestine. In 2020, Hill graduated from Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, with an MFA in choreography. Hill's inspiration for dance comes from his community and family. He continues to educate and inspire others through his hard work, dedication and commitment to hip-hop and its culture. In January 2022, Hill was sworn in as councilman for Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, a suburban community just outside North Philadelphia.
RENNIE HARRIS PUREMOVEMENT STAFF & DIRECTORS
Rennie Harris
Founder/Choreographer
rennieharris@rhpm.org
Rodney Hill
Executive Director
rodneyhill@rhpm.org
Marguerite Waller
Company Manager
rhpm.adm@gmail.com
Rachel Snider
Rehearsal Director
rachelsnider98@gmail.com
Angelina P. Labate
RH Archival Director
angelinaasda@gmail.com
Mika Lemoine
Rennie Harris University Assistant
rhumanagingdirector2021@gmail.com
Brittany Williams
Rennie Harris University Director
msbritt305@gmail.com
SPECIAL THANKS
Joan Myers Brown and the Philadelphia Dance Company, The Theater and Dance Department at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Pew Charitable Trust, Dance Advance, Penn Pat, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ford Foundation, Guggenheim, Dance USA, The Alan M. Kriegsman Residency, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, National Dance Project, National Performance Network and NEFA for over 30 years of unwavering support.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Rodney S. Hill, executive director, 267.236.4097 or rodneyhill@RHPM.org
Adrienne Arsht Center
Inspirational Bon Mot Series Presented by Adrienne Arsht
