In the rehearsal rooms of the Pine Creek Community Arts Center, twenty minutes northeast of Portland, the floors are already scuffed from hours of stomps and chest pops. For one week in December, this former timber-mill town becomes an unlikely hub for one of urban dance's most explosive forms. The Pine Creek Krump Masterclass returns for its sixth year with a tightened focus: not just celebrating Krump culture, but tracing its lineage from South Central Los Angeles to the Pacific Northwest.
From Clowning to Krump: The Real History
Krump did not simply "emerge from the underground scene of Los Angeles." It developed in South Central L.A. in the early 2000s, when dancers including Tight Eyez and Big Mijo pushed past the colorful theatrics of Clowning toward something harder, faster, and more emotionally raw. Where Clowning emphasized crowd-pleasing humor and party routines, Krump channeled aggression, spiritual release, and personal struggle into rapid-fire arm swings, jabs, and stomps.
That history matters to Linh "Quake" Voss, the masterclass's lead organizer and a Portland-based Krump dancer who trained in L.A. during the form's first wave. "People hear 'Krump' and think it's just angry flailing," Voss said. "But there's structure, there are rules to the cypher, and there's a real philosophy behind why we move the way we do. We teach all of that here."
Who's Teaching What
This year's lineup mixes established figures with regional talent doing national-level work.
Tommy the Clown, founder of the Clowning style that preceded Krump, leads two sessions on the historical bridge between the forms: how his "hip-hop clowns" inspired early Krump dancers, and where the aesthetics diverged. Attendees will learn foundational Clowning footwork and the call-and-response audience techniques that Krump later stripped down and intensified.
Miss Prissy, whose work in David LaChapelle's 2005 documentary Rize introduced Krump to mainstream audiences, teaches freestyle philosophy and the etiquette of the cypher—the circle where dancers battle, support, and test one another.
Tight Eyez Jr., son of the Krump co-founder, leads the advanced technique track, focusing on arm control, stamina training, and the "get-off," the explosive burst that ends a round.
Local instructors round out the schedule: Quake on Pacific Northwest Krump history, Rico "Frost" Brennan on musicality and timing, and Sam "Wavelength" Okonkwo on integrating contemporary movement without losing Krump's core identity.
The Schedule
The masterclass runs December 9–14. Spaces are capped at sixty participants to keep sessions interactive.
- Monday, December 9: "Stomps and Arm Swings," a three-hour technique intensive with Tight Eyez Jr.
- Tuesday, December 10: "Cypher Culture" with Miss Prissy—freestyle philosophy, battle etiquette, and reading your opponent.
- Wednesday, December 11: "From Clown to Krump" with Tommy the Clown, plus an evening open-practice session.
- Thursday, December 12: Regional styles panel and lab session with Quake, Frost, and Wavelength.
- Friday, December 13: Battle prep and one-on-one feedback rounds.
- Saturday, December 14: The Pine Creek Krump Showcase at the Arts Center's main theater, open to the public. Participants perform in set pieces and freestyle battles; spectators can attend for $15 at the door.
All skill levels are welcome, though organizers note that the Monday and Wednesday technique intensives move quickly. Beginners are encouraged to pair those sessions with the Tuesday cypher introduction.
Why Pine Creek
The Community Arts Center helps keep costs lower than comparable L.A. or Seattle intensives—full-week passes are $475, with single-day passes at $95 and need-based scholarships available. Most out-of-town participants stay at two nearby motels or organize homestays through the event's Facebook group.
"The first year, people were confused why we weren't in Portland," Voss said. "Now it's part of the identity. You come here to train without distractions. The closest club is twenty minutes away. Your options are dance, sleep, or talk about dance."
How to Join
Registration runs through December 5 at pinecreekkrump.org. Full-week, single-day, and showcase-only tickets are available. The first twenty registrants receive a limited-run T-shirt designed by Portland graffiti artist Moth.
Written by: Alexa Rhythm
