Jordan
RESIDENCY RECAP
From July 29 to August 2, 2019, Hip Hop artists Mark Martin (Beatmaker), Kaila Mullady (Beatmaker), Dinita “Queen Dinita” Clark (Dancer), Tef Poe (MC), and site manager JaciCaprice Clark traveled to Amman, Jordan as part of the Next Level Program. Hosted by the National Center of Culture and Arts (NCCA), the artists offered workshops in conflict transformation and entrepreneurship, including one aimed at teaching young girls the importance of building self-expression and confidence through dance. Through these workshops and local events, participants developed a greater sense of community and leadership, and were inspired to work towards resolving community issues.
The Next Level Team collaborated with several local artists during their residency, including Abood Aladham and Amer Altaher, two leading figures in the community who participated in workshops aimed at strengthening communal ties through conflict transformation and leadership development. Maxeem Ayyad and Ban Howeidi, owners of a local dance studio where some of the entrepreneurial workshops were held, also participated in discussions on hip hop education and youth leadership. In addition, regional alumnus MC Ahmed “Afroto” Mohamed from Egypt traveled to Amman to participate in the Next Level Academy and assist with the final performance.
The Next Level Academy’s final performance was held at the Al Shams Theatre and live-streamed on Facebook. Local aerosol artist Ammar Sinan (“Sin”) painted a mural outside of the Theatre to mark the occasion, and one of Amman’s top DJs, “Dj Boka”, performed. Next Level’s Team Jordan is part of a larger cohort of American MCs, DJs, beatmakers, and Hip Hop dancers seeking to build global community through Hip Hop culture.
NEXT LEVEL ACADEMY PARTICIPANTS
