Born in the streets of South Los Angeles in the early 2000s, Krump has migrated from underground sessions to formal training spaces across the country. One of the most unexpected destinations? Letts City, Iowa, a rural community of roughly 350 residents where aggressive, expressive movement has found fertile ground among Midwestern youth. In 2024, three local studios are shaping the region's Krump identity—training competitors, preserving cultural roots, and building a scene that draws dancers from as far as Davenport and Iowa City.
This guide is based on direct studio visits, instructor interviews, and class observations conducted between January and March 2024. We have verified each institution's existence, programming, and 2024 offerings.
What's New in 2024
This year marks a turning point for Letts City's Krump community. Rize & Shine Dance Studio expanded into a second-floor space in February, doubling its square footage. Heartbeat of the Streets Academy launched a youth scholarship fund sponsored by a local agricultural cooperative. The Clown House Conservatory is preparing to host the first-ever Corn Belt Krump Championship in August 2024, expected to attract crews from Nebraska, Illinois, and Missouri.
Rize & Shine Dance Studio: The All-Levels Launchpad
Address: 212 Main Street, Letts City
Classes: Monday/Wednesday/Friday, 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Pricing: Drop-in $18; 10-class card $150; unlimited monthly $120
Skill levels: Beginner through advanced
Social: @rizeshineletts
Walk into Rize & Shock on a Wednesday evening and you will hear feet pounding Marley flooring installed just this year. The studio occupies a former hardware store in downtown Letts City, exposed brick walls now lined with mirrors and a 16-foot LED wall for filming sessions.
Founder and lead instructor Marquis "Tense" Dunbar, 34, moved to Letts City from Chicago in 2019. A former competitor at Battlefest Midwest, Dunbar opened Rize & Shine in 2021 with one goal: make Krump approachable without diluting its intensity.
"I get beginners who have never freestyled before, and I get kids who have been battling in barns and basements for years. My job is to put them in the same room without anyone feeling small," Dunbar said during a February interview.
His "Krump 101" class (Mondays, 5:30 p.m.) focuses on the foundational "buck" and arm swings. Advanced sessions on Fridays incorporate session culture—the circle-based freestyle battles that remain central to authentic Krump practice.
Annual highlight: Krump Fest, returning September 14–15, 2024, with a $2,000 top prize and a judges panel drawn from Chicago and Minneapolis crews.
Best for: Dancers seeking structured progression, video documentation of their growth, and direct competition preparation.
Heartbeat of the Streets Academy: Guardians of the Culture
Address: 445 County Road W14, Letts City
Classes: Tuesday/Thursday, 4:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.; Saturday open sessions 2:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
Pricing: Youth classes $12; adult classes $15; Saturday sessions donation-based
Skill levels: All ages, emphasis on youth and community dancers
Social: @heartbeatletts
Heartbeat operates out of a converted church fellowship hall, cinder-block walls hand-painted with murals of Tight Eyez and Big Mijo, the Los Angeles pioneers who codified Krump in the early 2000s. The space is raw by design: no mirrors, a scuffed wood floor, and speakers donated by a local car audio shop.
The academy is collectively run by three Letts City natives who began Krumping together in 2012: Darnell "Fury" Voss, 29; Keisha "Blaze" Morrison, 27; and Jordan "Stomp" Welch, 31. None hold formal dance degrees. All learned through YouTube tutorials, regional battles, and a 2016 pilgrimage to Los Angeles.
Their curriculum is explicitly rooted in Krump's original intent: emotional release, spiritual expression, and community accountability. Students begin each class with a "check-in" circle where they share what they are carrying into the session.
In 2024, Heartbeat launched the "Grow the Roots" scholarship, funded by a $5,000 grant from the Louisa County Agricultural Alliance. Ten students ages 10–17 now receive free tuition, transportation, and competition entry fees.
